I'm just looking for recommendations for a good rugged cross-cut hand saw. I'm soon starring my first timber framing project and while I'll have access to a 16 inch circular saw, I'd like to use a hand saw as much as I can. I don't have anything near beefy enough, and there's so many bad cheap saws now. At this time, I'm leaning towards a Stanly Sharp tooth. I've got some smaller Japanese pull saws that I like using but even with a larger blade I don't think a pull saw will work for cutting tenons in large stock. Am I wrong?

The 26" long stanley sharp tooth with the wooden handle is a very efficient saw. I don't like using japanese style saws for timber framing.

I used to carry that same opinion, Gabel. On a whim I picked up a Silky Big Boy with the biggest teeth, it can be fitted with 3 different sized tooth styles. It will absolutely handle large timber. Clean, fast, accurate, no dishing and almost effortless. I am not sure why it took me so long to make the switch. I have seen them used and in green timber they tended to fill the teeth with sawdust and not work well. I have not seen this with the big boy. Other than that I still like my docking saw. Perhaps they were dull or out of set, I don't look forward to attempting to sharpen this type of saw, the one fault I can find. I think a replacement blade is around $20.

A recent knotty section on a shoulder of a tenon across a 12" timber cut super nice and flat with no problems, I even have a video of it but have not taken the time to load it. 3 knots if I recall.

What I don't like about the Stanley sharp tooth is the length, they are too short, and the longer ones don't handle the push, as the tooth style is designed to be pulled. That being said the pull saws are short but I don't see an issue. I often find the short saw buckling it you pull it too far out of the saw kerf, just as you start to push it for the next swipe. If Stanley made a heaver body to handle the push of the aggressive tooth style that may work, but then you are taking more wood out in the kerf, meaning more work. While using handtools efficiency is major contributing factor. Great gains are made in a smaller kerf.

So what is it you don't like the pull saws used for in timber framing? Tradition?

Jeff- I'll second Tim's motion, it's a good saw and a good start that will allow you the time to find good antique western saws. There's a few places to look on antique alley, one just off the ally in a fine old barn, that selfishness has me reluctant to name online. Though the best dealer in those miles of shops sold out and retired not so long ago.

Glad you tried the Bigboy Tim, I'm still liking mine and still planning on making the investment in a Katanaboy.

Gabel, I bought my Bigboy at Highland Hardware when I was down helping you Whit and the boys replicate the Indentured Servants Quarters.

I would imagine you could find a nice Disston for $20 or so that's worth the time to recondition and sharpen. I have six of them, 3 rip, 3 crosscut. If you do choose to go that route, there's plenty of info out there on how to properly sharpen them.
If you really, and I mean REALLY love handsaws, check out these works of art @ www.eccentrictoolworks.com. I covet one of these badly, but can't pull the trigger just yet.....Yeah, like a few others, I have a saw problem and it's not under control.

I think I am missing something, I'll have to look into the Katanaboy.

Thanks for the information guys. With that BigBoy saw, is it difficult to cut a straight line with the short blade height? Could you cut a tenon with this? I would expect this blade to wander all over the place?

I thought we had hashed this over before. Forever evolving, on my next big paycheck I should spit out a little for this http://www.sherrilltree.com/Recreational-Gear/Saw-Blades_2/Blade-Only-for-Silkys-Katana-Boy

At about twice the dollars as the bigboy, is it worth the extra length?

Tim -- I've seen those bigger japanese saws, but not used them. I was thinking of the typical ones you see with an 10 or 12" long blade -- too short to cut across an 8x8 in my opinion.

I guess at this point what's keeping me from switching is a combination of not wanting to spend money chasing a bit more efficiency on something I'm already fairly satisfied with and mostly just plain cussedness.

Those Japanese saws that people are linking - those are all pole saws for trimming brnaches, not carpenter's saws. While they will work for cross-cutting, they would be poor for ripping tenon cheeks as they have cross-cut teeth only.

A more suitable choice for the size of material you wish to work would be a 300~330mm ryoba (double-sided saw). Unfortunately, the selection of that size of saw available in the US is rather limited. Of the people here who go in for Japanese tools, the largest contingent tend to be furniture makers and not timber framers, so the products brought in serves that group more than any other. That's why all you tend to see are the 180~240mm size saws. I can assure you that Japanese saws are available, in Japan, in a vast array of sizes and types.

Hida Tool in Berkeley sells a machine-made 300mm ryoba by Gyokucho (model D-GC-#616) that would be adequate, and is just under $40. If you want a 330mm saw from them, all they list is a medium-quality Mitsukawa ("log saw") which is selling at $360 or so, likely too steep for most folks.

~Chris

P in NH, the short body height has shown no problem in cutting a straight line, it doesn't wander. As with any saw you have to steer it through the cut.

Chris, I use a number of pruning tools in association with cutting joinery. And the bigboy does not like to rip, at all. And for reasons you stated I am not holding out they will come out with a rip version. I like how it folds up and I don't need my bulky saw box but I still take it with me.

model #616 It's 3 clicks away under woodworking then saws
http://www.hidatool.com/shop/shop.html

A Ryoba 300mm saw worked very well for me. Cuts straight and clean both rip and cross cut.

Carl

Hello,
I think what Chris Hall pointed out about the difference between a branch pruning saw and carpentry saw should be kept in mind. I mean I don't see that anyone here is recommending using a bow saw for timber framing.

The Kobiki ripping saw, here on the right, and the ryoba saw are very good - far from the most expensive - timber framing saws which in my mind greatly facilitate hand powered work. I believe though that using good quality Japanese saws entails more than just a choice between different saw types.

Don

two saws