Help on Japanese Saws Please

[Silly Sandra]

At the Melbourne Woodworking Show, we watched one of the demonstrators using a Japanese saw to cut off the end bit of some dovetailing work he was making. My husband commented that he would like that saw - and I thought I would try to get him one for Christmas.

Trouble is I have no idea which saw it was. All I can remember was that it cut as it was pulled towards you rather than on the push out. I have found about 3 different named saws and was hoping one of you experts might be able to stear me in the right diretion :B.

If you could provide some advice I would be most grateful. I have seen that CarbaTech sells 3 different types and would like to get the right one.

My husband is mostly into turning - bowls, spindles etc so whatever would be best for that kind of work.

Thanks very much.

[Texian]

Sandra,
If not previously mentioned, welcome to this forum. Am a newby here myself. Great bunch.

The Carbatec site (www.carbatec.com.au (http://www.carbatec.com.au/)) shows a number of Japanese pull saws. Without knowing your husband's intended use for the saw, it is going to be difficult to pick the one he wants. But if you ask him, that would spoil the surprise.

Sorry I can not be more help. Good luck. A man's just gotta love a woman who buys him tools.

[Waldo]

I'd hazard a guess that if was to do with dovetails that it'd be a Dozuki, much like this one http://www.carbatec.com.au/handsaws/japanese-handsaws/professional-quality-nakaya-saws/dozuki-210mm-fine-precision-saw

They're a very beautiful saw to use. :inlove:

Hope this might help.

[tea lady]

Maybe you should get him a gift voucher. Although this runs the risk of much more than the value of the gift being spent.:doh: (the only time a bloke likes shopping for some reason. :shrug: ):D

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

A gift voucher would be a nice compromise! :)

But as you've found out, there are three "basic" or "main" types of japanese saws... and they're all pull-saws, by the way.

The Dozuki is excellent for cutting dove-tails and the like, but as it has the "stiffener" along the spine it cannot cut any deeper than the blade is wide. It's their version of our tenon saw.

The Kataba is similar to the Dozuki, except it doesn't have the stiffener. It'll cut all the way through a thick piece of wood. Think of it as the japanese version of our everyday, general purpose hand-saw.

The Ryoba is like a Kataba but it has teeth on both sides. Usually coarse teeth for ripping wood on one side, and fine teeth on the other for crosscuts.

As Waldo said, if the bloke doing the demo was cutting dovetails, then it would've been a Dozuki. Otherwise the onlooking woodies would've been having a quiet giggle at him. :wink: But, as a woodturner myself, I use the Kataba the most. Very nice for parting pieces off the lathe without wasting a lot of wood. (Better still get him one of each! :innocent:)

[Stu in Tokyo]

I use the Dozuki for cutting dovetails, I like it very much, make sure that you get the type with the replaceable blade, as sharpening the normal kind is not easy to do at all.

I'm sure he will love it.

Cheers!

[Todd Glover]

I have several Dozuki's. Some I paid quite a bit for, but my favorite is this one.

http://www.bridgecitytools.com/Products/Japanese+Saws/JS-5+6+Dozuki+Saw

It is a bit heavier over all than the true "Japanese" Dozuki's I own, and I feel it has a better balance.

+ The cost is significantly lower than what I paid for some of the higher end true "Japanese Dozuki's"

Best of luck.

[Sawdust Maker]

If the demonstrator was using an "angle mag" see here (http://www.anglemag.com/about.html)
then the saw would have been the kataba

[Silly Sandra]

Thank you for your advice. The jury is still out on which saw I will get him (he isn't into gift vouchers) so for the moment I have got him a few DVD's I've ordered o/seas on turning and projects.

It's really great that you all took the time to answer my query - really appreciate your time taken.

Have a Merry Christmas to you all!