The Dreaded Ripsaw

[@adamguinnmusic5871]

Dude these videos are priceless! I am a long time carpenter new to woodworking. House building to furniture. I spent thr last year working with a natural building straw bale timbre frame crew. Still all mordern and power tools but the style of building got ke obsessed with learning the old ways. Recently i have build my own shop and am in the process of selling off my power tools and going all hand tools. So freeing!!

[@jeffreydustin5303]

I always wanted to timber frame with straw bale. Good on you!

[@awinbisa]

I have an old rusty 4tpi saw in my shop that I acquired found when I moved in. Never touched it, but you’ve given me inspiration to get clean, sharpened and back in service. Never tried using such a coarse saw. Should be interesting!

[@ArnoldMinnich]

Best instructions for using handsaw I have seen. For years I avoided using hand tools because I thought they were slow and difficult but several years ago I began to use them more and found the exact opposite to be true. Now I seldom use my table saw for ripping lumber. An additional bonus is that a rip saw is easy to sharpen

[@RexKrueger]

Another fine video! Really covers the topic with minimum screwing around. (And I know a thing or two about screwing around in a video.)

[@robbie6625]

How does a comment by the great Rex Kruger only have 28 likes and no replies?!?

[@coreygrua3271]

Truth, well stated!

[@mortisetenonmagazine]

Thanks, Rex! The simpler, the better!

[@deliaguzman1138]

I’ve been enjoying ripping and resawing since I sharpened my old junkstore-bought Disston saw. It’s 6 TPI but I love it. Now I’m going to look for a 4 TPI!

[@pablosilber7716]

Great video. The only thing I would add is that learning to sharpen a saw is an essential skill. It is easy to do and makes a HUGE difference to the experience.

[@JayCWhiteCloud]

Excellent...!!! As a traditional and professional woodworker, I too am often given the reasons not to use hand tools...Virtually 99% of the time it is by those with little (or no!) real hand tool experience. When asked (of those) that have some experience how much, it is typically a year or less of actual applied effort... Hand ripping is very easy when mastered and practiced. The more styles of tools to do this (Easter methods vs Western) the skill grows exponentially. Even for production work, these tools have their place in even the "professional" practice of the craft. Thanks for another great video!

[@MatthewBuntyn]

I have a 4ppi Civil War era Disston No. 7. I originally planned to use is for short, narrow (4" x 18" for instance) resawing, but it's becoming my go to rip saw. It just sings through 4/4 cherry.

[@mcd1313]

Love this series! Just bought a 5 TPI at an antique shop for $5.00 😃 had to do a little clean up but it works great. Keep the tips and how to videos coming!!!

[@NicTaylorWoodworking]

Nice video! Rip sawing can feel like a chore, but for a small workshop, it seems silly to have big production equipment. I try to just take my time and enjoy the exorcise.

[@stauffap]

I agree so much. Working with hand tools is usually way easier and faster than people think. The reason for the bias in my opinion are people who aren't using hand tools properly. When it comes to hand tools you really need to know about the different kind of tools and how to use them to be fast and work with minimal effort. I always like to watch people like Paul Seller or Roy Underhill. They really make it clear that working with hands tools doesn't have to be exhausting or slow.

[@Dther99]

Darn, you don't need a power saw, you ARE a power saw! The difference in speed vs. when I had to rip three boards using nothing but a hardpoint panel saw is astounding. I'll need to keep my eye out for a nice rip saw.

[@rolandmetayer7210]

Great video! I enjoy to see old woodworking tools in general. I also enjoy seeing those old woodworking tools being used by a skilled crafstman (craftswoman)! Unfortunately, I am lazy ! Hence, I will continue to use my electric powered woodworking tools. Thank you very much for your time and great teaching skills. Cheers from Canada, snow country.

[@davidclark9086]

Very good and informative video. I used to saw like a madman too but now I slow down and left the saw do most of the work.

[@jimcarter4929]

Like the old bull on the hill.

[@mortisetenonmagazine]

This speed is not straining; it's just fast. The saw is doing all the work. I'm just telling it to do so quickly.

[@davidclark9086]

@@jimcarter4929 Well said!

[@audimaster5000]

Looks like a Disston and Sons saw. Good stuff. Yeet!

