- Quartersawn American Beech Saw Handle Blanks -
September 19, 2015: This round of blanks is now sold out. I am actively searching for a log to have sawn and dried, but can give no estimate of when that will be ready. If you are interested in future billets, please subscribe to my blog for emailed updates.
Quartersawn American beech (Fagus grandifolia) has a long and rich history as a saw handle wood. While apple largely supplanted it as the wood of choice in higher end saws, beech remained a popular choice throughout the golden era of sawmaking. Today, its use is somewhat limited by a lack of widespread availablity. Nonetheless, with its combination of high workability with hand tools and beautiful quartersawn figure, American beech is a wood that has few rivals as a handle wood.
This beech has been kiln dried to a moisture content of 10% - 15%. You would be well advised to let your blank(s) acclimate in your shop for a month or two until it reaches an equilibrium moisture content. If you do not have a moisture meter, use a scale to monitor the weight over time.
Billets are roughsawn, and will need to be planed and cut to their final thickness and shape. There may be some minor spalting and/or insect holes, but the wood is guaranteed to be structurally sound.
Each billet includes material for a wedge; the handled jack plane billet also comes with a blank for the handle. Dimensions for the billets, wedges, and handle are shown in the table below.
I have a limited supply of this beech on hand, but am working on developing it as a reliable source if demand warrants it. If you need a special size, please contact me with your request.
All blanks are guaranteed to be free of both visible and internal structural defects. Should you
find any defects as you work on your saw handle, contact me for a free replacement.
| Saw Handle Blank | Dimensions T x W x L |
|---|---|
| Backsaw | 1 3/16" x 6 1/2" x 7 3/4" |
| Handsaw | 1 3/16" x 6 1/2" x 9 3/4" |
Quartersawn American beech saw handle blanks
Shipping within the US and select other countries will be calculated during checkout. For shipping charges to other countries, please contact me before ordering.
International orders: All wood is kiln dried (but is NOT stamped) and free of bark. Please consult your local customs regulations for any possible wood quarantines or import restrictions.
Backsaw handle blank - $8.00
Handsaw handle blank - $10.00
Sawmaking resources:
- Handsaw handle scans: I have scanned and posted a few handsaw handles
here.
- Backsaw handle templates: I have posted scale drawings of several backsaw handles
here.
- Blackburn Tools saw build along series: This series of
blog posts
covers the construction of a backsaw from start to finish.
