- Main
- Ti or Al?
- The Right Size
- Which Saw?
When making precise cuts with a frame saw, there are three factors that influence precision when holding a line - experience or skill, the weight of the saw frame, and the tension of the blade. When you purchase a Knew Concepts saw you’re making the decision to eliminate those last two items as excuses. You’re also saying “hello!”, to a whole host of features designed to make your work easier, faster, and (we think) more fun.
The incredible light weight of the Knew Concepts fret saws are made possible by the truss structure frame. The cut outs eliminate weight, while the frame remains rigid and provides the tension necessary for cutting accurate, tight curves.
The unbelievably light weight of the Knew Concepts saw frame is what struck us first, but we kept coming back because of the ease of blade attachment and tensioning. The Knew Fret Saw has an indexable blade grippers that lock at 0 and 45 degrees in either direction: perfect for cutting out dovetail waste (and nearly any task you’re likely to encounter.)
One of the most time consuming parts of cutting pierced screens, or any other work requiring you to thread the blade through the workpiece is re-tensioning the saw. The innovative tension release cam lever makes re-tensioning a breeze. When its time to thread your blade through the workpiece, simply flip the lever open to release the tension on the blade, un-do the large knurled thumb scerw, thread the blade through the workpiece, re-tighten the thumb screw and flip the cam lever - and your back at the exact same tension you started with.
Knew Concepts saws are made in USA.
Its obvious right? Get the Titanium saw!! Just kidding.
Here's some honest advice to help you get the right saw, and just to clarify: for us at Tools for Working Wood - that means the saw you will be happy using today, tomorrow, and years into the future.
Simply put, aluminum saw frames are cheaper to manufacture than riveted, and TIG welded titanium saw frames. So, if its not in the budget skip the Ti frame because any of the saws produced by Knew Concepts can produce top quality results.
That said, if Titanium is in the budget, we think it's worth it because:
Titanium framed saws are slightly heavier, but they are stiffer - especially in the larger size frames. The extra stiffness translates to improved feedback, and in the hands of a skilled operator, feedback allows for increased control.
So, should you buy a Titanium fret saw?
Are you the type of craftsman who always clocks screw heads and sharpens to 10,000 grit or above?
Titanium
Will you be using a 5 or 8 inch saw for exceptionally precise work, or work in difficult materials?
Titanium can help...
Is a fret saw a substantial portion of the tooling you use every day?
By any and all means, buy Titanium.
Do you appreciate and enjoy the ne-plus ultra of hand tools?
Yes, definitely buy a Titanium Saw.
The Gramercy Shop uses a Knew Concepts 8” Titanium Fret Saw because we’re obsessed with the high end - the researched - the developed - the merging of form, function, engineering - and we know a great saw when we see one.
If you are only going to use your fret saw for wasting small dovetails,or other work requiring very little depth of cut, buy a 3 inch frame.
For most woodworkers, the 5 inch frame adds a little bit of excess capacity, that can be handy in a pinch. A 5” frame is great for wasting dovetails, but it also gives the clearance you might need to cut out a piece of inlay, or to do some small pierced work. In any case, the greatly increased capacity comes with only the slightest of penalties in terms of weight, stiffness, and cost compared to a smaller saw.
8 inch saw frames offer the most clearance. They’re popular with luthiers, marquetry specialists, and anyone else who needs the capacity to work well-away from the edge of their workpiece.
Fret Saws use an exceptionally thin blade clamped at the ends and held in place via friction. Because the blade doesn’t use pins to hold it in place, it can be quite thin, and for this reason, a fret saw, with the right blade, can quite nearly pivot in place. For pierced screens, or other intricate work where precision is prized over speed a fret saw is the way to go. Knew Concepts fret saws, have a blade tension mechanism that is indexed to rotate 45 degrees in either direction.
In contemporary woodworking, the coping saw has largely outgrown its namesake and is more often used as a tool for wasting joinery, or shaping a workpiece. The pinned blade of a coping saw is substantially thicker and taller than a fret saw blade. Coping Saw blades cut an arc (albeit a very small one) rather than pivot. The larger thicker blades of the coping saw, are more durable, and less prone to breaking than fret saw blades. If you will primarily use your saw for joinery and wasting buy a coping saw. Knew Concepts coping saws have a blade tension mechanism that is indexed every 45 degreees, and may rotate a full 360 degrees.
The Precision Saw Guide is a fret saw that interfaces with a guide system to allow for detailed cuts at precise angles to the workpiece. The actual saw is simply a frew saw with a fixed, non rotating blade, and an unusually shaped frame. While the saw itself is actually quite light weight, the protrusions and lack of a rotating blade, make it a little less ideal for free-hand use than a regular Knew Concepts Fret Saw. Buy a Precision Saw Guide if your primary use for the saw will be detailed precise work where maintaining precise the angle of your edge is crucial. The Knew Concepts Precision Saw Guide has a blade tension mechanism that does not rotate. The workrest may be tilted 45 degrees in either direction from perpendicular to the blade.
