Two Guys in a Garage Folding Backs

[MarvW]

Hey Steve,

Isaac is a wise man...

[Nordic]

Marv,

Good points as always. I won't disagree with you - I would give you a ribbing about the statement "Making anything strictly for traditional reasons doesn't seem practical to me." coming from someone who likes restoring and sharpening hand saws and has a fetish with hand powered drills...

I mentioned stamping not so much for the end users of the backs, as I agree they won't likely be doing it - but more for Dom & Co. How far out is it to believe that someone selling all the various parts doesn't start also offering them fully assembled at some point? I'd be willing to wager if he is successful at this, there will (someday) be more to come.

Whether it's a more efficient design or not, I do tend to prefer the more "traditional" designs over modern, but I admit it's a personal choice. There well may be better ways of doing it - I think the Lee Valley back saws are probably the best deal out there for the money in the current crop of back saws available via retail, but not everyone has an injection molding machine (or what ever it is they use) handy to make their own, which is what this is really about. Besides - the "traditional" designs (however flawed they may be) have proven to be pretty reliable with some saws lasting (literally) centuries.

That all said, I enjoy seeing the basic design "furthered"... I think it's exciting, even though some may be John Deere green . I might even try something similar myself someday. I still lust after some of Pedders' and Klaus' creations too, though God knows the last thing I need from any of this is yet another saw...


Leif

[Window Guy]

Leif that did turn out really nice and makes a nice difference. I also like entertaining the "bluing aspect", I am a fan of traditional as well and don't have all these different machines at my disposal either.

Steve

[swagman]

Mike Brady said:

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I'm reading this discussion thinking about how I would utilize this back if I was making a saw. I like the authenticity of the raw steel for saws that are meant to be utilitarian in appearance. There are many saws being made that take the art to new heights, but not as many, except for perhaps Bad Axe, that offer understated options for a plainer-appearing product. Dominic's backs open up that possibility.

In terms of saw-making the letting in of the back to the front of the handle does seem more challenging because of the profile presented by the steel back. Certainly some practice would be in order before working with the final handle blank. Small carving tools with radii would be helpful since the mortise in the handle would not have straight sides. I would consider filing flats on the sides of the steel back just where it becomes an open tenon in the handle nose. That would allow parallel mortise walls. To me the fit between the back and the handle is very important visually, much the same as tight dovetails are a visual hallmark.

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I agree with you Mike. A poor mortise fit with the spine can look pretty ordinary.

I fully support the work Dom is doing with the traditional folding backs. The bigger challenge will be making the heel of his folded backs less bulbous and much more in parallel, so it becomes less complicated to get a good appearance with the mortise fit.

I am not totally convinced that cold pressing the heel flatter is going to work. By doing so. The heel end up will have a marginally greater flat surface depth to the rest of the spine. That may cause the spine to shift from a straight top edge to that of a noticeable upward curve.

It may be a better option to do it with heat.

Looking forward to following Doms progress.

Stewie;

[Mike Brady]

Are the steel backs offered by Bad Axe for their saws folded or machined?

[MarvW]

Bad Axe backs are folded and have close to parallel sides. I'm not sure, but I think he uses a thinner gauge metal.

[Nordic]

Another update - this morning I polished the other back Dom sent me and cold-blued them - each getting 3 coats of Birchwood Casey Perma-Blue. They are pictured here next to one of Mark Harrel's most excellent Bad Axe saws with a blued back for context. These things are hard to photograph well...









I believe Mark's backs are hot-blued, which may be more durable - but cold bluing still works pretty well IMO and can be patched up also if needed.

Leif

[Cian]

LIL.

[Martin S.]

Bump

[PedroOhare]

Just a question re the 'bulbous' backs- Are the 'bulbs' consistent and symmetrical on the sawback? If so, is seems like it would be pretty easy to create a shaped paring/carving chisel like tool that could be used to reshape a regular rectangular mortise with a few quick pares. Maybe selling that 'parer' could even become a new profit center. Of course that all depends on consistency and symmetry (and the ability to make a 'parer' that matches those curves.

Just a thought.

Pedro