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Tool: D8 Hand Saw Shop Now
Manufacturer: Bad Axe Toolworks
MSRP:$395+
Making a good handsaw is difficult; making great handsaws at a production level seems darned near impossible. The D8 handsaws (based on the Disston D8 and Simonds No. 72) from Bad Axe Tool Works somehow invoke all of the best things about the golden age of sawmaking in America while setting a new benchmark for quality.
Bad Axe offers the D8 in 22″, 24″, and 26″ plate sizes in dedicated rip or crosscut configurations, and I had the pleasure of testing a 26″ ripsaw (5.5 ppi) and a 24″ crosscut saw (9 ppi). I put them straight to work breaking down 50′ of 6/4 Southern yellow pine and the ripsaw powered through 10′-long cuts with ease while the crosscut performed with precision and speed. Both tracked impeccably in both hard and softwoods.
These saws are taper ground, which means there is less metal in the plate toward the spine; this keeps the saw from binding in the cut. Heat introduced to metal during taper grinding can lead to a floppy saw plate, but thanks to a proprietary wet-grinding process, the Bad Axe saw plates feel as substantial and well-tensioned as my favorite vintage Disstons.
Starting at $395 each ($435 to $445 as shown), there are plenty of options to customize handles and hardware for an additional cost.
Let’s face it, at these prices, these saws aren’t for everyone. Unless you’re a committed hand tool user the cost may feel prohibitive. On the other hand they’re a bargain compared to a quality table saw, and with a little care you’ll be able to pass them down to your grandchildren. These saws are an investment, but for a hand-tool centered shop, they’re a good one.
Here are some supplies and tools we find essential in our everyday work around the shop. We may receive a commission from sales referred by our links; however, we have carefully selected these products for their usefulness and quality.
