5 inch Mk.IV Heavy Duty Fret Saw

Sure, it's pricey, but I didn't realize how much this would make a difference over a traditional coping saw. The thinness of the blade, pitch of the teeth, rigidity of the frame and cut angle control, all come together into a truly functional tool. After seeing this used and recommended by various woodworking channels on YouTube, I got on the bandwagon, and glad I did. For the main purposes of improving my hand cut dovetail results, this saw makes the process much more efficient and enjoyable. After using the dovetail saw to make the cuts for the tails and pins, this tool makes it much easier to clear out the bulk of the waste material, allowing me to get extremely close to my marking lines, and minimizing the amount of clean up chiseling that needs to be done. The thinness of the blade along with the control of the blade angle allowed me to easily get into the dovetail cut and tightly turn to cut out the waste between tails and pins. The frame and blade clamping/tightening technology hold the blade firmly in place and allow it to remain rigid throughout the process. Results were satisfying after just getting the saw in my hands. I may even use this someday as an actual fret saw for some guitar building...

Fantastic saw. Holds blade steady and is so very easy to use.

Unlike other reviewers I feel that the price is reasonable. It is a great tool, and great tools cost more than the others -- that's how this works. Having tested it out for a few cuts, it works as advertised. It is amazing to me how tight corners can be cut with it compared to a standard coping saw. Easy to use. Fairly light-weight, even though it looks heavier than it is. Well-balanced. Also, while I have read/watched several other reviews of this saw mention that the handle is sub-standard for their tastes, this handle seems perfectly fine for me, but I don't have large paws. The tensioning and angling mechanisms were intuitive for me. I have no complaints, and cannot think of anything I would change about the design yet. I bought this with my own money and no one pressured me to say such nice things about it.

This saw is my first venture into using fret size blades and cutting procedures. I've been woodworking as a hobby for over 50 years and I have never been as frustrated using a tool as I was n using this tool. The saw itself is of great quality, fit and finish. But it was for me,at least, extremely difficult to get both ends of the blade connected while holding the saw and passing the blade through a drill hole in a wide or thick board. I lke the versatility of this saw conceptally. I didn' realize that it was primarily to be used for light duty jobs like cutting dove tails, etc. It is not a coping saw and does not replace a scroll saw as I had hoped it would. Used as it was designed to be used I found it to be excellent.

Update 7/15/21 - Not sure what fixed it but this saw now works exceptionally well. I think it just needed to be broken in. The blade stays seated and the saw cuts quickly and responsively. It is now a joy to use - sorry for the bad review. This saw is a ridiculous waste of money. Although it cuts very clean when it cuts, it's hard to get more than three or four strokes before the blade pops out. The blade chucks are worthless and the blade pulls out under the lightest tension or load. I'm really disappointed that it's unusable (partly because it was so expensive) I have more success with my $16 Lowes coping saw.

Solid saw, very accurate. I went with the 5" over the smaller version for dovetails as it offered more versatility and I'm glad I did. The extra space has already come in handy. And if you do your research you will see the man himself (maker of of the tool) suggest going with the 5" for that exact reason if you can only have one. This thing can cut puzzle pieces. I really like it. Plus it's made in the USA, Santa Cruz CA. 30 mins from my house. I have snapped a couple blades but that is on me being overly aggressive and not letting the saw do the work. The only other saw in it's league is the blue spruce saw at 3x the price. That thing is a work of art, but just not practical as this is already pushing the limit. But this is worth it.

What I found is all the hype in the performance of this item is deserved. This is by far the best fret saw available. The tension is easy and repeatable, the ability to angle the blade to your cut is ingenious and the cuts because of the setup make it a pleasure to use. In this instance you get what you pay for even if it is a little pricey. Considering how long you will have this item if you take care of it, it is worth the cost.

Okay, it said for headline put what's most important to me. I've has it a couple of days, made a few test cuts, and so far, well it sure is pretty. It's strong, too, and holds the blade really taut. Those are what sold me on it, but so far I can't honestly say it cuts a lot better than a decent $20 coping saw. I think I'll need to practice a bit, and I am considering turning the blade to cut on the push. Maybe. Anyway, it's a nicely made tool and I do think it will be worth the price in the long run. Oh, and while I was looking around another website, I found a company that makes replacement hardwood handles for $85-or-90. They're REALLY pretty...

Great bit gear. Highly recommend

Easy to use and feels good in your hands