This is one of my latest saws, a ten inch dovetail saw. I made it for myself, so it is a left-handed model (bolt heads and stamp on what is usually considered the back side of the saw).
The handle is made of yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea), a tree native to the southeastern United States. I came across it at a local sawmill, and couldn’t resist its distinctive (and downright unusual, if not jarring) color and attractive grain. Pennsylvania is a bit outside of its normal range, but I am happy to have found it. The color is not for everyone, but its oddity appeals to me. I am told the wood is colorfast, so time will tell if I tire of it.
The wood is fairly dense, but worked well with hand tools and took a great finish (there are several coats of Tru-Oil on this handle). From a materials property standpoint, it is a wonderful wood for a handle. The color? I leave the passing of judgment on that matter to you.
The sapwood is a little jarring, in a banana-pudding sort of way (sorry, my son was asking for that this morning, so I guess I have it on the mind).
But I like the overall colour.
Then again, my favourite saw is an old Tyzack dovetail saw with a QS English Beech tote and it is very light and yellow-ish in appearance. The saw I made in the Matt Cianci class I took also had a QS English Beech tote (wood courtesy of Phil Edwards), so… I have two saws with yellow totes I see every time I’m in the shop. Maybe that’s why it doesn’t seem unusual.
Well, of all the yellow things I associate with kids, banana pudding is about the nicest.
Tyzack made some wonderful saws. I haven’t run across many English saws, but I’m a little surprised to hear that the wood isn’t dark. Did you clean it some, or did it come that way?
I think it looks stunning! Really beautiful!
Thanks, Nikolaus. I’m never sure how a new wood will turn out, but I am very seldom disappointed with one. Each one seems to have something that can be appreciated.
I like it and it is nice to see a left-handed saw for a change. Thanks for sharing it.
I thought it would be nice to make one that way for myself. Most of my other saws are “seconds” that I kept for myself, so they are all right-handed. I knew I was keeping this one when I started it, so I made it the way I would order it.