I’m sure we were all gobsmacked when we were introduced to those great little/big Japanese saws (hereafter referred to as a Japsaw).
Most rushed out and bought one of each style, however, as time progresses, the cardboard or plastic sheath protecting the blade slowly deteriorated to the point that some took their saws to bed to ensure the teeth didn’t get damaged while they slept.
My sheaths certainly suffered that fate (not the taking to bed) and I though about making/cutting a sheath on my laser out of MDF.
Below is the saga I fed to the unfortunate Lumberjocks on February 27, 2021.
One of my favourite tools is this flush cut JapSaw…
While I have another one I bought as part of a Jap Saw set,
My favourite is about ½ the thickness of the other
and is therefore much more flexible.
AND, for those PC members that object to my reference to "Jap"… I hope you also take up arms against people calling me Alex instead of Alexander!
Back on track to my favourite… It's teeth are very delicate, and even a small, misdirected, indiscreet explosion between the legs
has the ability to wreak havoc on the blade. I'd hate to guestimate how many blades sacrificed their lives through negligent storage
and lack of use of cotton gloves,
instead of abusive leather.
Though I have been diligent with the "protective cover", it has been repaired more times that bookings in a Hollywood plastic surgeon's diary… it has not weathered the storms in the workshop too well.
I now can appreciate why pottzy hates my puzzles… It was while I was working on my (last) PUZZLE, cutting those teeth destroying tooth-picks (that pottzy loves), the plastic zip changed from a zig,
to a zag,
It was time for drastic measures as hanging it up by the handle, with exposed blades, was like playing Russian roulette with a single stick of dynamite.
Scanned the saw and imported it into SketchUp. Traced around it
and printed of a profile…
fine tuned it until I finished up with a good retainer for the saw,
then continued in SketchUp to create a back and front faceplate. The front plate was designed to "lock" on a dowel
and swing out to extricate the saw,
Cut out on the laser
and did a test fit and realised that once it was glued up there was no flex in the profile shape and I didn't allow for the back spine of the handle…
changed the profile and recut…
perfect.
Did a bit of flush cutting on the scabbard with the parent tool...
could this be considered cannibalism?
Cut some green felt on the laser to make it a little more comfy and pretty-pretty,
It is now resting more secure in its old haunt,
ready to be abused by anything (or one),
I then realised that rather than toss the ill-fitting one out, I could use it to house my spare blade
as it should fit without the spline. Cut some red felt to identify the smaller scabbard,
Now the spare blade sits complacently, rusting away amongst some of my other tools,
I am a tad apprehensive about tossing the original cover out
and will probably hide it away somewhere I will never find… and maybe eventually find it in 100 years time thinking, DOH! So this is where I put this thing I've no idea what its used for.
With this exercise, I broke another one of my golden rules… It cost me (including time) much more to make the scabbard than to buy a new saw just for the cover… but then I'd have 1 out of the 2 without a cover and even I'm not that stupid to buy a further one (cover) for the then second JapSaw… etc…
Keep safe jocks... and your jocks safe!
If your first cut is too short... Take the second cut from the longer end... LBD
Pottz commented about 2 hours ago nice collection of "japanese" pull saws duckie. didn't you get reprimanded on that other forum for using the word "jap" ? 🙄
Only by you pottzy... only by you... But what's the problem? This may be 3 years later, but it's for the same saw.
If your first cut is too short... Take the second cut from the longer end... LBD
Good protection. I think for me, too much work, but then I have destroyed a few "pull saws" (note* using the non sexual, racial verbiage) by leaving them in the heap, unprotected.
I never knew Pottzie had a thing for toothpicks...... Sounds downright kinky
I don't care for the "japsaw" reference. It would have taken you about the same amount of time to spell it out then the time to explain why you did it and post all the pictures.
Cal Noguchi
working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.
Forgot the banter we had back there/then... just had a quick reminisce and could help but chuckle internally.
No offence was meant back then as there is still none now. Hell (sorry Pope Frankie), if I analysed every word in any thread, I'm sure I could concoct something someone could get offended by... Just waiting for all the micks berating me for calling my buddy by his nickname.
If your first cut is too short... Take the second cut from the longer end... LBD
