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I still cut my fret slots by hand - (process is getting a bit boring - but I hate table saws, so I think I'll keep it up for awhile).

The process I use is workable, but very hard work - cutting these slots in an ebony board requires a LOT of elbow grease. Am I doing this right? Is the saw sharp enough?

I've got a StewMac .023 fretsaw that I've used to cut about 10 fretboards. It's starting to dull a bit, and I may need to have it sharpened in the not too distant future. The process I've been using is to rub a bit of bees wax on the blade to smooth the stroke, which works, until the beeswax is all off the blade (10 strokes?) - then repeat. Does anyone use a similar approach?

Thanks.

Hi,
There are some fret saws where you can replace just the blade. I don't think StewMac sells a replacement blade. In any case there are some special files for the resharpening Japanese saws.

Corky: When I first started I cut fret slots by hand but gave that up after a half dozen guitars or so. Did not want to get jigged up to do it on the table saw so i just bought pre slotted boards and have not changed. You can sharpen fretting saws,but it takes a bit of a touch which has to be developed by doing a lot of saw sharpening. And you are left with getting the set just right to fit your frets. Think your best bet is a new saw, jig up for table saw, or go to pre slotted boards.Just my take on this,someone may know where you can get your saws sharpened,but the economics may be the deciding factor.
Tom

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You guys have a lot more fortitude than I... I gave up on hand sawing fret slots after ONE!
The price of fret saws isn't reflected in the quality (in my opinion) & I found the constant binding & inconsistent results too frustrating.
I have a fret saw, but only use it for cleaning up the slots.
But... I love my tablesaw.

After using 7 pre-slotted LMI FBs, I bought and used their manual slotting jig for my #8. I can't complain of any serious binding and it only took me a few minutes. The result is really just as good and sharp as the "factory" ones, and although it will take a long while to get value from the investment, i think the kit is nice and fun, and it allows me to use non-standard woods too.

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I have only hand cut 2 fb's, the first with a Japanese pull saw with a .021 kerf, which was fine and easy, but I was concerned that I would have relief problems for the second so I bought the stew mac saw, it took forever to cut the slots, so after a few slots, I cut with the pull saw and then cleaned out with the .023 stew mac saw. In retrospect I should have saved the money on the stew mac fret saw and purchased their pull saw.
Rob

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The Stewmac Japanese fret saw is a huge improvement on their previous model.
With a nice tight fitting mitre box I can cut an ebony board in 15 minutes or less.

I have only slotted 2 FB's so far, but I don't find it to be a chore. I have the stew mac saw and I just use a block of wood that I know is square (stick some sandpaper on the bottom to keep it from sliding around) and hold it with my left hand as a guide. I have never had a problem with the saw binding but I apply past wax to to my saw after every cut. It is kind of messy but it makes cutting very smooth. I really don't use much more pressure than the weight of the saw either. I have also heard of people running their saw through a candle before every cut, probably works just as well.

as far as sharping the saw..I am with the others. It will probably cost you as much to sharpen it than it would be to just buy another saw.

-Eric

I would not want any remnants of wax in my fretboard slots.

I think the main problem with some of the saws sold as fretting saws is the actual gauge of the steel used ie. they are a little on the thick side which leaves little 'room' for the set. I was given a rather cheap backsaw that happened to have a thinner (than usual) steel blade. I had it professionally sharpened and set to match the fretwire that I use and it cuts fast without any hint of binding. Cutting very shallow slots in Ebony really should not be such a chore.

Any reason why? Do you glue your frets in?

I use a little titebond in the slots when I press the frets in. Besides any gluing action, it lubricates them as they go in and the moisure swells the wood around the tangs slightly for a good fit.

You could contact Mark Grable, who mainly sharpens Japanese saws-
just do a search for metate-ya. Mark does exceptional work.

Can't comment on sharpening, but I found the SM handle awkward to use, and fitted an "extra" handle to the original (cutting off part of the original), so the grip was more conventional, like a tenon/dovetail saw rather than staight out.
I find it much easier to use like this.

