Bad Axe Tool Works X-Large Tenon Saw
— aka 'The Roubo Beastmaster'

Here's a saw that just might be the cure for baldness—the Roubo Beastmaster. With a full five inches below the back, I've designed this 18" saw for those who want to build a Roubo workbench in its classic design with the double sliding dovetail tenon joint piercing through a massive 5" thick benchtop. So—if you prefer driving a Dodge Ram dually pickup, shooting a .44 magnum handgun, and wear a Rolex Submariner on your wrist, don't let the opportunity to wield this bad boy in your woodshop pass you by.

Why do I want this saw? Because you're bald (like me, dammit). But there are other, equally compelling reasons: This is a rugged timber-framer's saw designed for demanding requirements. It has a .0315-thick sawplate filed 9 ppi rip—a coarse filing intended to hog out a deep cut without sacrificing the kind of precision you'll want when crafting a mortise & tenon joint. Though predominantly intended for making deep cuts in Southern Yellow Pine, Doug Fir, and other species prevalent in timber framing, it will also cut well in hardwoods, depending on pitch selection and the degree of set—that's where you'll need to tell me about the kind of projects you intend for this saw, so I can tune it according to your specific needs, given my saw filing techniques. You'll also find that though this is a dedicated ripping saw, the five degrees of fleam I add to the teeth goe a long way in enabling you to make the occasional crosscut for tenon shoulders with no problem. So—at the end of the day, here's the saw you'll want whether crafting a Roubo workbench or timber-framing your house.

Sizing Handles that Fit Your Hand

Here's my hand: it measures about 3 3/4" across. That's what I'm calling regular, and it will work with a range from 3 5/8" and start getting tight at 3 7/8." Bigger hands just under 4" up to 4 1/8" spans will require the size Large handle. Going the opposite direction, if the span of your hand measures in the 3 ¼ up to 3 1/2" range, then we're looking at a size small handle.

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Like Brass on your saws? Then you're really going to like our Titanium Nitride-plated sawbacks.

The furniture-maker's perfect brace of saws: a Bad Axe Stiletto DT Saw and Bayonet Precision Carcase Saw

Have you purchased enough brass-backed saws already to know that they just don't age that well? It's a great look, but it doesn't take long for tarnish to set in, and over time a brass-backed saw deforms with hard use, wreaking havoc on your toothline. But it's traditional, right? And conveys a traditional, warm look we all like to see.

But form only goes so far before substance sets in. You very seldom see brass-backed saws longer than 12" or 14", because brass just isn't a strong enough an alloy for larger saws. Steel on the other hand presents superior strength and durability. So—we at Bad Axe made the hard choice a couple of years ago to phase brass out of our product line, since it's difficult to work with (it has a 'springy' quality to it), doesn't form well, tarnishes, and at the end of the day, just doesn't measure up to carbon steel, which can take a variety of platings for aethetic purposes.

Enter Titanium Nitride (TiN). Long a favored finish for high-end firearms, titanium nitride presents stellar corrosion and wear-resistance, Titanium-Nitride hits the sweet spot when it comes to form following function. The tone falls between the look you get between brass and bronze, so it certainly scratches that aethetic itch you get when wishing you had a little more brass love in the Bad Axe world. And the really cool thing about it? We can apply Titanium Nitride on our largest sawbacks, where the strength and durability of a steel-backed saw is paramount.

So what are you getting for the $75 upcharge? It's obviously not cheap—because it's not a cheap plating process for us to apply. But what you get is corrosion and wear resistance, along with that deep, brass/bronze look that retains its golden lustre over time. Give it a shot—this is a drop-dead gorgeous plating that will retain its deep, rich look for the generations to come.