Miniature Woodworking with Hand Tools

 

This is a typical jeweler's saw.  Note that the blade is very thin, much thinner than a coping saw.  Though you can't see it, the blade has 32-teeth per inch.  The general rule of thumb for such things is to have 3-teeth working in the piece you're cutting.  So, when cutting 1/8" wood, that means you should use a blade with at least 24-teeth per inch. 

 

There are several names for the 'thing' next to the saw but 'beak' is the one I know.  It acts as a support surface for your work while you cut it.  Typically these are little more than a board with the notch cut in it.  This one is far superior.  The design came to me from Tori West who got it from someone whose name I can't remember :-)  In any case, you just use a small C-clamp to clamp it to a table and you're ready to start cutting. 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are two of the saws I use.  The top one is a Gent's saw.  It's typically used to cut dovetails when building full-size furniture.  It, however, is a saw that cost me $11 and I use it all the time. 

 

The second saw is part of a set containing a handle and several blades.  These are sold by Zona saws.  The one shown is my favorite.  Note the very shallow blade.  That stiff back and shallow blade provides a very stiff, straight cutting edge...emphasis here on straight.  My objection to the Xacto saws is that they are quickly stamped from cheap metal and they simply aren't straight.  I'd like to be able to give you a price on this saw set but I can't as it was given to me by the manufacturer while I was playing editor.  I believe each saw is around $10 so the set is probably around $40.  I rarely use any of the other blades.