Store Lee Valley Bad Axe Left-Hand No. 9 Precision Tenon Saw

Made by a small employee-owned firm in Wisconsin, Bad Axe saws are crafted from premium materials, with designs modelled after classic late-19th-century American saws. Though finely made, they are anything but delicate, with a heft that permits a powerful stroke.

Scaled for larger work, this saw has a hand-filed, hammer-set Swedish spring-steel blade and a quartersawn white oak handle secured with slotted nuts. The folded back is made of thick carbon steel for rigidity and added mass, finished with the same black-oxide treatment used in firearms to provide lasting protection against corrosion.

It has a 14″ long, 0.025″ thick blade that cuts a 0.032″ kerf with a cut depth of 3 5/8″. The 11 tpi hybrid tooth pattern has a rake of 4° and a fleam of 12.5°. It has an overall weight of 1.5 lb and a closed handle with an ergonomic left-hand thumb rest. The distinctive ogee-shaped toe enables deeper cuts in tight spaces that would be otherwise obstructed by the steel sawback. Remarkably versatile, this saw excels at a variety of joinery tasks, including dadoes and rabbets.

Impeccably finished, this is a well-made, superbly balanced tool.