This is the third in a series of articles on making two matching sets of heirloom saws. The first article was on making gent’s saws and table saws. It can be found here:
http://lumberjocks.com/summerfi/blog/46985.
The second was on making 10” dovetail saws, and it can be found here:
http://lumberjocks.com/summerfi/blog/78490.
If you’re wondering what these sets are all about, please see the first article in the series where that is explained in detail.
It has been two full years since I made the last saws in these matching sets. I didn’t anticipate this delay, but there are good reasons for it. I began accepting orders for custom made saws, as well as a lot of saw restoration and sharpening jobs. I never would have thought the demand for good saws would be so great. I’ve sent my custom saws throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, England, and Australia. Restoration and sharpening work also included Canada and literally every corner of the U.S. What began as a hobby turned into a full time job, leaving no time for anything else. Since I’m supposed to be retired, I decided to cut back. I’m no longer taking on custom saw orders, but I still offer saw restoration and sharpening. This gives me a little more time, and finally I’m able to proceed with these sets of heirloom saws.
12” Carcase Saws
A carcase saw is a backsaw with a plate of about 12 inches in length that is traditionally used for making the joinery in the interior framework or body of a piece of furniture. The first thing we should establish is whether this type of saw should accurately be called a carcase saw or a carcass saw. The fact is, the terms are used interchangeably, and either one is fine to use. Carcase is an older form of the word, originating in England and used in the King James Bible. Carcass is probably the more common form today, especially in the U.S. I personally prefer carcase because, first of all, I am a traditionalist, and secondly, I prefer to think of the saw being used on the case of a piece of furniture rather than on the dead body of an animal. If you prefer carcass, however, I will not object.
Within the family of saws, the carcase saw is a sort of transitional tool. The shorter dovetail saw almost always has an open handle. The longer sash saw almost always has a closed handle. The carcase saw, intermediate between the two, can have either, but it is most often a closed handle for added strength. The carcase saw is usually 12 inches in length and usually filed 13 ppi crosscut. I am throwing a lot of “almosts” and “usuallies” out because when it comes to saws, there are always (usually?) exceptions.
I’ve pretty much covered the process of making a saw in the previous blog entries, so there’s no need to repeat that here. There was nothing out of the ordinary about making these two saws. The backs are folded brass and the handles are figured walnut like the other saws in the sets. The plates on these saws are 0.020” spring steel. So now I’ll just jump right to the pictures of these two completed 12” carcase saws that will go in my two sets of heirloom saws.
Thanks for reading my blog. The next saws to be built will be the 14” sash saws. I’m hoping that won’t take another two years.