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Using Japanese Saws

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Re: Using Japanese Saws

Postby Woodbloke » 18 Feb 2021, 18:44

AJB Temple wrote:That accords with my/our experience of Japan too and we have spent months there. Unfailingly courteous, polite and helpful. It is so culturally different that it makes for an amazingly positive experience, especially if you approach the place and people with an open mind. I would happily live in Kyoto.

:text-goodpost: - Rob
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Re: Using Japanese Saws

Postby Woodster » 18 Feb 2021, 19:45

Woodbloke wrote:
Woodster wrote:
Woodbloke wrote: it's a bit of myth that they're 'designed' to be used at floor level. If you've ever been to Japan, you'll soon find out that the Japanese do a lot of stuff at floor level, not just woodmangling. The floor working tradition stems from the vast amount of old wooden buildings that are still in evidence in the Japanese countryside and cities.Rob


You seem to be contradicting yourself there?


Interesting...in what way? Beats me if I can see a contradiction :lol:

Rob


Really!?
In your own words you say it’s “a bit of a myth they’re designed to be used at floor level” and then you say “the Japanese do a lot of stuff at floor level” !!!

:text-lol:
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Re: Using Japanese Saws

Postby Phil » 20 Feb 2021, 10:59

9fingers wrote:I just use the table saw. Sooo much easier and polished finish to the cut.

Bob



:text-+1:

And the RAS, and the Hegners (unfortunately no band saw)

The metal saw with its fine teeth blade is also not too shabby on wood. :lol:
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Re: Using Japanese Saws

Postby Woodbloke » 20 Feb 2021, 11:37

Woodster wrote:Really!?
In your own words you say it’s “a bit of a myth they’re designed to be used at floor level” and then you say “the Japanese do a lot of stuff at floor level” !!!

:text-lol:

Semantics of t'interweb :lol: It's the 'designed' bit I was referring to; they aren't 'designed' to be used at floor level at all; they just happen to be used there in Japan but can easily be used on a Western style bench.

I sincerely hope we're not going to have an Pythonesque arguement about this :lol: - Rob
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Re: Using Japanese Saws

Postby Woodster » 20 Feb 2021, 16:42

A Pull Style Saw (cutting on the opposite/return stroke) is far more efficient in the seated or kneeling position, as you can use the muscles of your entire body to make the cut, without having to depend on your body weight:

https://www.toolcraft.co.za/blogs/tools ... aws-sawing
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Re: Using Japanese Saws

Postby AJB Temple » 20 Feb 2021, 17:24

I think the "use the muscles of your entire body" thing is pretty much nonsense in practice. We all use our muscle sets to maintain our skeletal positioning, all the time 8-) A lot of the benefit of using Japanese saws that cut on the pull stroke, is you do not expend much energy in use. Someone who is using their entire body is probably not working efficiently, the exception being long rip cuts in thick wood.

The reason I use Japanese saws quite a lot is they require minimal effort and can be very accurate with a narrow kerf.
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Re: Using Japanese Saws

Postby Woodster » 20 Feb 2021, 21:10

AJB Temple wrote:
The reason I use Japanese saws quite a lot is they require minimal effort and can be very accurate with a narrow kerf.


Yes agreed.

I was interested in seeing these Maebiki being used. They are largely used standing up and the handle is not in line like other Japanese saws but at quite a sharp angle to the blade. A clear difference it seems between saws largely used sitting and those used standing?

https://youtu.be/bcNPutBjQOU
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Re: Using Japanese Saws

Postby Villa Chemist » 21 Feb 2021, 00:38

One thing I have noticed on rip cuts is that as soon as you start veering off the line, you cannot correct it. The kerf is so thin that you can’t lean the saw back on line. Much less effort because you are removing less wood, but so hard to get it to track
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Re: Using Japanese Saws

Postby novocaine » 21 Feb 2021, 08:59

I also find that if i go dead across the grain (instead of slopping the saw along the grain) in rip cutting it will wander almost straight away. I rarely make a cut like that but it was evident yesterday on the last of a stopped cut.
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Re: Using Japanese Saws

Postby Woodster » 23 Mar 2021, 14:18

I was cutting some wood the other day and found the grip on my traditional Japanese saw a bit more slippery than usual. Have any of you added anything to the handle to improve the grip? I’m thinking I’ll try and get a rubberised grip on my next saw purchase.
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Re: Using Japanese Saws

Postby Malc2098 » 23 Mar 2021, 14:39

Woodster wrote:I was cutting some wood the other day and found the grip on my traditional Japanese saw a bit more slippery than usual. Have any of you added anything to the handle to improve the grip? I’m thinking I’ll try and get a rubberised grip on my next saw purchase.


That hasn't happened to me. But have you considered an old inner tube, like we used on school cricket bats back in the last century?
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Re: Using Japanese Saws

Postby MY63 » 23 Mar 2021, 15:01

Woodster wrote:I was cutting some wood the other day and found the grip on my traditional Japanese saw a bit more slippery than usual. Have any of you added anything to the handle to improve the grip? I’m thinking I’ll try and get a rubberised grip on my next saw purchase.


You could either sand the handle a little or wrap it in leather. My first job was in a butchers shop we used to wrap the knife handles with string to stop them slipping.
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