[@scottclausen1238]

Its funny, I keep my table saw folded up and can now get my rip saw out and complete the cut faster than setting up the table saw, plugging in, putting the fence on, setting the width of cut, attaching the dust hose and trying to find my hearing protection. Only to have to undo all of that again. I need the exercise anyway.

[@ricardomagnificent]

Great video. Looking forward to the next ones in this series.

[@davidtripp4221]

Great video. One comment on sawing wide of your line. I prefer to draw my line a little wide then saw to the line. Its one less thing to think about while sawing. I have to credit Shannon Rogers with this idea.

[@kent5400]

There are a thousand and one ways to adjust your marking to your way of working. I have very poor eyesight, so I like to mark my precise width with a marking gauge and then draw a line biased to the waste side using a piece of chalk. Because the chalk won't fill in the gauge line, the line becomes a very-visible contrasting dark line. Then I saw on the waste side and try to leave the line just visible. This also leaves me set up for planing the edge.

[@pettere8429]

If you have a hard time getting started I find that making a small v-notch (or rather \| with the \ on the waste side) with a knife helps.

[@noahfreeman8115]

Love it! I guess I didn’t get the memo that ripping was To Be Avoided At All Costs because I really don’t mind it! (Plus, so often you can just grab that scrub plane!)

[@MCsCreations]

Really awesome tips, dude! Thanks a lot! 😊 Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@jonathanriddell6302]

Some time ago I bought an old 4 tpi rip saw just to try sharpening and ripping. Really surprised by how good it was and the comfort of a shaped handle.

[@bricsuc]

Regarding putting your knee on the board to hold it down on the (saw)bench: This can be painful for people with knee conditions (e.g. deformed knees due to Osgood-Schlatter disease). Using knee pads has helped me a lot with that.

[@salleecreekworkshop]

Clamp it to the bench. My fathet did that for years.

[@jasonhammond4640]

I use holdfasts. I have holdfast holes in my saw bench to help hold the piece.

[@bricsuc]

@@jasonhammond4640 How much does your sawbench weigh?

[@jasonhammond4640]

@@bricsuc It's a 2x10x36 with four legs in it. It's not very heavy.

[@ricos1497]

@@bricsuc I actually use a more Japanese method and put my foot on the workpiece when I'm ripping on a small bench. Although, I'm basically using a metal platform that you'd use for plastering or something, so not particularly high. I do find it gives me a healthy stretch in the knee and hip areas.

[@russstaples6125]

I have a Biggs and Sons, 3 1/2 tpi rip saw. I have never seen another like it. That's 4ppi or 3 1/2 tpi. I know you know that but some others might not. You are so right. It's very fast. Thanks for the video.

[@cwell2112]

How can a saw have a different number of teeth per inch and points per inch if there's one point per tooth?

[@CleaveMountaineering]

Great video. I still need to find a good rip saw.

[@CleaveMountaineering]

I just got one today for a few bucks. Its probably a newer one as the screws look like steel and the handle looks like beech, but still a Disston D8 5.5 tpi ripsaw, plate in good shape. A little cleanup and a sharpen and she'll be ripping again.

[@earthsciteach]

I've been looking for a decent vintage rip saw on FB Marketplace. They are few and far between, even here in PA.

[@jasonhammond4640]

It was quite a few years before I found a rip saw in the antique stores in my neck of the woods. Cross cut saws are all over the place.

[@pfswalter]

Good morning great video again love all your videos, but have a question, so if you had to to split 1” thick board and 12” wide would you use the rip saw or a frame saw I have a shop about 14’x 20’ and just removing the machine to sell cause going back to traditional woodworking I have a frame saw kit but I have make the wooden parts I got it from Blackburn tools. Thanks

[@CityBlades]

You have one about resawing yet?

[@ket0_t0ne39]

I USE a Disston D8 (pre 1928) 5.5 ppi Thumbhole 28" long rip saw....as I do quite a bit of resaw..

[@rollingstone3017]

Fun stuff....if not just a bit frenzied. Still, I love the content you put out. Just me, but I like to slow it down a bit. ;-)

[@pekkaoksala6480]

Very nice. Would You split the board with it? Like if You wanted some bookmatch boards?

[@noahfreeman8115]

You could, but with a saw that coarse you’d need a thick board. You definitely can with a Danish frame saw or a Roubo saw!

[@fantomcircuitoctopus]

I’ve done it with 12cm wide boards. It’s a lot of work and you want nice big teeth for the gullets to clear all the waste. You’d also need to account for more wastage when flattening the cut faces, since the grain can move the saw around in the middle of the cut. Definitely works though!

[@mortisetenonmagazine]

Yes, I also use this for resawing boards less than 10" wide.

[@coreygrua3271]

To the point. Rex is right.

[@18roselover]

For faster ripping I recommend a 5 pt 28 in european frame or bow saw

[@mortisetenonmagazine]

I'd love to get set up with a frame saw. That's a cool tradition!

[@jeffreydustin5303]

which is more efficient, ripsawing or cross cutting stop cuts and chisel splitting, then paring or planing to the line?

[@mortisetenonmagazine]

It depends how much wood you are removing, but generally ripsawing is fastest. Splitting after cross cutting sometimes behaves unpredictably.

[@someonespadre]

I have a rip saw just like that. It was my Dad’s and probably his Dad’s. I’ve never used it.

[@mortisetenonmagazine]

Today's the day!

[@dpmeyer4867]

Thanks

[@davidhaxton5050]

It would have been helpful to talk about the different tooth configuration between a rip and crosscut handsaw, really the same with table saw blades.

[@carlopieracci2828]

What about old timers sharpening?

[@timothymallon]

People complain about rip sawing...how about resawing for bookmatched grain? That's a feat!

[@rickreed123]

I'm curious why you rotate the wood half way through instead of flipping end to end?

[@rickreed123]

i guess because of the line.

[@mortisetenonmagazine]

@@rickreed123 Yep. Because of my gauge line.

[@ricos1497]

I have a 5tpi saw that I use for rip cuts. Is it worthwhile picking up a second hand 4tpi, or is the difference between those not worth it?

[@mortisetenonmagazine]

4 is better. 5 will do.

[@ricos1497]

@@mortisetenonmagazine I feel quite inadequate now....

[@MrSeminole77]

wait ...you need to blow the sawdust? what with that fever pitch sawing action going on???

[@enricociuppa7093]

great video as always. Is just missing a technique that involve putting the panel on the bench top and riping it with the saw in an upside position

[@mortisetenonmagazine]

I've never found that position comfortable or efficient. Others seem to like it, though.

[@MeLG72]

I have a 2tpi handsaw that I got from an old friend who inherited it from his builder father in law in the first half of the 20th Century. Those are BIG teeth. It's waiting for me to restore it. There is no brand evident.

[@mortisetenonmagazine]

2? 😳

[@ket0_t0ne39]

I was taught, IF I bought 28" of saw, I needed to use 28" of saw. You bought it, you USE it. Use as much of the saw blade as you can.

[@rickschuman2926]

Any saw works best when at least 2 teeth are engaged in the cut. A very low starting stroke (or starting nearly perpendicular to the work piece) will allow the saw to cut without catching, gradually bringing the blade to the running cut by the time the thickness of the stock is achieved A properly set and sharpened will leave a nice cut. Also, a rip saw stroke should be nearly vertical, perhaps as much as much as 10 degrees toward yourself. Think in terms of cutting a mortice with a chisel.

[@mortisetenonmagazine]

I find the angle of the saw depends on what you want to do in that moment. To focus on steering correction, I lower the angle. To power through, I steepen it.

[@philipripper1522]

sawing 8/4 ash is SO HARD

[@grampytinman3481]

So you are saying that you don't have to be ripped to rip?😉

[@airwolf61970]

Can a person buy a 4 TPI rip saw? I'm new to all this, so I don't know how to buy used or set a saw let alone, change anything on a saw.

[@ricos1497]

Just pick up a used one on eBay, it'll be much cheaper. I bought new, and you still need to learn to sharpen quite quickly after purchase, so the investment isn't really worth it on a new saw. Sharpening is very easy and there isn't much set on a rip saw.

[@jimcarter4929]

Sometimes it is also useful to have rip saw with more teeth also.

[@mortisetenonmagazine]

True. It never hurts to have another tool!

[@Ivalid321]

Very interesting, have to try that later with the thumb guiding!