8 Best Dovetail Saws for Beginners (Most Popular in 2024)

Published on: February 12, 2022
Written by David Rowan / Fact-checked by Eric Devin

Dovetail making is the trickiest part of any woodworking, so as to find a good dovetail saw. As a beginner with budget constraints, getting a good quality, dovetail saw becomes a struggle.

The saw sold at a cheap price in the local stores often makes the cuts inaccurate and ruins the total workpiece. On the other hand, the expensive dovetail saw seems untouchable for an excessive price.

So, we tried to make the struggle easier for beginners. We listed some awesome dovetail saws that are spectacular in cutting fine and precise another hand, budget-friendly as well. If you need the best dovetail saw with the best quality the SUIZAN Dozuki is on your side. Because it comes with the best quality from one of the best brands. 

Some are rather expensive, and these are for those who don’t hesitate to spend on their tools. Besides, it also helps to get the idea of a professional dovetail saw that you could use later. 

What Are the Benefits of the Perfect Dovetail Saw?

The Name of the Facility	Benefits of Dovetail Saw
Gives a perfect completion	This saw allows you to finish carpenter projects with a unique degree of precision. Contingent upon the size of the saw, you can handle little corners and even woodcutting ventures.
Slight and accurate cutting ability	This is great for making small cuts that would exaggerate a big saw. Accuracy Highlights help with accuracy, a significant feature of furniture making and carpentry decoration.
Dovetail helps you create joints	These joints require the proper attack of two pieces of wood. In fact, a little too much wood in the association can make you think twice about the whole form. This saw will not forcefully cut wood, it is a decent decision to follow.
Simple to keep up with	Generally speaking, these saws are made from high-grade steel. Not inclined to rust or erosion, it’s not difficult to hone the edge of the dovetail saw and keep it working for quite a while.
Solid and dependable tools	Like most famous saws, you can hone the edges and save the saw from being used for quite a while. Particularly assuming you keep the handle in great shape, dovetail saws are dependable.

Why Dovetail Saw is Required

To make furniture, cabinets, and any other carpentry, where wood pieces need to be joined together, a dovetail saw is a compulsory tool. Any wooden furniture may fail if the joint is not done properly. Cutting a dovetail is tricky; one has to cut the piece crosscut and rip cut manners. In fact, some pieces need to be cut diagonally. So a general-purpose saw will not make the same fine and seamless finish as a dovetail saw. 

The dovetail saw always cuts fine and smooth no matter in which pattern it is cutting. On the other hand, a universal or all-purpose saw works best on either ripping or crosscutting. Do you want to make flawless joints? Get a dovetail saw today if you want to value the time and effort you spend on woodworking. 

How to Select a Dovetail Saw

Just like creating dovetail joinery, choosing a saw is equally hectic. There are a few things about dovetail saws that affect the performance. Those things are elaborated on here so that you can keep these in mind before purchasing your saw.

Blade Design

A dovetail saw has a higher TPI count. If you use hardwood, then the higher the tooth count, the finer the cut will be. Along with the tooth setting, the material of the blade is also important. A hardened blade keeps the tooth sharper for longer and can cut rip, crosscut, or diagonal on any wooden material.

Read more: Finding the Best Crosscut Saws for Your Project!

Pull/Push Stroke

Japanese saws are best for dovetailing, but these are pull-stroke designs. If you are not comfortable with it, you can consider a push-stroke dovetail saw with a similar blade design.

Size 

The size of the blade determines the cutting depth. So. use the right size that can serve your purpose. I don’t recommend getting an over large saw because, on tiny workpieces, these will create trouble. 

Sharpness

While using, check for the sharpness of the blade. A saw, which is used for fine detailing or joinery, must have to be razor-sharp. Take a saw that retains its sharpness for a long time and can be resharpened or replaced because a saw with a blunt and permanent blade is useless.

Dovetail Saw Vs Tenon Saw

Let’s know some differences between the dovetail saw and the tenon saw. It will help you choose the best one according to your work. 

Dovetail Saw	Tenon Saw
The dovetail saw is specially made and designed for the cutting dovetail joint.	The tenon saw is designed and made for cutting the cheeks and shoulders of a tenon joint.
This saw has a short and thinner blade with a higher TPI count.	Tenon saw has a lower TPI count thick and wide blade
For cutting dovetail joints this saw comes with ‘rip’ teeth.	This saw has ‘crosscut’ teeth so that it can able to cut the tenon joints.
It’s a lightweight and small to medium size saw.	It’s light to heavyweight Medium to large size.

Quick Solutions

What Makes a Decent Dovetail Saw?

Blade Thickness for your Dovetail Saw.

