- Slotted Back Saw Kits -


Blackburn Tools slotted saw kits Blackburn Tools slotted saw kits Blackburn Tools slotted saw kits


Whether you wish to quickly knock together a utilitarian shop saw or craft a masterpiece that future generations will fight over, these kits are a perfect starting point. Ranging from a small dovetail saw to a large tenon saw, each kit includes a slotted back, toothed blade (NOT sharpened), saw bolts and nuts, and an optional blank medallion. These parts are the same ones I use in all of my saws.


The slotted back: Available in brass only. The slots are accurately milled so that assembly requires a minimum of adjustment to end up with a true blade. The back is not chamfered, but can be shaped, sanded, and polished to your desired level of finish.

The blade is a slip fit in the slot, and needs to be secured mechanically (with rivets, screws, or friction from squeezing or hammering the slot closed) or with an adhesive (epoxy or LocTite 243).


The blade: All blades are made from 1095 spring steel, hardened and tempered to Rc 48-51. The teeth are punched, but not sharpened. Rip teeth are punched with approximately five degrees of rake, crosscut teeth with fifteen, and hybrid with ten. These angles are a good starting point, but can be easily adjusted when you sharpen it.

The back end of the blade will need to be clipped off at an angle to fit into the handle. An angle grinder, hacksaw, metal shears, aviation snips, belt sander, or even a file will work. The sheared edges will need some truing and smoothing, which is easy to do with any decent file.

Making the holes for the bolts can be the cause of much angst, but a solid carbide spade drill bit makes quick work of this task if you have access to a drill press.

Blades are deblued, but not sanded or polished. Expect minor scratches from material handling; wet/dry sandpaper can be used to remove these and take it to the level of finish you like.

Blades are leveled (flattened). While this process removes the majority of the distortion, expect to do some minor work to flatten it completely after assembly.


The saw bolts: Kits are available with your choice of traditional split nut or truncated cone saw bolts. Both styles are available in either brass or bronze.

When split nut bolts are ordered, one blank medallion bolt (available with a flush or sunken face) can be specified. The medallion bolts are 3/4" diameter, and can be hand graved or laser engraved for the final personal touch. Truncated cone bolt kits do NOT include a medallion, as they look better on their own.

All nuts, including the one for the medallion, match the size of the non-medallion bolt head(s).


Resources: Making your own saw, while a very rewarding project, can be daunting. While there is no substitute for actually making one, many of us are not inclined to jump right into things. These resources will help you get started on your saw.


Other saw parts: If you want to buy any of the saw parts separately, I sell split nut saw bolts, truncated cone saw bolts, toothed saw blades, and slotted saw backs on their own.


Made in the USA.


The tolerance for blade dimensions is +/- 1/8".

*The listed diameter is that of the plain saw bolt(s) and split nuts. The medallion bolt is 3/4" diameter for all saws. If you choose truncated cone bolts, the 7/16" bolt diameter corresponds to the small variant, and the 1/2" to the large.
Saw Kit Depth of Cut Back Size
(W x H x L)
No. of Bolts
(diameter*)
9" dovetail saw 1 5/16" at toe
1 1/2" at heel
3/16" x 5/8" x 9" 2
(7/16")
10" dovetail saw 2" 1/4" x 5/8" x 10" 2
(7/16")
12" Smith's Key
carcase saw
2 3/8" at toe
3" at heel
1/4" x 3/4" x 12" 2
(7/16")
12" carcase saw 3" 1/4" x 3/4" x 12" 3
(7/16")
14" sash saw 3 3/8" 1/4" x 3/4" x 14" 3
(7/16")
16" tenon saw 3 7/8" 1/4" x 3/4" x 16" 3
(1/2")
18" large tenon saw 4 3/8" 1/4" x 3/4" x 18" 3
(1/2")







Blackburn Tools slotted saw kits Blackburn Tools slotted saw kits Blackburn Tools slotted saw kits Blackburn Tools slotted saw kits Blackburn Tools slotted saw kits