Comments on: Mike Wenzloff and the Remarkable No. 77 Backsaw

By: joneal

joneal — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 17:53:45 +0000

Is Wenzloff shipping saws? The last time I checked their website it said that they had suspended shipping pending some personal problems.

By: Bear

Bear — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 01:04:12 +0000

Speaking of back saws:
I ordered a Bad Axe dovetail saw from Mark Harrell at last year’s show in Cincinnati. I spent last weekend cutting dovetails in some cherry and I can’t imagine a better saw for bench work. It starts easy, cuts smooth, stays straight in the cut and has a very thin kerf (little set).

I have a dovetail saw from a famous New England maker but I wanted a little more depth under the back to judge the line of the cut and so I bought the the Bad Axe. I did a side by side test and there is no comparison. I’ll admit I wouldn’t know fleam if I stepped in it, but I sure like the way that saw cuts!

By: Jon

Jon — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 01:26:51 +0000

You might also have a good slogan for the next WIA show, or at least some commerative T-shirts for the conference.

By: Jon

Jon — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 18:49:17 +0000

I’ve wondered if set is particularly unnecessary in a miter box saw since the blade is constrained by the box.

By: matt

matt — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 14:15:21 +0000

With all this talk of zero set saws, just hoping someone could enlighten me as to how best to remove set. Can it be done on wetstones? How do we move the blade? Should I just squish my teeth 5 at a time in a pair of vise grips? Thanks in advance.

By: Adam Cherubini

Adam Cherubini — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 12:01:09 +0000

What I think is exciting about these products is that Mike has apparently successfully developed a way to efficiently taper grind saw plates. That’s a fairly big deal. He’s been offering tapered saws for some time, but I always got the impression that this was laborious for him. I’ve had disasterous results tapering saw plates. Remember that a even few thou off such a wide surface is a great deal of metal. Worse still is that thin metals overheat so easily. So kudos to Mike.

By: Daryl Weir

Daryl Weir — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:35:38 +0000

Hey Chris,

I’ve been wondering when someone was going to reproduce the Disston No.77 no-set back saw and Mike was the first one to the punch. I have an old one in my possession and they’re a wonderful saw. I’m curious if the spring steel Mike is using is harder than his regular saws. Not that I’ve checked the Rockwell hardness on my older No.77′s and ACME 120s but they sure do file harder than a regular vintage saw.

I had made some back saws about 8 years ago, when I still had access to good equipment such as sheet metal brakes, mills, lathes & a surface grinder. I actually surface ground old Disston No.12 saw plate down to the thickness I wanted. Bent the backs (steel and brass), made the split nuts and cherry handles. My next step would have been to make a taper ground No.77. In the past I had mentioned this on a couple of other forums, wondering when or if someone would make the No.77. They are somewhat specialized but I’ve always thought they would be a good seller.

Now I wonder if someone will produce a ACME 120 no-set? They’re a fantastic saw too.

Take care,
Daryl

By: Christopher Schwarz

Christopher Schwarz — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:45:53 +0000

I talked to Mike and he’ll be back at it very shortly. Patience grasshoppers.

By: BLZeebub

BLZeebub — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:28:54 +0000

I use an old #77 Disston with ZERO set. I had it done about 15 years ago and have to remind the sharpener NOT to put any set back in when I have him touch up the teeth. All I’ve ever used to combat any friction is a couple of swipes with a plumber’s candle. The kerfs are more like Japanese saw kerfs than Western.

By: Derek Cohen

Derek Cohen — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:59:40 +0000

Hi Chris

Interesting. Of course Mike makes great saws, and more to the point he has great insight into aspects of design. I have a few of his saws and they all provide a great deal of pleasure in adiition to working so well.

But the aspect of set is the topic here. By coincidence I have been running my LN 15 tpi dovetail saw without set, and thinking about the effect over the past month. I have had this saw for several years and it was not one of my favourites due to the fact that it was catchy on starting and it left a rough kerf. I finally got up the nerve to tone down the set with a diamond stone and, then in a moment of impulse, removed it all.

Now the difference here is that the LN’s blade does not have the taper built into it as does Mike’s No. 77. Consequently the dovetail saw will bind a little in thick very hard wood (e.g. 3/4″ Jarrah). It benefits from a little wax on these occasions. However in moderate hardwood (e.g. Tasmanian Oak – similar to White Oak) it cuts superbly without any binding! I can place the blade on the line and it will track it and leave a slim, clean kerf. The absence of set makes it easier to saw accurately (tightly) to a line.

Regards from Perth

Derek