Say, have you seen this saw?
Written: Feb 27 '05
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Versatile, fast, efficient, and cool looking to boot !
Cons: May take some getting used to.
The Bottom Line: This is an easy tool to get used to and the degree of control in amazing.
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| mrtwigg's Full Review: Japanese Traditional Ryoba Saw 60T01.01 |
I’m always looking for The Next Big Thing which could help me in my work and let me be more efficient, more productive and more creative. I decided to give one of the new Japanese saws from Lee Valley & and Veratis a try. I’ve been impressed with many of their products as they
usually take an old idea and give it a fresh spin. In this case all they have done is to make an old idea readily available, and sometimes, that’s all it takes.
I bought myself a Ryoba, that is, a traditional double sided Japanese saw. This saw is 24 inches overall with a blade 9 1/2 inches long. The wooden handle is wrapped with reeds to secure the blade. The handle is about one inch in diameter, & has a slight oval shape to the cross
section which fits my hand nicely. The handle on my Ryoba came shrink wrapped and I am leaving the plastic on. The principle differences between this saw and a traditional western saw are; the Japanese saw cuts on the pull stroke as opposed to pushing the blade through the wood, and the Ryoba has two sets of teeth on opposing sides of the blade adding versatility to this tool.
One side has crosscut teeth and there are 17 per inch. This is the side of the blade you would use for making cuts across the grain of the wood. The other side is the ripping side and is suited for making long cuts with
the grain. An interesting feature about this side is the teeth are closer together near the handle at 10 teeth per inch, but a few inches further
down the blade this pattern changes to about7 1/2 teeth per inch. This lets you start cuts with the 10 tpi section for a finer cut then expand the cut with the more aggressive 7 1/2 tpi pattern all with the same blade.
The blade thickness varies too. Blade thickness tapers from 0.030" at the handle to 0.016" at the tip, and from 0.020" at the tooth line to 0.016" at the blade center. This means the teeth nearest the handle take the biggest bites so-to-speak and that lets the rest of the blade slice easily into the hardest of woods.
Another unique feature of Japanese saws is the teeth do not have a “set” similar to western saws. That is, the teeth do not flare away from the blade. If you were to take a close look at the teeth on of one of these saws you would find the teeth actually have secondary bevels on them in
lieu of the “set”. This is why these saws are so efficient.
I had read these saws are supposed to cut wood faster than our western saws so I was surprised when mine kept binding and bowing in the wood. The advantage of cutting on the pull stroke is obvious once you get used to the saw, and it does take some getting used to. Having grown up pushing saw blades through boards I was a bit flustered as I found
myself using this saw the wrong way and trying to go too fast. Once I learned to slow down and to lift the saw slightly as I brought the blade foreword I became much faster and accurate. I find I can cut sections as thin as 1/32nd of an inch. This is so thin the wood becomes translucent. It does take some practice but the feeling of control is amazing.
In short this is not The Next Big Thing but it is The Best Old Thing and you can’t beat several thousand years of continuity in the design of this saw. Japanese saws will not replace western saws in my tool cabinet but they do have a place there. Get one and try it. I’m sure you as impressed as I was.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
mrtwigg
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Member: Dennis
Location: Live Free Or Die !
Reviews written: 91
Trusted by: 31 members
About Me:
I am in the prime of my life, married and devoted to my family.
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