Brute of a Tenon Saw

Got this tenon saw pretty much finished the other night. All done except for setting the teeth. I tried to pattern the handle after the tenon saw in the Seaton Chest, while the saw plate size I got from an illustration in Smith's Key. The handle feels really good in my hand and I was happy with the way it turned out; until I took pictures and looked at them. It was then that I realized that I took a little too much out of the handle opening at the top leaving things just a bit thin at the top in front of the horn. I think the picture actually makes it look thinner than it is, but I think I'll try to leave more meat there on the next saw. Don't foresee a problem functionally, just aesthetically.



The saw plate is a piece of 1095 spring steel from McMaster-Carr, sized and shaped on a sheet metal shear at work. Cut the teeth in by hand with saw files. The back is a folded brass back that I purchased from Mike Wenzloff. One inch wide and in excess of a quarter inch thick. A hefty hunk of brass to say the least. Well worth the price to me as I have no good way to bend metal this thick. The handle is quarter sawn, well, more like rift sawn, beech.



Vital saw stats: 19" long saw plate. 3 9/16" depth under the spine at the handle, 3 1/16" at the toe. Teeth are 9 ppi, filed rip with about an 8-10* rake angle. Saw weighs in at a hefty 2 pound 5 ounces. I think with the heft of this brass back, it's just going to be a matter of getting it started on the line and then just let 'er eat.

I haven't set the teeth yet because I'm looking for a 42X saw set to try out. If I get impatient before I find one, I'll just use my old Triumph set.

Once I get the teeth set, I'll post some in action pictures and give a report on how this beast preforms.