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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 Mawashibiki saw is a professional quality Ryoba saw handmade by 3rd generation Saw Smith Daizo Mitsukawa. The saw is double sided with crosscut teeth along one edge and rip cut along the other. The blade is tapered and has a 0.34mm kerf that crosscuts like a Dozuki (dovetail) saw without the depth limitation of a backsaw. This saw is perfect introduction to Japanese handmade saws.
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.
This Mitsukawa saw has a tapered blade which means the blade is thinner in the centre than at the outer edges. This design relives the sawing action allowing the blade to move through the cut without dragging. This particularly beneficial when making deep through cuts.
The saw is for the craftsperson. The blade is delicate, meaning the blade is extremely thin to create a very fine kerf and uses a hard steel which can make the blade brittle. Therefore, please take care when using the saw to prevent unnecessary warp which can cause the blade to snap. You still move your saw back and force yet do lift the blade slightly when going forward in the cut to minimise the chance of flex. Unlike production Japanese pull saws, this saw does not have replacement blades.
Japanese saws are a pleasure to own to use. Japanese saws cut on the pull stroke which 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 very narrow and accurate cuts.
Mitsukawa is a saw company run by Japanese Master 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.