These three saws – a Dozuki (far left) and two Katabas – are the most recent additions to Woodcraft’s Razorsaw line of Japanese saws with TPE handles.
Japanese hand tool enthusiasts should check out the new Razorsaw handsaws at Woodcraft – updated versions of general-purpose and joinery saws that feature handles made of the latest, textured Thermoplastic Elastomers (TPE), a lightweight material with user-friendly features.
“Decent wood is becoming scarce and expensive, so the Japanese set about looking to create a handle that would appeal to tradition as well as use,” Woodcraft Product Manager Kent Harpool explained. “The new handle material improves grip in all conditions (like sweaty palms) and offers comfort, the key to using saws for any length of time. The new grip improves accuracy for the same reason.”
Why Use a Japanese Saw (Nokogiri)?
Japanese hand saws are designed to be used on the pull stroke, which according to Harpool permits a thinner blade, which means less resistance and a smaller kerf with less waste.
“If the only handsaw you have ever used is an English style push saw…you are in for a revelation,” Harpool said. “Japanese saws cut faster, straighter and with less effort than any other saw. Tooth structure is designed to maximize the advantage of the cutting on the pull stroke, utilizing extremely sharp, impulse hardened teeth and in some cases, varying the size of the teeth along the cutting edge.”
Harpool said Razorsaw has pioneered the processes of stamping and flattening a saw blade and grinding, setting and impulse hardening (one tooth at a time) the saw teeth, while committing to quality control through ongoing inspection that ensures a consistently superior product. All Razorsaw saws are coated to resist rust and help with free cutting.
The 11 TPE-handled Razorsaw saws available at Woodcraft are capable of doing pretty much all the hand-cut joinery and general shop and carpentry cutting chores a woodworker and DIYer will encounter.
Kataba and Dozuki Saws
Kataba Super Hard Crosscut Saws
Dozuki Crosscut Mortise Saw
These Kataba Super Hard Crosscut Saws are both excellent for general carpentry – the 270mm/10-3/4"-long 13 TPI blade for 2"-deep and greater cuts in stock and the 240mm/9-1/2"-long 16 TPI blade for cuts 2" and less. They do not need a back, because of their thick (.024") blades that make straight cuts easier.
The Dozuki Crosscut Mortise Saw is designed with a rigid spine, though not full length, to stabilize the 240mm/9-1/2"-long blade and permit long accurate cuts in thinner materials. A curved end in the 0.012-thick, 18 TPI blade permits cutting veneers or starting cuts mid-panel.
Woodcraft Magazine Recognition
The Razorsaw Dozuki for Fine Joinery is described as “an excellent dozuki saw for dovetailing and general handwork” in “Saws for Dovetailing,” an article by Paul Anthony in the Feb/March 2021 issue of Woodcraft Magazine.
Anthony also writes: “I love the feel of the elastomer handle, which provides a very sure grip that I prefer to the traditional rattan wrapping.”
This saw is capable of doing crosscuts and ripcuts, with a 2" - 2.64" depth of cut, a 0.012"-thick blade and 25.4 teeth per inch. Two similar Dozuki saws are also available and excel at joinery.
Ryoba (Double-Edged) Saws with TPE Handles
Razorsaw Ryoba saws, from top down are: No. 661 240mm/9-1/2", No. 660 210mm/8-1/4", No. 662 240mm/9-1/2" (for hardwood), No. 663 270mm/10-1/4", and No. 664 300mm/11-2/3".
These Razorsaw Ryoba saws – with crosscut teeth on one edge and ripcut teeth on the opposite edge – are renowned for their sharpness and durability, plus features not found on just any ryoba saw. Besides teeth that are individually impulse hardened, the saws each feature a blade properly ground for optimum free cutting and an adjustable pivot point to permit angling the blade in relation to the handle, which is useful in tight spaces or for overhead work. Teeth cannot be sharpened, so a replaceable blade is included and available for purchase separately.
“Your intended use helps determine what length saw blade you’ll need,” Harpool explained. “A 210mm with finer teeth is an excellent choice in the shop for more precise work, while a 240mm saw with coarser teeth is a good middle-of-the-road choice. Larger saws, like the 270mm and 300mm with large coarse teeth, are excellent for general carpentry work.”
Razorsaw No. 660 features finer teeth and is an excellent choice in the shop for more precise work. Blade length: 210mm/8-1/4"; Crosscut TPI: 17; Rip TPI: 8.
With coarser teeth, the Ryoba Razorsaw No. 661 is a good middle-of-the-road choice as a general-purpose shop or building site saw. Blade length: 240mm/9-1/2"; Crosscut TPI: 14; Rip TPI: 7.
Razorsaw No. 662, an extremely useful general-purpose saw, is also designed to cut hardwoods. The thinner plate reduces drag and makes a thinner kerf which, combined with more smaller teeth, helps to decrease the effort to cut hardwood. Blade length: 240mm/9-1/2"; Crosscut TPI: 22; Rip TPI: 9.
Razorsaw No. 663 is a coarse tooth saw that works well for general carpentry work. Blade length: 270mm/10-1/4"; Crosscut TPI: 11; Rip TPI: 6.
Also a coarse tooth saw, Razorsaw No. 664 is more at home at a post/beam construction or frame construction site saw. Blade length: 300mm/11-2/3"; Crosscut TPI: 9; Rip TPI: 6.
To learn more about the saws in this blog, click here.
TOGETHER, WE CAN BUILD ANYTHING®
