Thread: Skelton Saws U.K

Looks like a very high standard of fit and finish from the photo.

Hi Dale. It does look well made. Price is a little concerning. Add in the exchange rate and its close to (au)$450.00 + shipping.

Stewie;

I agree. Not a bad little saw, but out of the average punter's price range, I fear. Looks like you'll just have to keep on making your own, Stewie!

Cheers,

Great looking saw.
I love the large small medallion.
That looks fantastic.
The price is high for us buts it only about 4 days work for average person on and average wage there.
Going on 26,000 pound average yearly wage ?
But if I wrong please correct me there

I agree the saw is expensive, but he is trying to make a commercial venture out of it and claims it takes at least 20hrs to make as he is a perfectionist, at that he is barely making minimum wage. He also mentions how many of us have expensive mobile phones well over that value that we upgrade regularily. The saw on the other hand should last more than one life time.

I guess it all comes down to perception and a value judgement……I'm still not convinced to pay that much personally.

No you personally should not be paying that much Dale
You should be making one lol

Originally Posted by Simplicity

No you personally should not be paying that much Dale
You should be making one lol

Just one???

Maybe a few them you never can have to many fine dovetail saws

Originally Posted by Simplicity

Maybe a few them you never can have to many fine dovetail saws

Depends whether you want to use them or just look at them, I reckon.

I went a bit hog-wild when I first started making saws, and ended up with about 4 dovetail saws. Not only did I have to make a decision every time I needed a D/T saw, I had to keep them all sharp & ready to go. Soon got tired of that, so I had a ruthless cull, just as I'd done with my bench planes a good many years back, and now I have just one D/T saw (well, there's one in reserve that I'm keeping in case one of my offspring or step-offspring suddenly gets passionate about w/working, and I do have one or two other backsaws ). It works much better for me this way; I have become so familiar with my little dovetailer that I can almost cut dovetails with my eyes closed, and when it gets dull, I just pause for 10 minutes to sharpen it, & carry on. However, you have to make and use a few dovetail saws before you figure out exactly what suits you, so I suppose there's naught for it than to buckle down & make a heap of saws, Dale.....

Cheers,

I think in essence Ian is saying pick a good tool then know how to use it with your eyes closed.
Or till you become one with the tool.
Ian I agree whole heartedly with what your saying.
In my first year as a panel beater with a great boss he told me to pick three hammers two dollies and one body file.
It was is 3,2,1 rule and it worked well.
Edit point I finished panel beating after 15 years with around 20 hammers and dollies and a few body fillies lol

I like his style and craftsmanship, the rounded boss, reminds me of the early Kenyon style, there looks to be a slight cant to the blade, the only thing I might be a little critical of is the width of the spine, it looks a little wide, but that's just a minor detail.

Price is probably about what is needed from a business point of view.. Too dear for me, but then again.. I'm not the target market.

Ray

I think his price is probably in line with his hours and wage comments. I've gotten much faster at making saws, my most recent pair have been done in a week of afternoons with 1.5 afternoons off for weather or about twelve hours per saw using backs and handle blanks that I had already made up.
Lie Nielsen dovetail saws are $125 plus shipping. While they're very nice saws they are machine made with all of the requisite expedients and shortcuts that mass production dictates. Judged on purely utilitarian grounds they are all that is needed and they look good too but they're not hand made.

Very nice design. Looks to be about a 45* hang. My compliments.

Originally Posted by Ron Bontz

Very nice design. Looks to be about a 45* hang. My compliments.

Well, I will be the dissenting voice on this, Ron. I think the hang angle is way off for a dovetail saw. That angle is fine for a carcase saw used at about bench height with a bench hook, for e.g., but it just doesn't suit the way I use a dovetail saw.

This is my reasoning. Most of us will position the point at which the cuts are to be made up as high as practicable, so we can see the lines. Nine times out of ten, I find that the compromise between having it high enough to see easily, & far enough away to use a comfortable stroke has me holding the saw with my forearm pretty well parallel with the floor. Hold a stick in your hand with your forearm in that position, and hold your wrist in the 'neutral' position, i.e. not rotated up or down. Unless your anatomy is way off the standard curve, I'll bet you find the stick is making an angle somewhere around 75 degrees to the horizontal. Take a look at an old Disston or just about any other tenon saw from 70-plus years ago & you'll find that the grip makes just about that same angle to the tooth line. So my favourite dovetail saw has a grip angle that is 25 degrees off vertical, or 75 degrees relative to the tooth line: Lace she-oak d_t.jpg

As you can see, this angle means the bottom of the grip is below the tooth line on a small saw like this, so you can't use it on a flat surface like a carcase saw. That's a trade-off I'm happy to make, because this saw is used solely for cutting d/tails & small tenons, where the work is held up away from the bench, and in that position, it's just so natural & comfortable to use.

I'm sure other mileages will vary, but that's my story.....

Cheers,