When you buy a horse you look generally at its overall appearance as an initial indication of its condition but then you always look at the teeth. It can be the same with saws. I have tried in most cases to revue new and used hand tools after a legitimate time of use; around two years in general, because all too often a product fails in some way to live up to its maker’s claims. I have been trying out the new gents saw from Veritas alongside others purported to be higher end saws and found this saw to be the best of all in-line shorter tenon saws.
I like their more conventional pistol-grip saw very much, but playing the gents saw alongside the pistol grip gave me the ability to determine a proper evaluation. The review I want to proffer is their 20-tpi ripcut pattern gents saw. The direct thrust of any gents-style saw is vastly superior to pistol grip in general, but on large toothed saws this is not always the greatest advantage because often you need a downward pressure to progress the saw into the wood with each forward thrust. The gents saw tackles the wood differently, especially a rip cut tooth pattern on small-toothed saws such as a 20 tpi rip saw.
The logic behind the saw’s development as always is innovative but always has a sort of nuts and bolts practicality that makes you feel the solidity you need in handling a tool. I recall visiting with the design team at Veritas a few short months ago and seeing the work that went into this saw as they placed it on the board room table in front of me. I immediately felt they had a winner and the price point that this saw comes into the market at is just right.
Ever since the saw came into my shop I have reached for it consistently; a good sign that I like something well. The cuts are the cleanest of any saw I have bought and compare to my own hand filed saws. bove is a hounds tooth pattern in pine. Notice how minimally the breakout is on the outcut. On sapele mahogany and all other hard, dense grained hardwoods I found that there is no breakout at all. For dovetails and other small joinery this saw is perfect choice.
Though the 20 tpi is classed by Veritas as a ripcut saw, it cuts cross grain as well as it rips so it is ideal for dovetailing.
If there is a negative side of the saw it is in the number of teeth per inch. Even with my experience in hand sharpening hand saws, this saw is a little harder to sharpen for two reasons; the thickness (or thinness) of the plate and the size of the teeth. That said; don’t hesitate to buy the saw. It will keep its cutting edges for a long time and if you want a good saw that goes straight of the bat this is the saw for any new or seasoned woodworker. With a 4” XX slim taper saw file the saw will file fine. I would like to see the saw with 16tpi as this still gives a good cut and the saw is so much easier to sharpen.
12 Comments
Paul, will the Nicholson xx fine/small work well for these or the small Japanese files for the fine pull saws?
I see both in my local hardware store but both are vastly different in shape.
Thanks,
John Guengerich
No, you cannot use the Japanese files as they are a different shape as you say. The 4″ XX slim will work fine.
Best for now,
Paul
Thank you Paul, I appreciate the help. I’ll pick up the 4″XX slim file.
You are most welcome.
The Veritas saws look rather unconventional, but the price and performance is among, if not the best on the market. They are half the price of other premium saw makers offerings.
Hi Paul,
I have a Disston #68 Gents saw, 10″ long and about 1 5/8″ to the back, turned handle. Disstonian says it’s a 17 ppi. The saw currently has no teeth (They all have been filed flat to the plate) the way I got it. What size file do you recommend for this? I saw above that you were talking about a 4″ XX Slim on 20 ppi. Could this be used for this 17 ppi gents saw?
Thank you very much Mr. Sellers.
Frank
Yes, that will recut teeth to that size fine. Have fun.
Thank you Paul. I did watch your excellent video with regards to cutting new teeth on a saw. Measuring the points per inch and scribing lines onto a piece of wood and then using a hacksaw blade to cut new gullets following the lines in the wood is brilliant. And you were right, that was the first time I had heard of a technique such as this and saw it first hand while watching you do it. Simple, straight forward and to the point. I recommend to any novice and professional alike to review your videos for the most expert advice on just about any subject as it relates to working wood. Great biography by the way! Your a winner Paul and thank you so much.
Frank
Seneca Falls, NY
This might be the ideal saw for slotting guitar fretboards. Thin plate means more clearance and in ebony you need all the clearance you can get. Normally they are 0.5 mm plate with very little set, tend to bind (with wax) even though the slot is very shallow.
I fully agree that 20 TPI is a bit too fine. I have saws at 16 TPI and they are perfectly adequate for fine cuts.
I once sharpened a Zona saw which was 24 (maybe 26) TPI. !! I used an ordinary needle file and did one stroke straight across each tooth. No jointing. More of a ‘touch up’ of a new saw that had become a little dull. All done by feel. Didn’t take very long at all and the result was better than when it was brand new. I did the same on that saw a couple of more times before it went in the bin. I’ll do the same on the Veritas but eventually I may convert it to 16 TPI if the shape of the 20 TPI fine teeth prove too difficult to maintain, perhaps as a last resort.
Hi Paul,
Firstly thank you for your YouTube videos.. they are most informative, and inspirational.
I’m looking for a first dovetail saw. In Australia my options are rather limited. I have access to the Veritas range as well as a vintage Spears and Jackson 16tpi steel backed saw with a slight taper on ebay (I believe its a #47 Sovreign made in the 1930s). I’d like a saw that I will be able to sharpen myself. The Veritas 14 tpi seems a bit rough for dovetails, and the 20 tpi is difficult to sharpen (though I have a lot of time and patience, as this is a hobby). I know you generally recommend against crosscut saws, but would the Veritas 16 tpi crosscut work as a dovetail saw (all be it a more difficult to sharpen and slower to cut – as I said, the extra time is something I don’t mind too much)?
Many thanks.
The Veritas 16 tpi will work just fine and you can simply sharpen it as a rip cut once it starts to go dull. Very simple.
Thanks for the quick reply Paul! New saw on its way!
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Paul, will the Nicholson xx fine/small work well for these or the small Japanese files for the fine pull saws?
I see both in my local hardware store but both are vastly different in shape.
Thanks,
John Guengerich
No, you cannot use the Japanese files as they are a different shape as you say. The 4″ XX slim will work fine.
Best for now,
Paul
Thank you Paul, I appreciate the help. I’ll pick up the 4″XX slim file.
You are most welcome.
The Veritas saws look rather unconventional, but the price and performance is among, if not the best on the market. They are half the price of other premium saw makers offerings.
Hi Paul,
I have a Disston #68 Gents saw, 10″ long and about 1 5/8″ to the back, turned handle. Disstonian says it’s a 17 ppi. The saw currently has no teeth (They all have been filed flat to the plate) the way I got it. What size file do you recommend for this? I saw above that you were talking about a 4″ XX Slim on 20 ppi. Could this be used for this 17 ppi gents saw?
Thank you very much Mr. Sellers.
Frank
Yes, that will recut teeth to that size fine. Have fun.
Thank you Paul. I did watch your excellent video with regards to cutting new teeth on a saw. Measuring the points per inch and scribing lines onto a piece of wood and then using a hacksaw blade to cut new gullets following the lines in the wood is brilliant. And you were right, that was the first time I had heard of a technique such as this and saw it first hand while watching you do it. Simple, straight forward and to the point. I recommend to any novice and professional alike to review your videos for the most expert advice on just about any subject as it relates to working wood. Great biography by the way! Your a winner Paul and thank you so much.
Frank
Seneca Falls, NY
This might be the ideal saw for slotting guitar fretboards. Thin plate means more clearance and in ebony you need all the clearance you can get. Normally they are 0.5 mm plate with very little set, tend to bind (with wax) even though the slot is very shallow.
I fully agree that 20 TPI is a bit too fine. I have saws at 16 TPI and they are perfectly adequate for fine cuts.
I once sharpened a Zona saw which was 24 (maybe 26) TPI. !! I used an ordinary needle file and did one stroke straight across each tooth. No jointing. More of a ‘touch up’ of a new saw that had become a little dull. All done by feel. Didn’t take very long at all and the result was better than when it was brand new. I did the same on that saw a couple of more times before it went in the bin. I’ll do the same on the Veritas but eventually I may convert it to 16 TPI if the shape of the 20 TPI fine teeth prove too difficult to maintain, perhaps as a last resort.
Hi Paul,
Firstly thank you for your YouTube videos.. they are most informative, and inspirational.
I’m looking for a first dovetail saw. In Australia my options are rather limited. I have access to the Veritas range as well as a vintage Spears and Jackson 16tpi steel backed saw with a slight taper on ebay (I believe its a #47 Sovreign made in the 1930s). I’d like a saw that I will be able to sharpen myself. The Veritas 14 tpi seems a bit rough for dovetails, and the 20 tpi is difficult to sharpen (though I have a lot of time and patience, as this is a hobby). I know you generally recommend against crosscut saws, but would the Veritas 16 tpi crosscut work as a dovetail saw (all be it a more difficult to sharpen and slower to cut – as I said, the extra time is something I don’t mind too much)?
Many thanks.
The Veritas 16 tpi will work just fine and you can simply sharpen it as a rip cut once it starts to go dull. Very simple.
Thanks for the quick reply Paul! New saw on its way!