Lie-Nielsen Dovetail saws -which one to buy?

[Ollie]

I am a Japanese saw convert.

They are amazing saws once you get the hang of them. I would say that the Vaughn ones and other western ones like Irwin are not the same league as the Guyokucho ones and the Z saws are great too. I have one handmade fully hardened Dozuki saw that leaves an almost polished cut surface, it is one of my favourite things.

Great to see David Barron is known in America too. I have bought a dovetail guide and a guyokucho saw from him at a show before,  he also exhibits his work at the celebration of craftsmanship and design in Cheltenham which I go to every year  http://www.celebrationofcraftsmanship.com/  .

I recommend everyone to make one of Davids dovetail alignment jigs, they work brilliantly.

 

[jacko9]

I am a Japanese saw convert.

They are amazing saws once you get the hang of them. I would say that the Vaughn ones and other western ones like Irwin are not the same league as the Guyokucho ones and the Z saws are great too. I have one handmade fully hardened Dozuki saw that leaves an almost polished cut surface, it is one of my favourite things.

Great to see David Barron is known in America too. I have bought a dovetail guide and a guyokucho saw from him at a show before,  he also exhibits his work at the celebration of craftsmanship and design in Cheltenham which I go to every year  http://www.celebrationofcraftsmanship.com/  .

I recommend everyone to make one of Davids dovetail alignment jigs, they work brilliantly.

I'm with you Ollie, I have four Japanese saws and two of them will allow me to cut dovetails with little or no chisel cleanup.

Jack

 

[NYC Tiny Shop]

OK, I had to make these mini mouldings for this piece. I decided to try eyeing the 45 degrees, a la Paul Sellers, with my Gyokucho #372 imported from Tools From Japan.  I surprisingly nailed all of the 45's by eye with this saw and the cuts were as clean as could be. Alright, I won't sell this saw.  [wink]

 

[jacko9]

OK, i had to make these mimi mouldings for this piece. I decided to try eyeing the 45 degrees, a la Paul Sellers, with my Gyokucho #372 imorted from Tools From Japan.  I surprisingly nailed all of the 45's by eye with this saw and the cuts were as clean a could be. Alright, I won't sell this saw.

Nice work, I'm glad you gave the saw a "chance" before you dumped it [wink]

Jack

 

[NYC Tiny Shop]

Thanks, Jack.

 

[Bob Wolfe]

I have 2 Adraia, dovetail and a carcass, fine, fine saws, totally satisfied.

 

[FOGNewbie]

Anyone here try the Glen Drake saw?

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReviews/GlenDrakeJoinerySaw.html



I like it. I also have a Pull saw. Both are easier to start, but I hope to get better at using a traditional Pistol grip dovetail saw. I will be looking at the Lie Nielsen tapered dovetail saw as well.

All of the better saws work well. For me, it's all about practice. My hope is to add a knew concepts fret saw so I can have a strong set up for when I want to cut dovetails by hand.

 

[FOGNewbie]

Does anyone have experience with Lie-Nielsen dovetail saws? I would like to start making handcut dovetail joints
and am in need of a good dovetail saw. L-N makes 3 different versions: standard, thin kerf and a progessive pictch?
Is there a significant difference in ease of use among the 3 saws and is any one of these easier to use when just
learning how to make these joints by hand?

Have you tried the one Frank Klaus used?

;D

 

[jacko9]

I can't recommend which of the three to buy but, after your purchase I would recommend that you get some inexpensive wood like popular are practice.  In one of James Krenov's books he talks about learning to cut and also how to fix mistakes. 

Jack

 

[Blackberry]

I use a LN myself and I've had it for years.  I'd recommend a good marking gauge as well as a good marking knife.  Personally I use a Hamilton marking gauge and a Blue Spruce marking knife.  There are others out there but a pencil simply won't cut it.

 

[rustym]

Check out David Barron's site.  He has a bunch of good videos on dovetails and tell about Japanese saws that he uses and also the dovetail guides that he makes.  They are sweet (I have a 1:7).

Rusty

Here's the site url http://www.davidbarronfurniture.co.uk/

 

[DrD]

The Rob Coseman dovetail saw from Woodcraft in the US or direct from Rob Coseman in Canada cannot be beat.  A bit more expensive than LN or Adrais, but cannot be beat.

DrD

 

[jacko9]

Tips on cutting dovetails by hand have been written about recently in a few issues of Fine Woodworking (Feb 2014 and April 2014) by Christian Becksvoort .  One tip by Michael Pekovich in the June 2014 issue was to cut the tails first then apply blue painters tape on the ends of the pin boards and use a sharp knife to trim the tape and transfer the lines.  Peel away the tape from the waste area and you have a highly visible line with a slight shoulder to follow. 

Jack