Hello everyone and especially Tom who seems to be looking for information on timberframe saw horses and saws in general :
Good topic and one that I woulod like to get in on:
Saws: Pick your self up a couple of good antique saws that have good tempering in them yet, you should be able to take grab them by the end of the blade and by pressing them against your body to the extent that they buckle a bit tap on them with a piece of metal lightly and they should create a singing\ringing pleasing sound if this happens then you have a good foundation hand saw.
Take it to a shop that can retooth hand saws and create for yourself a good 8 point for rough work, and a 12 point for your finer work, I promise you that you will never regret it.
CUTTING TO THE LINE:
The untold way that good clean cuts were created in years gone by and before power saws was very simple, as you do your layout along the timber and at the points that relishes need to be removed, with you scratch awl and a square scribe the lines deeply by making 2 or 3 passes across the grain or completely around if it is a mortise that will eventually be created.
Then if you have many cuts to do purchase yourself a good quality crosscut saw and have it handly
along the line tack on a piece of 3\4 by 2" material being careful to position it exactly parrallel and directly above the centre of the scribed line
You can use a good hand saw if you choose but for speed a good crosscut saw works the best, providing that you have a helper on the other end
I personally have a good crosscut saw that I keep especially for these tasks, as you use it, you can see clearly exactly where the cut is going and how deep you are
