Walnut Handle for a Fretsaw

A very long time ago, when I first started making musical instruments, I bought a Deer brand, made in Germany fretsaw from the now defunct Luthiers Mercantile Incorporated, to saw fret slots in the fret boards of the mountain dulcimers I was making at the time. The saw had a "gent's saw" handle on it and I didn't like the handle, it wasn't very ergonomic. Aldren Watson had a plan for an open handle in his book, Hand Tools, and I like the look of it. I took a piece of black walnut that a local sawyer gave me and I fitted a handle to that saw. The saw was easier to use with a new handle. I still own that saw.

I do own a very expensive, custom made fretsaw that works well, though I have to reset and sharpen it after cutting slots in just two ebony fretboards. The saw is a little too heavy for my taste and the handle is hung a little too low, when I deepen the 13th through 19th frets on a classical guitar, the lower part of the handle hits the side of the guitar. That is not a good thing. I have thought about re-handling that saw, but I won't because I know if I do re-handle it,  it will lose much of its resale value.

 

There is a luthier supply company that sells fretsaws that are made in Sheffield, England. 

The saws aren't sharp upon arrival and I have to give the teeth more set so they will cut proper sized kerf required for the fretwire I use. And the saw blade is backwards, the teeth cut on the pull stroke, but they are not filed and shaped like a Japanese saw. I was always told by old time carpenters that that fancy bit of folded brass on the saw's back is supposed to help keep the saw cutting straight, and they said there was no need for a Westerner to cut on the pull stroke.

I took one of the saws and dismantled it. After looking it over, for the price a person has to pay for these saws one would think the fit and finish would be better, and the blade be of better steel.

I downloaded a template from the Blackburn Tool website...

...and glued it to a piece of quarter sawn walnut and cut out the handle. I didn't take more photos of the carving/shaping process, I am in the middle of renovating an early 20th century adobe house, meaning that I am the carpenter that is doing all the work. I don't have much time for side work these days, I had to put guitar building on hold.

I shortened the brass back bar and trimmed the saw blade, which it hindsight I didn't have to do. Next time I do this I will leave the saw blade saw and then do some tricky ripsawing on the handle to make the blade fit. 

A Lie-Nielsen dovetail saw has the right set for the slot, the fretsaw blade fit perfectly.

The completed saw handle mounted on the saw with split nuts. Please note that the saw's teeth are properly oriented to cut on the push stroke. 

When I have time, I will buy a 16 tpi gent's saw from Tools For Woodworking, cut off the stiff back and handle and make a new handle useing the same saw handle template. I will also drill holes in the saw so I can use the same kind of depth stop that is on the original saw. If you are still reading this post, I may end up putting this saw on eBay, stay tuned for that annoucement!
 

If you have any question and you want an answer, please send it to me at highcountrylutherie@gmail.com

If you put the question in comments, I won't answer it. Thanks!