Another backsaw build.

[planemaker]

Hi all. Attached is the latest backsaw I finished working on. The handle wood is tiger myrtle. The length of saw tooth is 10 inches, and its been sharpened 12 tpi.

Regards; Stewie.

http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af219/swagman001/Double%20radial%20cheek%20backsaw/DSC_0018_zps84300657.jpg (http://s1009.photobucket.com/user/swagman001/media/Double%20radial%20cheek%20backsaw/DSC_0018_zps84300657.jpg.html)

http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af219/swagman001/Double%20radial%20cheek%20backsaw/DSC_0020_zps83e1ddd7.jpg (http://s1009.photobucket.com/user/swagman001/media/Double%20radial%20cheek%20backsaw/DSC_0020_zps83e1ddd7.jpg.html)

http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af219/swagman001/Double%20radial%20cheek%20backsaw/DSC_0021_zpsfd7cba83.jpg (http://s1009.photobucket.com/user/swagman001/media/Double%20radial%20cheek%20backsaw/DSC_0021_zpsfd7cba83.jpg.html)

[RayG]

Hi Stewie,

Spectacular, I like the subtle recurve on the top horn, that adds a distinctive flair, the way the line of the lamb's tongue flows into the heel of the saw plate..

All in all, a very attractive well balanced saw.. :2tsup: I love it.

Regards
Ray

[IanW]

Stewie, you're just tossing them off like old clothes!

As Ray said, nice lines - different, and your own style, but not so radical they don't look nice to use. Well done, again!

Cheers,

[pmcgee]

Hi Stewie.

I have to start with how amazing it looks ... as everyone can see. I absolutely love the horns ... and have never ever come anywhere close to making anything of that sort of quality.
:)

I have looked at a lot of old saws and handles, so I hope you won't mind me asking you a few things that come to my mind ... without it being in any way criticism. It is more that I know (sometimes) how I see things and I'm interested in your reaction.

To me the front section of the handles around the saw-bolts looks modern and 'square' and linear, contrasting the organic shape of the horns and nibs. Does it strike you that way? and was it a conscious decision?

Some of the old saws have a bevel to the front sweep of the cheek ... so I wondered whether something like that could work in this case?

(a couple of pics attached)

Please excuse my impertinence :) <<crawl crawl whimper whimper>>
Paul

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[planemaker]

Thanks Ray and Ian.

[planemaker]

Hi Stewie.

I have to start with how amazing it looks ... as everyone can see. I absolutely love the horns ... and have never ever come anywhere close to making anything of that sort of quality.
:)

I have looked at a lot of old saws and handles, so I hope you won't mind me asking you a few things that come to my mind ... without it being in any way criticism. It is more that I know (sometimes) how I see things and I'm interested in your reaction.

To me the front section of the handles around the saw-bolts looks modern and 'square' and linear, contrasting the organic shape of the horns and nibs. Does it strike you that way? and was it a conscious decision?

Some of the old saws have a bevel to the front sweep of the cheek ... so I wondered whether something like that could work in this case?

(a couple of pics attached)

Please excuse my impertinence :) <<crawl crawl whimper whimper>>
Paul

283088 283087

283091 283089

Hi Paul. The beauty of designing your own backsaws is that you have full control over the direction you wish to take your work. In my case I wanted to develop a unique style of work that provided a look that was slightly different from that of early and still existing saw makers. That's not to say I purposely excluded key elements of previous design on the basis of change alone. Its more the case that I have trialled all aspects of traditional design and through trial and error made finally come up with some alternate designs that pleases my eye. One of those areas I looked at was the shaping to the front cheek edge. A rounded edge has always been the traditional treatment applied and there is nothing wrong in doing so. But when I compared it to leaving this edge square, I much preferred the sharper look it provided to the cheeks shape. From a mechanical perspective the square edge does provide one slight advantage over the rounded version. That being you can position the saw nuts slightly closer to the edge of the cheek and in doing so increase the clamping pressure applied to the saw plate. I fully understand your thoughts on the differing dynamics to the handles overall shaping. That is one of the ongoing challenges I face with the direction I am taking with my saw making work. Some may like it , while others are a little less convinced.
Thank you again for your thoughts Paul. Is saw making an area you see yourself getting into in the near future.?

Regards; Stewie.

[pmcgee]

Thank you again for your thoughts Paul. Is saw making an area you see yourself getting into in the near future.?
Regards; Stewie.
Thanks for the reply ... I appreciate hearing about how you approached it.
My influences re style are I think very much biased to the 100+ yo saws, jacobean + medieval furniture etc ... so my question was to try to see out of someone else's head
And to answer you question ... God No :U ... for the fff (far forseeable future) the closest aim I have is repairing old handles.

