Craftsmanship in Wood

I agree with Paul in that there are a few Japanese saws which do not have a good western equivalent to my knowledge.

Curious about the "long and thin" ripsaw with the straight handle and how it compares to the thicker "whale" ripsaw with the dropped handle. The long and thin saw is pictured re-sawing a narrow plank - is this similar to using a thin bandsaw blade to make very thin veneers? Are the thicker ones used on thicker boards? I've only seen the really huge ones used on whole logs (and horizontally, at that).

Sorry if these questions are too basic. I see these kinds of saws on ebay and often wonder about their practical application.

I don't see myself using one of those large saws. When I resaw, I turn the board around all the time in order to stay on line. On large trees/planks this would not be convenient and the immense height of the traditional big saws keep it in line (I have never done that kind of sawing). Here are my two ripsaws.

What makes you choose one over the other?

I actually like the straight handle, I bought the other saw to try the pistol type grip. Each do their job well. I want to like the saw with the vertical simply because I see them in old pictures of Japanese sawyers who did it for living.

I do the same as Paul, turn the piece around, so I'm doing all my ripping with a 245 or 270mm

The large saws stay in the wall. I hope I use them next year.

My wife would freak if I hung some saws on the wall near the kitchen!

Ha! I also don't think my wife would like saws as decoration! Although she does like the tools hanging in my shop so . . .

On a side note what is your bike in the background (I also have too many bikes)?

I guess I'm lucky. Julia is extremely tolerant with the saws, the shavings and the tool buying compulsion. However, next time I cut a finger and we need to go to emergency, she leaves me. I guess she somehow likes it since she grew up in a violin making shop, I'm even allowed to put japanese planes on the living room. The shavings in the flat, that's another story.

The bike is a Junior, an Austrian brand from the 40's I guess. It was completely made here, hubs and tires "made in Austria". The old good times. We bought it from a blond chick for peanuts, cleaned it and found the treasure. We just have 3 bikes, but one is a fixed year without breaks and it's illegal in Austria. Anyway, it was better suited for the lowlands of Holland. And you cannot have too many bikes, they are all different!

I like a fine bicycle myself, but have managed to keep the compulsion to just one bike. Now, handplanes are a different story. You can't have too many - they're all different!