Thread: how to cross cut

Hi La H, Sounds like you just need some practice. Get some scrap, start small and work your way up. Take your time, have a good line to follow, pick which part or side of the line you are going to cut on (always the scrap side) and stick to it, nice long controled cuts, don't hurry. Doesn't matter if its a Japanese saw or western style, just practice. I think there might be something in Toshio Odates books and no doubt others. Good luck, no, good practice.

cheers mate...

i can use machines in woodworking almost with my eyes shut, but hand tooling is a bit challenging, i'm pretty good with hand planing though...

which Japanese handsaw should i begin with...

I have a $100 handmade from japan and a $30 from Bunnies they both do a great job. Carbatec and the like also sell them. Or for the real thing click on my web site link below go to my links and you will find a link to Japan Tools, So has some lovely tools on his site.

cheers for the response...

i found a couple of vids on youtube of some guy doing a little bit of Japanese joinery, and another where a group of people built a wood structure, one guy used the Japanese saw to cut 10in x 10in thick timber, the saw cut through it like cheese.

Its all about seeing the line well I reakon. If you focus on that at all times trying to keep the cut on it with practise you'll develop a technique naturally.

looking at Carbatec as they are 5min from me, this crosscut carpenters saw is right on my budget for a beginner into Japanese woodworking and it's 300mm to boot...

so what do ya reckon, good to get started with ?

La H

I managed to save both pages of Mark Grable's Five Practical Handsaw Exercises and Introducing Sashigane before they disappeared. These pages are truly excellent and lead to mastering sawing. Problem is I don't know how to show these to you, they are html with one folder each containing graphics, pasting them to a message board doesn't work except for the text. I suppose I could email the file and folder to you.

Pam

hey Pam...

send me the documents and i can convert them to a format suitable for posting here if you like, sounds like good reading too...

providing it's ok to post them, no copyright that is?

La H

Well, there is always a copyright. I consider Mark a friend, although I haven't seen him for 3 or 4 years and he's very difficult to contact via email. What I don't know is why the pages have disappeared from the Daiku Dojo site.

So, I'll be happy to email them, readable in most any browser, and will have to check further before putting them on the web.

Pam

Hi Pam, Im new to japanese woodworking and have read your informative posts regarding japanese tools. I too am having difficulty regarding sawing. Could you please send me the html files as well? I would greatly appreciate it, so far I love what japanese chisels and a ryoba are capable of and am looking to use them to their best. Once more, thank you for your time.

My email is: [email protected]

Try this link, I think the info is still available.
Thanks for the tip Pam.


http://www.daikudojo.org/Archive/200...-exercises.pdf


cheers,
Koot

Many thanks, Koot, that's it, and in convenient pdf with all the graphics to boot.

Pam

Great link, Koot. Thanks so much for posting it.

Thanks Koot, a thousand thanks, and thank you Pam for having read my post.