Can you re-saw boards with a Japanese ryoba? Damn straight you can! The Gyokucho 616 Ryoba is a big Japanese saw suitable for large scale joinery, resawing and dimensioning boards. The 300mm long blade has aggressive tooth patterns on both edges - one for crosscutting, the other for ripping. In either direction it will happily whizz through 4" of beech with impunity.
When first starting out with a saw this big, it really pays to take your time and let the saw do the work. When resawing (cutting a thick board into two thinner ones) it's easier to stay on the line if you cut a little way from one side, then turn the board and cut a little way from the other. Keep turning the board and any imbalances in your stance etc will be equalled out over the length of the cut.
The blades of Gyokucho saws are treated using a process called electroless nickel plating, this has three functions. Firstly, it protects the blade against corrosion, secondly it provides a nice shiny mirror surface, and thirdly its low friction properties inhibit resins and sap from building up on the blade - anything that does manage to get stuck to them can easily be washed off with warm soapy water. The teeth are differentially impulse hardened, one by one, bringing the outer surfaces to RC68 or more whilst still leaving the 'root' of the tooth soft and therefore much less prone to fracture - not unlike tiny Japanese sword blades. They are equally happy working in softwoods or temperate hard woods.
- Blade length: 300mm
- Overall length: 700mmm
- Blade thickness: 0.7mm
- Blade depth: 95mm to 105mm
- Crosscut pitch: 3mm / 9tpi
- Progressive rip pitch: 3.5mm to 6mm/ 7 to 4.5tpi
- Set: 0.25mm per side
- Maximum depth of cut: unlimited
- Traditional rattan wrapped paulownia wood handle
- Replacement blade: Part No S616
The TPE handle version can be found here - Gyokucho 664 TPE Seiun Saku Ryoba 300mm
