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From June 2006 Popular Woodworking
Wenzloff & Sons Backsaws Make the Cut
The hand-tool crowd lives and dies by the hand saw. But even for the rest of us, no matter how many electrons we consume in our shops (and I consume my fair share) we all need a couple decent hand saws for the all-too-common tricky cut.
Now we have one more choice when selecting the right saw. Veteran cabinetmaker Mike Wenzloff of Forest Grove, Ore., has recently taken up custom sawmaking as his primary business and his early offerings are excellent. Thanks to his long career as a professional woodworker, Wenzloff’s backsaws are exceptionally functional and a joy to use , the wood, split brass nuts and brass back are expertly finished to a high degree.
I test drove two of his adaptations of the now-vanished Disston No. 9 backsaw , one saw was filed with rip teeth and the other with crosscut teeth. The saws are surprisingly large (20 1/2″ long) and heavy (1 1/2 pounds) , both attributes are assets to cutting fast and true. The saws are hand-sharpened and track a line quite well.
The crosscut saw had 14 points per inch; the rip saw had 11 ppi. If you need something different, just ask. Wenzloff makes this saw in a variety of lengths and with 9 to 15 ppi. There also are a variety of wood species you can choose for the handle.
And if the price of the No. 9 is too much, Wenzloff also sells the saw as a nearly finished kit for $110 , you essentially finish shaping the handle and fit it to the blade.In addition to the No. 9 saw, Wenzloff also makes pure custom saws and a halfback saw , a smallish panel saw with a short brass back. Wenzloff was tweaking the handle of that saw at press time; we’ll give you an update on that saw and its performance in a future issue.
The Wenzloff saws rank up there with other premium makers, including Lie-Nielsen, Adria and Gramercy Tools. And, as a bonus, you can get your saw easily customized to your liking. I think you’ll be as impressed with these saws as I was.
More information on these saws from Wenzloff & Sons
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Chris,
I don’t have any of Mike’s back saws but I do have one of his dovetail saws and it is the best saw money I have spent. The handle is mesquite. I plan to buy a couple tenon saws from him in the future.
You can’t go wrong with a Wenzloff and Sons saw.
Rusty
Chris,
After almost two years of use I am as pleased today as I was when I recieved each of my Wenzloff & Sons saws. My first saw is a small tenon saw that I bought as a kit; the second which followed closely behind the completion of the first, is a large tenon saw. The large saw was completed by Mike and is a joy to behold. The small saw is crosscut and the large saw is rip giving me a set of saws that fill most of my joinery needs. In the vein of a set I chose an open handle in Congo Teak for the small saw and a closed handle of Congo Teak
for the large saw. With both saws I was able to specify the thickness of saw plate, length, height to spine, ppi, and on the large rip saw a progressive filling for ease of starting. Mike is wonderful to work with and will make the saw of your dreams or help you decide exactly what you do want. I have and do highly recommend Wenzloff and Sons’ saws.
roy