A decade ago, bringing out a
Japanese handsaw on site always
drew looks from other subs and
crew members. But nowadays these
tools are a bit more common. A
number of importers are distributing
Japanese handsaws
through local tool stores and
homecenters, so you don't have to
buy them exclusively from highend
woodworking supply catalogs.
And a few of these saws, such as
those sold by RMI Designs and
Takagi Tools, have plastic "pistol"
grips or folding handles in place of
the traditional wooden "sword"
handles, so at least you won't have
to suffer the Ninja jokes any
longer. But the saw blades are
essentially the same as those that
have been made for Japanese carpenters
for centuries.
For those who haven't