Reply To: Am I the only one having problems finding a good (used) panel saw?
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I feel like I’ve had the same problem finding saws. My solution was to take a longer saw that still had 15″ to 18″ of straight steel from the handle end and then cut it down. I’ve found that most damage to old saws tends to be around the tip and maybe a few inches down (not always of course). So cutting it down makes sense.
Hopefully you’ll find one that is taper-ground but if the blade is not that tall you probably won’t even need it to be tapered. It’s nice to have a thin blade but that’s not a must either. If the hang angle of the handle is too steep I find that to be uncomfortable but Paul has a blog on how to improve it by drilling new holes.
Also, another thing I’ve noticed with hand saws is that they don’t have to be perfectly straight for them to cut straight. My bench panel saw is 10-point & 15″ long, has thick steel, no taper, and is slightly curved. I cut straight with it all the time, and when the grain doesn’t permit that I just stop and correct as many times as needed. Sometimes I wish it were thinner and taper-ground, but it works for me so I just keep using it.