Wretched Coping Saw, Begone!

A tale of two coping saws...

I’ve been doing a little dovetailing lately, and that means I’m also doing a little bit with the coping saw to clear the waste.  Every time I drag that plastic handled demon out of my tool box, I am reminded how much I despise this saw.  It’s a struggle to use, it fights me constantly, and is simply a pain the butt to use.

I was reading through bits and pieces of the Anarchists Toolbox again, and came across his diatribe about his first coping saw that he used an example of a poor quality tool.  I resolved then and there to do something about my coping saw issue, and set out to do some research into a replacement.  I finally settled on the Olson Coping saw from Tools for Working Wood, although the Gramercy bow saw with coping saw blade was a serious close second.  It came down to price really, and I sort of compromised by getting the Olson, as well as the blades and pins for building my own frame for the bow/turning saw at some future date.

I gave the Olson a little test run tonight, and it was worlds apart from the plastic handled demon that has vexed me so!  I got the Skip Tooth 18 TPI blades on a recommendation and it was a good one.  The frame is nice and solid, the handle feels good and the blade cut through walnut like something close to butter.   I’m looking forward to doing more dovetails now, and am glad to be giving my old coping saw the boot.

badger

2 Comments

  1. Ralph Boumenot February 7, 2012

    I upgraded to an Olson also. Like night and day when compared to the one it replaced. I’m still struggling to master the turning of the saw when sawing out dovetail waste. I keep watching Videos of it being done with ease by them, but it still escapes me.
    ralph

  2. McGlynn on Making February 9, 2012

    I love that you compromised between the new coping saw and the bow saw by getting both. That would be my approach too.

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