Dieter Schmid - Fine Tools
	Georg-Wilhelm-Str. 7 A - 10711 Berlin - Germany Tel ++49 (0)30 342 1757 - Fax ++49 (0)30 342 1764 Website: www.fine-tools.com

Dieter Schmid - Fine Tools Georg-Wilhelm-Str. 7 A - 10711 Berlin Tel ++49 30 342 1757 - Fax ++49 30 342 1764 Website: www.fine-tools.com

Overview Japanese Saws

Saws made by Master Daizo Mitsukawa

Daizo Mitsukawa was born in 1961 and lives and works in Miki City, Hyogo Province. He is one of the younger saw smiths in Japan, and has taken over his father's smithy to carry the tradition into a new generation. Alongside the saws he makes for everyday professional use in traditional crafts, he also makes a very high end line of saws that are almost completely forged by hand. These saws are used in the restoration of important and historic shrines and temples. Using a manufactured saw in this kind of work is seen as a mark of disrespect for the history and tradition of both the buildings and the master woodworkers who have worked on them through the centuries. So these fine saws contribute to and are themselves an important part of the cultural heritage of Japan. Mitsukawa saws should not be used by beginners!   Why?

Mitsukawa's traditional small saws - Craftsman Series This line of traditionally made and relatively small saws is designed for those working in very fine and small-scale woodcrafts. The saw blades are completely hardened and permit a very clean cut in many different applications on smaller projects. In order to more easily differentiate the saws designed to make various kinds of cuts, the handles are marked with symbols indicating their intended use. These saws are light as a feather, and aside from their high utility, are also a pleasure for both the eye and the hand.

Craftsman Kataba Crosscut Blade length: 170 mm Blade thickness: 0.35 mm Tang thickness: bis 0.75 mm Kerf: 0.45 mm Pitch: 0.9 mm (28 TPI) Order nr. 313531 Price € 42.50

Craftsman Kataba Ripcut Blade length: 170 mm Blade thickness: 0.35 mm Tang thickness: bis 0.75 mm Kerf: 0.45 mm Pitch: 2 mm (13 TPI) Order nr. 313532 Price € 42.50

Craftsman Kataba Diagonalcut Blade length: 170 mm Blade thickness: 0.35 mm Tang thickness: bis 0.75 mm Kerf: 0.5 mm Pitch: 1.2 mm (21 TPI) Order nr. 313533 Price € 42.50

Craftsman Kugihiki (Dübelsäge) Blade length: 162 mm Zahnreihenlänge 135 mm Blade thickness: 0.35 mm Tang thickness: bis 0.75 mm Kerf: keine Pitch: 0.8 mm (32 TPI) Order nr. 313534 Price € 39.90

Craftsman Mawashibiki (Keyhole Saw) Blade length: 130 mm Zahnreihenlänge 75 mm Blade thickness: 0.5 mm Tang thickness: bis 0.9 mm Kerf: no teeth setting Pitch: 1.1 mm (23 TPI) Order nr. 313535 Price € 24.90

Craftsman 5-Piece Saw Set consisting of: Kataba crosscut nr. 313531 Kataba ripcut nr. 313532 Kataba diagonalcut nr. 313533 Kugihiki nr. 313534 Mawashibiki nr. 313535 Canvas saw holder blue Paper gift box Order nr. 313538 Price € 169.00 You save Euro 25.30 and the saw holder is a gift.

Mitsukawa's hand-forged high-end saws These saw blades were forged by hand. The steel stock is more than 2 mm thick (when finished the blades will be at most 0.5 mm thick), and the only resemblance to the finished product is the pre-cut shank. After forging, oil hardening, and tempering, the blades are formed to their final thickness with a metal scraper, a kind of drawknife for metal, to their final size. In the Ryoba saws, more material from the middle of the blade is taken off, in the Dozukis material is taken from the back of the blade, so that the thickness of the blade diminishes away from the teeth. This permits an easier run of the blade in the kerf. The teeth are rough ground with a special machine, and then they are filed to their final shape and size by hand. Every blade is then inspected by Mitsukawa for shape and quality, and perhaps given a few extra touches with the hammer on the anvil. Only then is the blade packaged and sent off to be sold.

Handmade Dozuki Blade length: 240 mm Blade thickness at the back: 0.25mm Blade thickness near the teeth: 0.3 mm Tang thickness: 0.8 mm Kerf: 0.4 mm Pitch: 1 mm (25 TPI) Order nr. 312050 Price € 319.00

Handmade Ryoba Blade length: 240 mm Blade thickness near the teeth: 0.5 mm Blade thickness center of blade: 0.4 mm Tang thickness: bis 2 mm Kerf: 0.7 mm Pitch: 1.4 mm / 3.8 mm (18 TPI / 7 TPI) Order nr. 312051 Price € 319.00