Thanks for your reply,
It is a great job - great work - I'd retire from woodwork if I came up with that handle ... just go to sleep with it under my pillow. :)
Cheers,
Paul.

[IanW]

I think Stewie's & my design philosophies are very similar. I like to figure out what features of old tools are there for practical reasons, and what are just decorative flourishes (or at least someone's idea of decorative). The shape, size & angle of the grip on a saw handle are pretty much defined by the anatomy & action of human hands, but much of the rest is up for whatever treatment you like to apply, within limits. For example, it's a good idea to acknowledge the physical limitations of the wood, if you want your creation to last a generation or so. As Stewie says, you can get a bit creative with cheeks & decorative bits, keeping in mind you need enough material to do it's job properly.

Like Stewie, I also like to blend curves & sharper features. I particularly like curves that change profile, and blend into chamfers, or chamfers that change depth over a curve - something easy to do with hand tools, but difficult to emulate with any machine. The interplay of surfaces adds a pleasing (to my eye!) complexity to the basic shapes. I'm not quite as adventurous as Stewie, so my designs look a bit less un-ordinary. Here are a couple of takes on the original Disston D8 halfback handle, for example - the grips are pretty standard & boring, but the cheeks have evolved away from the originals...

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Interesting how a different wood gives a different look to a handle, too...

Cheers,

[planemaker]

Thanks for the reply ... I appreciate hearing about how you approached it.
My influences re style are I think very much biased to the 100+ yo saws, jacobean + medieval furniture etc ... so my question was to try to see out of someone else's head
And to answer you question ... God No :U ... for the fff (far forseeable future) the closest aim I have is repairing old handles.

Thanks for your reply,
It is a great job - great work - I'd retire from woodwork if I came up with that handle ... just go to sleep with it under my pillow. :)
Cheers,
Paul.

Hi Paul. I am going to trial a more traditional cheek & leading edge on my next backsaw build.

Stewie;

[planemaker]

Hi all. Some of the feedback I received were rightly critical to the sharpness of shape to the top left hand corner of the handle where it meets the spine.

http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af219/swagman001/Double%20radial%20cheek%20backsaw/DSC_0018_zps84300657.jpg (http://s1009.photobucket.com/user/swagman001/media/Double%20radial%20cheek%20backsaw/DSC_0018_zps84300657.jpg.html)

Today I reshaped this area to give it an inward curve.

Stewie;

http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af219/swagman001/Double%20radial%20cheek%20backsaw/DSC_0027_zps5ff839d9.jpg (http://s1009.photobucket.com/user/swagman001/media/Double%20radial%20cheek%20backsaw/DSC_0027_zps5ff839d9.jpg.html)

[IanW]

Stewie - I was quite happy with your original shape, but vers1.1 does look quite elegant! Interesting how just taking off that little bit alters the look of whole cheek so much....

Cheers,

[planemaker]

Stewie - I was quite happy with your original shape, but vers1.1 does look quite elegant! Interesting how just taking off that little bit alters the look of whole cheek so much....

Cheers,

Thanks Ian. Wish I had the capacity to get things right the 1st time.

Stewie; :doh:

[RayG]

Thanks Ian. Wish I had the capacity to get things right the 1st time.

Stewie; :doh:

Well, I liked the first version better... :) but the second version is still up there with the nicest I've seen..

Regards
Ray

[planemaker]

Well, I liked the first version better... :) but the second version is still up there with the nicest I've seen..

Regards
Ray

Thanks Ray. Check your mail on the woodnet site. I sent you some info.

Stewie;

[pmcgee]

Hi all. Some of the feedback I received were rightly critical to the sharpness of shape
Feedback, comment, opinion ... all valid ... but criticism would be entirely undeserved!

[Luke Maddux]

I decided to buy this saw. I love the unique handle and I was already in the market so I couldn't resist. Just wanted to express how much I like it! The fit and finish are superb, and the attention to detail is outstanding.

When I got it I decided to make a few cuts. The first thing I did was a few rip cuts in Red Cedar. Soft, so it's easy to cut, but it can be hard to get clean cuts. Not with this saw. The cuts were fast and clean and straight. I decided to put the saw to a real test next. Gidgee. A wood so hard I try not to subject any of my tools to it, much less something brand new, but I figured one or two cuts couldn't hurt. Again, clean, fast, and straight.

All in all a great tool that I expect to have and use for many years to come. Stewie's work comes highly recommended.

[planemaker]

Thanks Luke. I enjoyed reading your review.

regards Stewie; :2tsup: