Official Luthiers Forum!

I can't believe this! I was searching high and low for a coping saw with a 6" throat and wooden handle. Well, I found one, a Stanley on the "Absolute Home" website. I was happy. It was quite cheap, came with 3 different blades, had the wooden handle, yada yada.

So! I received the package recently and I was shocked and disappointed with what I saw.... A nasty, rubbery looking coping saw. By rubbery I mean that the handle is made out of some kind of synthetic, and it has at least 2 different bright colors on it! Sorry, but I care about tool aesthetics almost as much as I do about function. The retailer is advertising something they're not selling! When this happened I had a lot of more important things going on so I just ate it. It was like $6 anyway.

So now I gotta know..... Does anyone make a coping saw with a 6"(or larger) throat which has a wooden handle? These tools are starting to look more like stereos. I don't get it.

Find one on ebay for about the same price. Look for a Miller Falls. I like them alot. The biggest thing to look for is the size of the screw into the handle. 1/4"-20 thread is ok, but if you can get a 5/16" your that much better off. It just holds the whole saw together better.

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Joe

try a different place?

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"Anything that happens, happens. Anything that in happening causes something else to happen, causes something else to happen. Anything that in happening happens again, happens again. Though not necessarily in that order." Douglas Adams

Not trying to be onery, but what do you need a coping saw for? I have several and don't find much use for them in guitar making. Now fretsaws, including my deep throated fret saw, are a different story.

I use mine for cutting out sound holes in archtops.

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- Louis Freilicher

Oh No! Not another learning experience!

+1 and seeing that the original posters user name is "Archtop" I will assume that his what he is going to use it for too!

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Joe

Have you tryed jewelry making suppliers like rio Grande. Alot of the jewelry makers use deep throated saws. They might be the clamp style to use with the blades with no nibs.

Thanks guys. And yes, the coping saw will primarily be used for cutting out any sound holes/f-holes. Todd, the one at Tools for Working Wood looks nice. But for the life of me I could not find any info regarding the size of the throat. I'm not too far from their shop but I'm not very keen on going. About a week ago I called them with questions about their Beading Saws, which I've heard such wonderful things about. I called several times during working hours but no answer! I finally got through, and to my surprise the guy on the other end of the phone acted like he barely knew what a beading saw was. He then told me to "hang on" for someone who knows more. After "hanging" for nearly 10 minutes I hung up. I was severely disappointed. I was under the impression they were a class act. Sorry for going off on a tangent. I just pictured how it would be to have to call them again and ask them about their coping saw. I think I'll search elsewhere. Thanks guys.
-John

I used to use a coping saw for F holes on archtops, but like Barry, find the deep throated fret saw much easier to use. You don't have to turn the blade near as often.