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those SM saws are junk. My Veritas dovetail saw has a .023 kerf and makes cutting fret slots a breeze. And I cut my dovetails with it too. I've been using it for a couple of years and it's still sharp, but I don't think it will be a problem to sharpen when the time comes.
Walter

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Walter, the LV text has "set is 0.003 per side" which seems to mean the the total kerf is rather 0.026? Did you stone it?

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The LV is given as 0.7mm Kerf (0.028) - in reality it may be a little less. Dependent on the fretwire and type of wood it may need stoning. The actual blade thickness is 0.5mm, a little thinner than the usual dovetail saw.
The SM. saw blade (probably a Pax) is thicker at 0.6mm - which is why I think it less than ideal. They also have it cutting on the pull stroke but with a western tooth configuration, again less than ideal IMO. I doubt that there is anything intrinsically wrong with the SM. as a saw, they should just switch to a push stroke and use a thinner blade with a little set. Interestingly, Pax do a dovetail saw with a blade thickness at the thinner 0.5 mm. I know because I own one.

The LMI saw blade is 0.5mm.

After getting used to the tight fit between FW74 and the table cut LMI FBs, I bought the manual system and I felt the frets get in too easily. I stoned the saw, tried it, felt it is still too wide, stoned again, now too tight I ended up using sandpaper to enlarge the slots a bit, and I still needed a good deal of pounding when fretting. There was no backbow, just an extra tight fit, so tight i couldn't even wick in much CA

Wondering if is all overkill and should just buy a new saw and hammer those wretched guitars less.

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so which saw do ye guys think is perfect for frets then ?
i think a poll for the best fret saw is in order ..

i agree with the pole. but all im seeing here is complaints on the SM. which i am a +1. its worked fine for two rosewood fingerboards no binding up in the slot. then i do one ebony board and after a couple swipes the kerf is stuffed up with ebony dust that i have to remove, line up with slot and give it another go. turns a 10 minute job into a 30 minute job.

Not so sure that a Poll will tell you much - unless each person responding have used a whole host of different saws for fretting. Some Japanese saws will fit the bill perfectly but you have to offset that with the difficulty in having them resharpened or you just accept that they are throwaway. The LV Veritas has received nothing but high praise from the woodworking community but it is comparatively expensive and it may have to be stoned to get the correct kerf. The blade at 0.5mm is thin. a big advantage IMO. The other alternative is to find an old Dovetail or Backsaw (that has a thin blade) and send it to someone who can both sharpen it and set it for the correct kerf. I once sent a saw to Pax (here in the UK) and stipulated a kerf of 0.8mm (not for fretting). It came back very sharp and cut a kerf of 0.8mm. I guess Pax know how to sharpen and set a saw. A little costly because of the postage both ways.
Personally I wouldn't buy the SM or the LMI again - they maybe the same saw. Mine is actually the LMI. Strange that mine is 0.6mm gauge and Alex is 0.5mm. Perhaps they changed the gauge of steel. If it is at 0.5mm I see no reason why the saw shouldn't work well.

The Hishiki fret saw sold by easttoolwest.com is a good one.

Alexandru- did you consider narrowing the barbs on your
fretwire? Velazquez apparently uses wire with no barb at all.
Also, getting OT, how did you get that intense green shown in
your 'green rosette'? Beautiful!

There is not one but two SM fret saws

The traditional style
The Japanese style

The latter is great the first did not last long before becoming blunt

Carey,
Thanks. The green is just regular green sycamore veneer from LMI. At first I was not very happy with it as it is definitely darker than the light green or turquoise seen in those old guitars. I was also using it in a combination with bloodwood resulting in a very dark scheme. But now, flanked with white, it lightens up nicely indeed. I'm curious to see it under FP, should happen in the next couple of weeks.

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My understanding from talking to Richard Brune and others is that those greens
fade pretty quickly and deeply. I was guessing you'd used some 'secret recipe'..
anyway, compared to the greens I got from Constantine's awhile back, yours
look beautifully saturated.