From the Island of Misfit Tools
Here in America we will put a motor on just about anything. Picnic tables. Ice cream cones. Scissors. And yet, it was still a surprise when I stumbled on a motorized coping saw for sale on eBay. [...]
Precision Gizmo: Langdon Mitre Boxes
Of all the power tools I own, I think my scariest, oops-I-crapped-my-pants moments have been with a power miter saw. When knocking down rough stock, miter saws have a tendency to [...]
FatMax Coping Saw Update: Grrrr
Before you buy one of the FatMax coping saws that I praised this week, take note. Take apart the saw and examine the blade connectors before you plunk down the $10. Yesterday I received a [...]
Morris Saws and Coping Saws
I never knew how lame my cordless Skil drill was until I used a Makita. With a clutch. And the distinct absence of flames. So these last few weeks I’ve become frustrated and obsessed [...]
FatMax Coping Saw Locks Tight
During my first story on coping saws this week I lamented it was difficult to trace the saw’s genealogy. And I cussed the modern form. Thanks to some readers, I have some more leads on the [...]
Coping Saws: From Bricks to Fretwork Frogs
The coping saw is generally unloved, unheralded and under-appreciated. Yet as far as I’m concerned, I wouldn’t enjoy woodworking as much without one. When I started woodworking about [...]
We Don’t Need No Stinkn’ Backsaws
There is great debate among the Saw Nerds (I’m a card-carrying member) about when the backsaw came into this world, kicking and screaming and whipping its lamb’s tongue to and fro. [...]
It's a Balancing Fact
Don’t let anyone tell you that saws are just a hunk of wood plus a sheet of steel. The more that I work with different saws, the less I know about the tools. Saws are a remarkable [...]
Japanese Saw vs. White Oak
Some Japanese saws don’t play nice with Western hardwoods. More than a decade ago, my wife bought me a nice Japanese dozuki that cost about $100, a fortune for us at the time. I took it to [...]
Ron Herman: Mojo and Thousands of Hand Tools
Today most of the magazine’s staff spent the day with Ron Herman, a seventh-generation housewright in Columbus, Ohio, who has spent the last 29 years building, remodeling and restoring [...]
Restore a Saw the ‘Bad Axe’ Way
Mark Harrell of Bad Axe Tool Works just launched his new website this week. And in addition to pretty pictures of his new Bad Axe saws and details of his saw restoration and sharpening services, [...]
Book Review: 'The Perfect Edge' by Ron Hock
In the interest of full disclosure, the following book , “The Perfect Edge” , is being published by my parent company, F+W Media. Also, I consider the author, Ron Hock, a good friend. [...]
