Best Dovetail Saw [2024 Review]

For cabinetmaking and fine woodworking, a dovetail saw is essential. These hand saws are known for their high number of teeth per inch and are used for making dovetail cuts. Due to the precision required when making these kinds of cuts, finding the best dovetail saw is important. 

Top Dovetail Saws Reviews

These are my top 5 dovetail saws

Best Overall: Suizan Dozuki Dovetail Saw

People often prefer to buy the product that meets the most requirements. If you’re among these people, then the Suizan Japanese Dozuki Dovetail Hand Saw is your go-to choice.

It has a good mixture between good price, reliability, ease of use, fine cutting, and the ability to replace the blade whenever needed.

The Dozuki Dovetail saw is a pull saw, which means that the teeth are aligned towards the handle. The saw will still cut if you push it but the cuts will be much finer if you pull. Pull saws require lighter power to use than push saws and they often have a cleaner, smoother cut.

Product Specs

• Brand: Suizan
• Blade length: 7 inches
• Blade replaceability: Yes
• Teeth Design: Rip teeth
• Teeth per inch: 15 teeth
• Item weight: 9.6 ounces
• Cutting side: Single-sided
• Preferred Cutting Hand: Both hands

Feature Highlights

• 7-inch blade length. It’s not the longest blade out there, but it’s still long enough to reduce the number of required pulls, cutting time, and effort
• 9.6 ounces of weight. This saw is fairly lightweight and it won’t consume much effort to carry around
• There are 15 teeth per inch which provide smoother cutting. The more teeth per inch, the smoother is the final finish

The blade itself isn’t the longest on my list. With around 7 inches, it’s the second shortest one following the Olson saw (our best budget saw) at 6.5 inches.

The Suizan Dozuki Dovetail Saw is on the higher price and is more expensive than the IRWIN and Olson saws; my best value and best budget saws. However, it’s still less expensive than the Suizan Ryoba saw, my best versatility saw.

The Suizan Dozuki has 15 teeth per inch which make the final finish relatively smooth. It’s not as smooth as IRWIN’s 20 teeth per inch or the Olson’s 24. However, the higher quality Japanese steel makes it more durable than both of them.

Pros

• Lightweight for ease of carrying, usage, and transportation
• An easily replaceable blade for when the blade runs out. You can purchase the blade separately from Suizan
• Smooth finish provided by the increased number of teeth

Cons

• Not suitable for those who prefer push motion cutting
• The single cutting side will make the blade wear down over time

Best Value: IRWIN Dovetail Saw

If you’re looking to get the best bang for your buck, then the IRWIN Dovetail Saw is your best choice. The IRWIN saw will cost you half of what you’d pay for my best overall saw; the Suizan Dozuki.

However, it doesn’t fall short when you use it. In fact, its 10-inch blade makes it longer than the Suizan Dozuki. Longer blades require fewer movements to cut.

It also has 20 teeth per inch, compared to my Suizan Dozuki at 15 TPI, which provides even smoother cutting. It also weighs 3.6 ounces, making it lighter as well.

With all the advantages it has over my best overall saw, why would you choose the Suizan Dozuki over the IRWIN saw for almost double the price?

Product Specs

• Brand: IRWIN
• Blade length: 10 inches
• