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Working with hand tools is one of the great pleasures of woodworking. And using Japanese tools takes this experience to the next level.
This craftsman-made set is made up of five professional quality saws handmade by 3rd generation Saw Smith Daizo Mitsukawa. It includes five katabas (single-edged saws):
170mm Crosscut saw
170mm Rip cut saw
170mm general-purpose saw
150mm flush-cut saw
75mm keyhole/compass saw
The saws are beautifully presented in an elegant and durable canvas tool roll.
These saws are handmade with a traditional approach. The blades have been thinned (for tensioning) by using a special hand tool called a Sen which looks like a spokeshave. This means each individual saw can vary in size so exact kerf data is also not always provided.
Unlike production made Japanese saws who use replaceable blades, these Mitsukawa handmade saws can be resharpened. The teeth are not impulse hardened so they may be resharpened using a Feather file.
These Mitsukawa saw have tapered blades which means the blades are thinner in the centre than at the outer edges. This design relives the sawing action allowing the blades to move through the cut without dragging. This particularly beneficial when making deep through cuts.
These saws are for the craftsperson. The blades are delicate, meaning they are extremely thin to create a very fine kerf, and they use a hard steel which can make the blades brittle. Therefore, please take care when using the saws to prevent unnecessary warp which can cause the blades to snap. You still move your saws back and forward, yet do lift the blade slightly when going forward in the cut to minimise the chance of flex. Unlike production Japanese pull saws, these saws do not have replacement blades.
Japanese saws cut on the pull stroke. This means the blade is stretched when in use thus the sawblade may be made very thin relative to western saws. This means you can enjoy a very narrow and accurate cuts.
Mitsukawa is a saw company run by Japanese Saw Smith Daizo Mitsukawa in Miki City Japan. Mr Mitsukawa has been awarded by the Japanese government for inheriting and maintaining the tradition of hand forged saws.