I am partial to Japanese saws. There used to be a number of sources for them. I am using one that is 30 years old. Can someone recommend a site/brand to get a high quality saw.
I recently bought a set of chisels from a famous blacksmith. There ability to hold an edge is unmatched. Looking for a saw to complement them.
Thx
Replies
Hida Tool probably has the fanciest selection. But there are a lot of excellent Japanese saws out there. Lee Valley has a good selection.
Thx. I am aware of Hida and Lee Valley. I had a Japanese friend that work in the US part time. I leaned on him to translate and he even picked me up some tools when he would travel back to Japan. I am on my own now!
I buy them from Woodcraft. When the teeth get too chipped I replace the blade.
I can't see spending a lot of money on a hand made saw unless that's your thing.
It’s my thing. I have found the best selection is probably on eBay. I know Woodcraft used to have a subsidiary dedicated specifically to Japanese tools but it no longer exists. Just hoping someone has found a niche supplier
Woodcraft purchase Japan Woodworker, where i bought my first japanese handsaws, and they do handle some of that those higher end japanese tools still, I believe. Woodcraft has Gyokucho saws in both better and ok grades. Hida Hardware has Mitzukawa, handmade and very expensive and almost too good to use. I ve never sprung for those and my best saws are Gyokucho and I have to say that the ones I bought from Japan Woodworker some years ago are better than more recent purchases from Woodcraft. I've also bought Japanese type saws off the rack at the hardware store and guess what? - they all cut wood! I couldn't help myself and have been seeing the Temu ads. --Whats this, and then them advertising on the Superbowl! So I bought some stuff- knock offs or maybe even over stocks of all those gimmicky Woodpecker things for 1/10th price and a Japanese pull saw for about 8 bucks. I was pleasantly surprised by all of it, came all the way from China in a few days. The saw - and honestly I am not crazy about the handle- is about as good a saw as one I purchased from Woodcraft for 4 times the money.
A person that I collaborated with some years ago collected Japanese chisels and paid as much as $1000 sometimes for a single chisel -in 80s dollars! Each had a story and they were wonderful chisels. When he died some relative snaked off with them, I can only hope he knew what he got!
Thx. I will look into Mitzukawa saws
Look at Suizan, Japanese woodworking, tools from Japan
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I had been using 180mm dozuki saws. Recently I've noticed that only 150mm and 240mm saws seem to be available through outlets like Woodcraft. Does anyone know why that is?
You should add some pictures of those chisels...You know...
So we can match a saw to them and totally not cause I enjoy salivating at tool porn.
I like Gyokucho saws and buy them at Highland Woodworking in Atlanta, they have a good selection of quality saws.