You want a saw with a pleasant thin plate (which all good saws will have). A thin blade makes for an awfully, precise-feeling saw. Do avoid going for the ‘super-thin kerf,’ though.

Do I Want a Dovetail Saw?

So you would like a dovetail saw. A well-sharpened well-set dovetail saw is employed the maximum amount for other cutting alongside its larger cousin. The tenon saw, which is also not a fanatical use saw either. Most tenon saws are sharpened for aggressive rip cut, which is strictly what you would like for cutting the cheeks of tenons.

See Our Selected Top Dovetail Saws for You!

1. SUIZAN Dozuki Dovetail Pull Saw

• 6 Inch pull saw;
• Replaceable blade.

Ultrafine teeth- Dozuki saws are the most preferred as a dovetail saw because of their ultra-fine tooth setting. 

Best blade performance- If you are a fan of using pull saws, then you should go for this one. The 6-inch blade with a 30 TPI blade is the perfect blade for cutting through any soft or hardwood cleanly and accurately.  

Flexibility- The thin kerf blade with flexible teeth makes all the difference in performance. 

Replaced and customized blade- The saw blade is small, so beware of the cutting capacity of this saw. For larger cuts, such as a 4×4 piece, you have to work with something more significant than this. There is also an 8-inch Dozuki saw available on the same link. Click the link to get the desired one. The saw blade can be replaced and customized. This is another advantage of this saw.

Positives

• The blade doesn’t bind up;
• Thin kerf;
• Stiff blade with flexible teeth.

Negatives

• Limited cutting capacity.

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2. SUIZAN 9.5 Inch Folding Dozuki Dovetail Saw

• Folding design;
• 9.5 inches blade.

Large size with folding design- Talking about a larger dovetailing saw, this one comes to my mind. It is the same saw in a larger size. Moreover, the folding design makes it even handier and easier to store. The blade folds into a gap in the handle so that the blade is protected from other tools in your toolbox and retains its sharpness for a longer period.

Sharp blade- For the larger size, you will have to pay a little extra compared to the former one. Again, this is a pull saw and comes with a thin, razor-sharp blade. 

Easy blade replacement- You can always replace the blade when needed. For fine carpentry, there is not any competitor that can beat Dozuki saws.

Positives 

• Space-saving and portable design;
• Razor-sharp blade:
• Lightweight.

Negatives

• It is pricey but if you want the best tool then it will be great.

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3. IRWIN 7-1/4-Inch Dovetail Saw

• 22-pt. tooth count, 7-¼-inch blade length;
• Suitable for trimming, flush cutting, detailing, and dovetail cutting.

Suitable for home and others- Actually, Irwin has made this saw for making windows. Hence, it is trendy among contractors and homeowners. 

TPI teeth of the blade- The 25 TPI tooth set is quite handy for dovetail making as well. Other than this, you can also make clean and precise detailed work on any workpieces.

Affordable and durable- This saw is reasonably priced; that’s why I chose this for beginners to master their dovetailing skills. 

Replaceable blade- The blade is replaceable, and the spare blade is also available from Irwin. Other than that, the saw handle is made of plastic, and for me, it was very slippery. For mastering dovetail skills, this is a fair deal.

Positives

• Budget-friendly;
• Replaceable blade;
• Versatile use.

Negatives

• Slippery handle.

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4. Zona Thick Dovetail Saw for Beginners

• 8-inch, 18 TPI saw blade;
• 1-3/4-Inch cutting depth;

Easy handling process- For beginners, a thick kerf saw works best for dovetailing. It makes it easier to use a fret saw for perpendicular cutting. 

Fine finishing experience with 18 TPI blades- Besides, a thick blade is less likely to bind up during the cutting process. This is an 18 TPI blade saw which will work on any fine detailing cuts including tricky little dovetailing. 

USA brand- This Zoza saw is made in the USA. So, you can be assured about its superior quality and performance. 

Reasonable price- The low price may make anyone confused about the quality, but the one I used lasted a long. The cutting depth is quite narrow, so you can only use this for small to medium workpieces.

Professional and beginner tool-  Other than that, this is an excellent professional grade saw that a beginner could also use.

Positives

• Cheap;
• Super hard blade;
• Suitable for beginners;
• Works on subtle detailing.

Negatives

• Not found.

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5. Two Cherries 10-Inch Brass Back Dovetail Saw

• 10-inch 15 TPI saw;
• 2 inches depth of cut.

Deep cutting depth- If the former Zona saw seems small for your job, you can get this one from Two Cherries. The cutting depth is up to 2 inches. While making dovetails into a larger piece, the higher cutting depth and the thick brass back help to keep the saw straight and stable throughout the cutting process. 

