Found A Great Tool To Clean Fret Slots

[bluesy]

I was at a hobby store, the sort that sells high end model planes and cars and stuff, and the bits to make them, buying some brass strips to make pick guard brackets from. I noticed a small tool that they call a razor saw. Basically a handle with interchangeable 5" blades. The blades are thin with a metal backing, and they cut on the pull stroke. They had 3 sizes of blades and they were only $7.50 for a replacement blade.

So, I bought a blade just to try it, and when I measured it, it cuts a 0.02" slot approx. Perfect for cleaning out existing slots. I think the 2 sizes were one bigger, and one smaller than the one I bought. Maybe you could even cut new fret slots with the bigger one. The handle with 2 blades costs only $21, so I think I'll go and buy the whole setup. A handy tool for other things besides frets too.

[Acousticraft]

Cool a good find. Do a test cut in some scrap and see how the fret wire fits.

I modified a tenon saw years ago to cut frets by narrowing the set of the saw with an oil stone down to the correct size. The beauty is you cant cut a slot too deep as it jams at about the perfect depth of cut. I use this with my home made mitre box which I set up to suit the blade width so it very snug and keeps the saw square in both planes.

I was buying preslotted radiused fret boards until recently when I thought I would cut costs and make my own especially when I have several fingerboard blanks of Purpleheart I have machined up that cost me nothing.

I also turned up a fretboard radius tool on a lathe at the school I work at, to which I glue sandpaper to. I put it on slow in a drill press and set up a 90 degree guide and feed the finger board thru and it sands a radius on after several passes. Works great.

[jaycee]

Sounds as if you have bought what used to be known as a Japanese pull saw. The Japanese ones were very high quality, extremley sharp, I used to have a catalogue on Jap tools and they were bespoke items.

Mine lasted ages, it was so easy to use and the end grain was left as if it had been planed.

[bluesy]

Sounds as if you have bought what used to be known as a Japanese pull saw. The Japanese ones were very high quality, extremley sharp, I used to have a catalogue on Jap tools and they were bespoke items.

Mine lasted ages, it was so easy to use and the end grain was left as if it had been planed.

I have a Japanese pull saw also, but this is much smaller. Same idea though, just built to cater to the scale model hobbyist market. The finest blade is something like 54 teeth per inch IIRC. Perfect for extremely fine work.

[joshvegas]

Sounds as if you have bought what used to be known as a Japanese pull saw. The Japanese ones were very high quality, extremley sharp, I used to have a catalogue on Jap tools and they were bespoke items.

Mine lasted ages, it was so easy to use and the end grain was left as if it had been planed.

I have a Japanese pull saw also, but this is much smaller. Same idea though, just built to cater to the scale model hobbyist market. The finest blade is something like 54 teeth per inch IIRC. Perfect for extremely fine work.

yeah a raser saw is like a very small gents saw I have one its very useful for lots of things. I don't think its really a hobbyiest item just a saw for very small work!

I'd guess its called a rasor saw because they slide into like old disposable rasor blades

Edited September 9, 2008 by joshvegas

[soapbarstrat]

I guess in a perfect world, the company that made the saws would have a name, and maybe come in a package with a part # or something

I think maybe Zona is the maker of the StewMac "gauged" saws. Of course they have the handles painted red. You know how StewMac is with trying to make ever damn thing red. I find 'fire engine red' to be a distracting color when I'm working on something. Give me gray or black for a tool handle so it's not the center of attention.

[westhemann]

my fret slot cleaning tool from stew mac has a black handle...it is the only one though...everything else is red I think..

[Daniel Sorbera]

I guess in a perfect world, the company that made the saws would have a name, and maybe come in a package with a part # or something

I think maybe Zona is the maker of the StewMac "gauged" saws. Of course they have the handles painted red. You know how StewMac is with trying to make ever damn thing red. I find 'fire engine red' to be a distracting color when I'm working on something. Give me gray or black for a tool handle so it's not the center of attention.

I don't mind the red handles at all. It's easy to pick out sitting next to the other 10 tools on the workbench if you know what I mean.