Spent $400 on a Japanese pull saw for joinery and I'm not sure it was worth it.

I was doing some fine detail work on a cherry cabinet and thought a high-end saw would make cleaner cuts than my old Stanley. It does cut nice and smooth, but the blade feels so thin and delicate I'm scared to use it on anything harder. Has anyone else tried these and found a good middle-ground saw that's less nerve-wracking?

3 comments

3 Comments

jenny_jackson27d ago

Scared to use it" seems like a lot. It's a saw, not a glass ornament. Just use the thing, they're tougher than they look.

brianm2726d ago

Tougher than they look" is right. I read a forum post from a carpenter who said he dropped his off a roof onto concrete and it still worked fine. The plastic housing had a crack but the motor and blade were totally fine. They build those things to take a real beating.

patricia_hayes15d ago

Is it really that serious though? I mean yeah, be careful with any power tool, but scared to use it? That feels like a bit much. In my experience those saws are built like tanks. They'll rattle your hands off and kick up dust like crazy, but they're not gonna explode on you or something dramatic like that. I've seen people drop them, knock them over, run them without oil, and they just keep going. Now if it was a table saw I'd understand the fear a little more, that's a different beast. But a circular saw? Just check the blade is tight and the guard moves freely, then send it. Your mileage may vary of course, but I think some folks get too worked up over normal tools.