Comfort hardwood handle- The saw is equipped with a hardwood handle for a tight and non-slip grip. 

TPI blade- The saw blade has a 15 TPI design but can be reshaped and resharpened multiple times. The 10-inch length of the blade needs fewer passes to cut through materials. For professional-grade dovetailing, this saw will last for years to come. For beginners, this is an affordable choice to get more precise dovetails. 

Positives

• Brass spine for stability;
• Superior quality;
• Suitable for professionals as well. 

Negatives

• No negative side found yet.

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6. Razorsaw 9-1/2″ Wide Blade Dovetail

• 9 ½-inch blade;
• 1-1/2″ cutting depth.

Interchange blade system- As a beginner, this saw can be considered an investment. The saw has a replaceable blade and you can interchange several blades with the same handle. Of course, it will be more cost-effective as you are only taking the blades, not the entire saw. However, this Japanese saw has a 9.5-inch tapered blade.

High cutting depth- So, the cutting edge and depth are not the same throughout the blade. The maximum cutting depth will be 1-½ inches, which is great for dovetail and joinery making. 

Professional cut- It is a pull saw and makes professional-grade cuts on various wooden materials. Once you get used to this saw, you will never want to use any other saw for precise dovetail making anymore. This saw is very popular among professionals for cabinetry, furniture work, trim carpentry, and so on all over the world.

Positives

• Replaceable blade;
• Suitable for deep dovetail cutting;
• Sturdy spline for stability. 

Negatives 

• Expensive.

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7. SUIZAN Ryoba Double Edge Pull Saw for Woodworking

• 2-in-1 saw design;
• 9.5-inch blade, 9 TPI, and 15 TPI on two edges.

All in one blade- The saw design is spectacular. There are different tooth settings on different edges. It saves users from buying multiple saws and spare blades. One blade is enough to make rough cuts and fine cuts on wood materials. All in all, the blade can be resharpened manually so that you can use it on uncountable projects in the future.

Unique design- The rattan-wrapped handle is the signature design of Japanese pull saws. It resembles a samurai sword to me. But the handle length is way too long for this saw. To make a fine dovetail on a smaller project, the extra-long handle may cause interruption.

Super sharp blade- This pull saw cuts material like butter. Even if you are a beginner, the dovetails you will be making will look like professional work. 

Positives

• multipurpose ;
• Can be resharpened.

Negatives 

• Extra-long handle.

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8. Gyokucho Joinery Saw for Beginner’s Fine Work

• 1-½-inch cutting depth;
• 9-½-inch blade length.

Best quality blade- 21 TPI blade is amazing in making joinery by tenon cut and dovetails. 21 TPI blade is hard to find in a usable quality because most of these start losing teeth or sharpness after a few uses. But this one will keep surprising you with its unmatched performance.

Big size saw- It is a large saw; hence, it works best on large workpieces. When you need a heavy-duty tool this one will be best. 

Best cutting experience through this Japanese tool- If you intend to get a Japanese saw and have a reluctant budget, then get this one. As a beginner, the price range may seem a bit high and out of reach, but as you master your skill and get professional, this saw will not leave your side. The spline serves stiffness whilst the blade is flexible. Together, this saw blade cuts fine pieces seamlessly. 

Positives

• Rigid spline for stability;
• Suitable for dovetail and tenon cuts;
• Long-lasting sharpness. 

Negatives

• Very expensive.

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Which Marking Gauge Would Pair Best with a Dovetail Saw for Beginners?

For beginners using a dovetail saw, finding the top dovetail marking gauges is crucial for accurate and clean cuts. The Tite-Mark Dual Wheel Marking Gauge offers precision and versatility, while the Veritas Wheel Marking Gauge provides excellent control and ease of use. Both are great options to pair with a dovetail saw.

Conclusion

Now you have the idea that the Japanese pull saw is the best in this dovetail-making game, and they are unbeatable. We listed some western-style push saws here for those who were not very comfortable using a pull saw with a long handle.

If you are comfortable with a large-size dovetail saw then the SUIZAN 9.5 Inch Folding Dozuki will be the best option for you. Its Japanese tool comes with the best quality. Need a budget dovetail saw? Then pick the Zona Thick Dovetail Saw, we suggest this for the reasonable price and good quality of this tool. 

However, for fine dovetailing, the sawtooth has to be fine and sharp. To keep it sharp, never throw your saw inside of a toolbox unprotected. Use a scabbard, blade protector, or sheath to save the teeth. If you can’t use any of those, try hanging the saw from a hook so that it won’t get in contact with anything else. Hopefully, cleanliness and maintenance will make your saw last long.

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