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Bad axe makes some of the nicest handsaws around. They also offer a first-class sharpening service. And a friend had a really beautiful late 19th century Richardson backsaw handle with a trashed blade that they put a new plate in.

This is a brand-new offering. It is not on the site yet so I am not sure what the kerf width is. Check the second picture down:

https://overthewireless.com/2017/07/16/on-why-the-only-way-really-will-be-essex-this-september/

Ed

That's exciting. I used my LN dovetail saw to cut the frets on my last, and the experience was considerable more smooth. I went through with my saw from LMI when I was done to get the kerf right. Doing it in one step would be fantastic.


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0.5 mm saw plate. That helps a western style saw to bind less than it normally does in wood like ebony. The modern looking Veritas saws have a 0.5 mm plate. Their kerf is 0.7 mm but some of that can be reduced by stoning. I like their 14 TPI X-cut carcass saw.

I believe Bad Axe is using a .018" plate on some of their dovetail saws and a 0.020" plate on the dovetail/crosscut saw, so .005" set would work with the thinner plate. LN's tapered dovetail saw is a .015" plate with about .006" set, so we see a .021" or less kerf, which would be a little narrow. Our current fret slotting saw is a Veritas dovetail saw consigned to the duty after the boss decided - along with most other things Veritas - that it was too ugly to leave out above the bench. Set was reduced with vise and onion skin paper (what he refers to as the Wenzloff trick) and the saw cuts well to reasonable depth despite the .020' plate and just .003" of set - a $60 saw that cuts quite nicely.

_________________
For the times they are a changin'

- Bob Dylan

Woody

This Wenzloff trick of which you speak - is it the paper protecting the teeth from the vice jaws as you compress them to narrow the set? Does it work more precisely than stoning the sides? Would love to see a picture of the the set up in action.

Ed

Your wish is my command...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lKUsWFYbwA

This is a video of Mr. Wentzloff working through the process. There are also some good threads on Saw Mill Creek by those that have tried the method. My understanding is that all of the Wentzloff saws are adjusted and trued with the method, and the one saw we've had in the shop from that company was very smooth cutting.

_________________
For the times they are a changin'

- Bob Dylan

I believe my LN saw is called their thin plate dovetail saw. I don't see it on their website now, but is has the .015" plate, and the kerf's right at .020", so that sounds about right.