Thread: Children's saw?

My 4 year old uses a gents saw I bought from Carbatec for $10 and hated. Even my 18 month old had a go with it! It's got fine teeth, so the potential for damage is fairly limited, and the light weight and small handle make it very manageable.

An alternative is a junior hacksaw with a wood blade in - that's what we used to use in primary school, but I always found them really slow...

My paternal grandfather cut down a small 10 tpi panel saw, attached an appropriate sized handle and I was off.

I was pre-school age; I started school on my fifth birthday. I had my own saw bench which with help, I had built. Within a very short period of time, I was starting cuts with the saw alongside my thumb with my thumb knuckle holding the saw, same as I do today.

My mother eventually saw me in the workshop and was horrified to see me with a real saw and cutting real timber. Her father in-law said, “he’ll only cut himself once, if at all, his cousins were shooting rabbits at 5 with their own rifles, a saw is nothing!”.

Apparently, I then mentioned to mum, in a serious tone, that maybe she had something on the stove that needed looking at, which was one of dad’s sayings that seemed to get mum out of our hair. She never ever forgot that remark, and never ever stopped bring it up every few years.

Not an easy decision but perhaps you could do something like my grandfather did. The fact that I watched him build my saw and knew how much effort it was to make, made me look after that saw as a youngster, I still have it and along with his hammer, they are my two most treasured tools.

Mick.

I started with a junior hacksaw - again, limited damage can be done with those things. Bunnings sell a trojan dovetail saw for about $12 though it's not much chop, or I've read very good things about the zona razor saws and they come in very small sizes if you can fine a site or craft store that has them.

I remember my very first toolkit - my dad and grandad sorted it out between them and grandad built a custom case for it, wish I still had that. It had a - a junior hacksaw, a brad hammer, a small spirit level (that is still in use 25 odd years later!), a foldout ruler, a carpenters pencil, and I'm sure a small square or something. Must go hunting through dad's garage and see what else I can find of it. A kid never forgets his first tools

Originally Posted by haggismuncher

"A saw, a real saw , one that cuts wood at my workbench."

So, does anyone know where I can lay my hands on a wee saw?
I was thinking a Gents saw or similar but open to any suggestions.


Chris

Onya Haggis yep something with a lot of TPI and a stiff back to start with so he gets the effect or impact on something like pine. I'm sure you'll be observing him in action and if you see his teeth gritting too much then maybe something more agressive coupled with a lesson on accuracy in relation to where his hand is

Originally Posted by andrewr79

...
I remember my very first toolkit - my dad and grandad sorted it out between them and grandad built a custom case for it, wish I still had that. It had a - a junior hacksaw, a brad hammer, a small spirit level (that is still in use 25 odd years later!), a foldout ruler, a carpenters pencil, and I'm sure a small square or something. Must go hunting through dad's garage and see what else I can find of it. A kid never forgets his first tools

Same here, still use the boat level, and I've just passed the square on to my 4 year old. I've still got the claw hammer too, but I don't like it, but I'll hang on to it anyway. I'd still have the screwdrivers if some lowlife hadn't stolen them.

I actually don't remember being given a saw, but there were always plenty around.

Well I remember being given a tool kit at a similar age, too, & it was a most bitter disappointment - they were just toys, and absolutely useless for anything serious. I can't remember what became of them, & don't care. So I'm greatly in favour of giving kids real tools. I made sure the tools I gave my son were 'real'. A cut or two is all part of learning & doing (I still cut myself occasionally, 60 years on!), & a little pre-emptive guidance on what is fair game & what is not should prevent any unwanted modifications of the dining room furniture.....

Based on my own experience, I would suggest you start with 'real' but not expensive tools - they do have atendency to forget they left them out overnight, at that age. A small 15- 18 tpi gents saw is a good choice, I reckon, & the 'knife' handle won't need modifying for a small hand. If he shows real keenness, you can build on the kit in subsequent years. That worked with my offspring for a while, then he hit 9 or 10, & mucking about in the shed with dad became un-cool. P'raps one day he'll return to it, & maybe those early years will have set the stage.....

Cheers,

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone.
I think I will go down the Gents saw road, no wlet's hope Ebay is good to me and throws one up before the end of the month. I can't seem to find anyone selling reasonably priced Gents saws.
At present Hamish's toolkit is made up of a variety of items he has "liberated" from Dad's bench. A workbench I knocked up as a coffee table, a wee Stanly corner vice, a couple of spanners, some pliers, hammers and of course every set of safety glasses and earmuffs in the workshop.
So it isn't just a doting Dad request but a self preservation thing.

Chris

PS Not going into the workshop as living half way up Mt Wellington means it is bloody freezing today. Today is a day for curling up in front of the fire with Tom Fidgen's book "Made by Hand" and do some dreaming.
.

Originally Posted by IanW

Well I remember being given a tool kit at a similar age, too, & it was a most bitter disappointment - they were just toys, and absolutely useless for anything serious. I can't remember what became of them, & don't care. So I'm greatly in favour of giving kids real tools. I made sure the tools I gave my son were 'real'. A cut or two is all part of learning & doing (I still cut myself occasionally, 60 years on!), & a little pre-emptive guidance on what is fair game & what is not should prevent any unwanted modifications of the dining room furniture.....

Based on my own experience, I would suggest you start with 'real' but not expensive tools - they do have atendency to forget they left them out overnight, at that age. A small 15- 18 tpi gents saw is a good choice, I reckon, & the 'knife' handle won't need modifying for a small hand. If he shows real keenness, you can build on the kit in subsequent years. That worked with my offspring for a while, then he hit 9 or 10, & mucking about in the shed with dad became un-cool. P'raps one day he'll return to it, & maybe those early years will have set the stage.....

Cheers,

Chris - your mention of a 'wee' vise brought back memories of the baby thing I started out with as a young lad, when I built my first bench. It was like a miniature metalwork vise, & really quite unsuited to woodwork. It had a very limited opening capacity, which at times was very frustrating. I have a spare small record woodworking vise , which you are welcome to have for the lad. Might cost more than it's worth to post to you, though. Anyways, PM me if you are interested...

Cheers,

My young fellow (20 months), who loves helping out in the garage, the other day grabbed a (scary sharp) 19mm chisel, then a new Bahco cross-cut saw - which he proceeded to flail around until they were grabbed from him (few seconds!).... he then proceeded to cut his finger in the hinge of the nappy disposal bin in his nursery! As a side note, I cut myself on said Bahco saw the same day!
A little tenon saw would be good I think.....

Ian,
Thanks for the kind offer.
At present Hamish is using a small Stanley vice thet wraps around the edge of the bench, it has cork inserts and clamps to the bench which he is happy with. I think I will keep him using this until his fifth birthday next year when he officially becomes a "big boy" (his definition; " big boys go to school"). Then I will have an excuse to build him a proper bench ahich may just be handy as an assembly / planing bench.

Chris

Originally Posted by IanW

Chris - your mention of a 'wee' vise brought back memories of the baby thing I started out with as a young lad, when I built my first bench. It was like a miniature metalwork vise, & really quite unsuited to woodwork. It had a very limited opening capacity, which at times was very frustrating. I have a spare small record woodworking vise , which you are welcome to have for the lad. Might cost more than it's worth to post to you, though. Anyways, PM me if you are interested...

Cheers,

Hi again, Chris.
OK, no worries - I'm sure you could pick up a vise like this little Record locally for less than the cost of postage.
Good luck - I think it's a good idea to make the 'assistant's' bench usable by yourself - there usually isn't a huge amount of spare room in the average home workshop!

cheers,