Dozuki Saws

[Smoothjazz077]

A friend of mine is selling a Dozuki Z Saw.  He never used it, because he couldn't get used to the pull stroke, compared to the push stroke on his western saws.  I don't own any Japanese saws, and was curious if this saw would be good for cutting dovetails and tenons.  It is 9 1/2" in length, and has 26 TPI.  

Thanks

Scott

[ez-duzit]

Get it; also a Razor saw. I love my Japanese saws.

[Smoothjazz077]

What is the difference between a Dozuki and a Razor saw?

[ez-duzit]

The two bottom saws in my photo.

[DaveParkis]

I haven't used a dozen I for tenons, but I have done some dovetails. For me, the good news was that it cut beautifully. The bad news was that the kerf is quite a bit smaller than my LN dovetail saw and sawing out waste became a bit more difficult.

[Downwindtracker2]

My saw of choice.

[hbmcc]

Pull saws seem to help my bad, ready for replacement, shoulder. Wasn't into sharpening saws at one time, so also enjoyed extended sharpness.

[AHill]

What is the difference between a Dozuki and a Razor saw?

Dozuki is a type of saw and Razor is the name a particular manufacturer gives to their line of saws.  A dozuki has a spine on it.  A kataba saw has no spine.  Z-saw is a brand of Japanese saws.  Gyokucho manufactures the line of "Razor" Japanese saws.

In the pic, the bottom saw is a Kataba.  The one above it is a dozuki.  Both Gyokucho and Z-Saw make dozuki and kataba saws. The preferred saw for dovetails in a dozuki. A kataba allows you to make deeper cuts like crosscutting a wide board.

[Derek Cohen]

A friend of mine is selling a Dozuki Z Saw.  He never used it, because he couldn't get used to the pull stroke, compared to the push stroke on his western saws.  I don't own any Japanese saws, and was curious if this saw would be good for cutting dovetails and tenons.  It is 9 1/2" in length, and has 26 TPI.  

Thanks

Scott

Scott, I have used a dozuki Z saw for probably 20 years. My current one must be 10 years old and still going strong. However it is not used for dovetails often. Instead it is used for delicate saw cuts, such as on thin material. The teeth are very fine and it cuts a narrow kerf. My preference for dovetails is a Western saw, since the woods I work are hard, and a dozuki would take forever to saw to depth. 

Forget about using this saw for tenons. It is quite unsuited for that purpose. For tenons you would need far less teeth and a deeper area under the back. 

A word of warning: the teeth in this saw are easily damaged if used roughly. You need to know how to start a saw cut (do so at the heel of the plate and never the toe), and strokes need to be long and smooth. Stance if as important here as with any tool action. Hopefully your friend has not used the saw as it it easy to lose teeth or kink the plate when inexperienced. Overall, it is an excellent saw, and a bargain at the price. Check what they cost new near you.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Smoothjazz077]

Thanks everyone for the clarification on the Dozuki.  The saw I am looking to purchase appears to be in good shape.  All teeth are accounted for, and there is no bend in the plate. Thanks Derek for the clarification on the uses for the saw.  I currently use my western style saws for tenons, and I do have a LV Dovetail saw, so I will probably use the Dozuki for finer material and small parts.

Scott