Fret Saw, or Coping saw?

[mountainm]

I want to do some detailed shaping to my knife scales before I fix them in place and sand them. I read that a fret saw allows for finer control than a coping saw. The coping saw I looked at in the DIY shop had flat blades. Back in the day I remember using a saw that had a "wire" blade to allow multi directional cutting. What kind of saw was that - and which saw am I best buying?

Cheers

Mike

 

[Mesquite]

Get a tile blade for a fret saw... they'll cut through wood as well as metal

 

[demographic]

Its got to be pretty detailed before you need a fret saw.

I manage to get round the mouldings of skirting and architraves easy enough with a coping saw and I doubt a normal knife handle will be more detailed than that.

 

[wasteoid]

The blade you refer to if I remember was called an abrafile.

Chris

 

[TeeGeeBee]

A coping saw you give good results but a fret saw should give a finer cut with les waste, plus will allow a multi-directional cut. If using a coping saw, remember to replace blades with the teeth pointing toward the handle.

TGB

 

[demographic]

If using a coping saw, remember to replace blades with the teeth pointing toward the handle.

I never do that, nor any other carpenter I've so far worked with doing second fix and that's quite a few.
A decent coping saw (Eclipse's are usually quite good but I also have an OK Sandvik one) should be rigid enough that cutting on the pushstroke is not a problem, if it is a problem then you could do with a stiffer coping saw back.

 

[ged]

... If using a coping saw, remember to replace blades with the teeth pointing toward the handle.

I never do that, nor any other carpenter I've so far worked with doing second fix and that's quite a few.
A decent coping saw (Eclipse's are usually quite good but I also have an OK Sandvik one) should be rigid enough that cutting on the pushstroke is not a problem, if it is a problem then you could do with a stiffer coping saw back.

It depends which way you hold the saw while you're using it. If you hold a coping saw like you would a fretsaw, the blade is vertical and you pull it down to cut, so you want the teeth pointing down (towards the handle). If you hold it like a hacksaw, you'd normally cut on the push stroke so you'd want the teeth pointing away from you. I normally use a coping saw and a fret saw in the same way, but it's easy to see how you might for example hold a sheet of some material in a vice while using a coping saw like a hacksaw with better manoeuverability. Can't see myself doing that with a fretsaw though.

Fretsaw blades are a lot more delicate than coping saw blades.

Oh, and a fretsaw can cut much further from the edge of the material than any coping saw I've ever seen.

 

[demographic]

It depends which way you hold the saw while you're using it. If you hold a coping saw like you would a fretsaw, the blade is vertical and you pull it down to cut, so you want the teeth pointing down (towards the handle). If you hold it like a hacksaw, you'd normally cut on the push stroke so you'd want the teeth pointing away from you. I normally use a coping saw and a fret saw in the same way, but it's easy to see how you might for example hold a sheet of some material in a vice while using a coping saw like a hacksaw with better manoeuverability. Can't see myself doing that with a fretsaw though.

Fretsaw blades are a lot more delicate than coping saw blades.

Oh, and a fretsaw can cut much further from the edge of the material than any coping saw I've ever seen.

I generally use it for cutting skirting scribes and its usually on a joiners stool with my knee holding the skirting down. I have several vice's (or vise's for the American readers) but none of them go out onto site with me.

That's pretty much standard for most site carpenters and allows me to see the cut well whilst lessening breakout onto the work face caused by the teeth of the saw.
I agree that Fret saws do cut a long way further in from the edge though but I also tend to turn the blade in a coping saw so its at 90 degrees from the usual so I can do more of the cut without turning the saw round. Most people I work with don't do that 90 degrees turn bit though and complain if they have to borrow my saw. It works better for me and if it bothers them they should bring their own saw in.

 

[Woodcutter2]

I never do that, nor any other carpenter I've so far worked with doing second fix and that's quite a few.
A decent coping saw (Eclipse's are usually quite good but I also have an OK Sandvik one) should be rigid enough that cutting on the pushstroke is not a problem, if it is a problem then you could do with a stiffer coping saw back.

Mate the reason blades are turned towards the handle on fine tooth blades is so that as you pull the saw towards you the teeth are all pulled in a straight line and cutting in a straight line with the kerf working properly, If for instance you lay a piece of string on the kitchen worktop and push it with one finger towards the other end it'll ripple, pull it away in the opposite direction an it stays straight, same principle with Coping,fret and junior hacksaws the teeth all last longer cut cleaner and straighter when they are not being pushed and rippled into the cut. Yes rigidly made Coping, fret and junior hacksaws will physically work that way round but its not how they were designed to work (tension/compression etc) try reversing the blades I'm sure that you will be very pleasantly suprised at the results and find following the mark lines on the face side easy to follow with zero breakout.

Hope it helps
.

 

[mountainm]

Wow, who knew this would be so controversial?

 

[demographic]

Mate the reason blades are turned towards the handle on fine tooth blades is so that as you pull the saw towards you the teeth are all pulled in a straight line and cutting in a straight line with the kerf working properly, If for instance you lay a piece of string on the kitchen worktop and push it with one finger towards the other end it'll ripple, pull it away in the opposite direction an it stays straight, same principle with Coping,fret and junior hacksaws the teeth all last longer cut cleaner and straighter when they are not being pushed and rippled into the cut. Yes rigidly made Coping, fret and junior hacksaws will physically work that way round but its not how they were designed to work (tension/compression etc) try reversing the blades I'm sure that you will be very pleasantly suprised at the results and find following the mark lines on the face side easy to follow with zero breakout.

Hope it helps
.

I know the reason why its done like in Japanese saws, I just don't get on with it. I make a pack of twelve blades last a few years so can't be doing too bad on the breakage front.
In my experience there's hardly any site carpenters who cut on the pullstroke either.

Not saying its no good, just saying I don't get on with it.

 

[Whittler Kev]

Mate the reason blades are turned towards the handle on fine tooth blades is so that as you pull the saw towards you the teeth are all pulled in a straight line and cutting in a straight line with the kerf working properly, If for instance you lay a piece of string on the kitchen worktop and push it with one finger towards the other end it'll ripple, pull it away in the opposite direction an it stays straight, same principle with Coping,fret and junior hacksaws the teeth all last longer cut cleaner and straighter when they are not being pushed and rippled into the cut. Yes rigidly made Coping, fret and junior hacksaws will physically work that way round but its not how they were designed to work (tension/compression etc) try reversing the blades I'm sure that you will be very pleasantly suprised at the results and find following the mark lines on the face side easy to follow with zero breakout.

Hope it helps
.

Seconded. But then again I use cr*p cheap junior hacksaws etc.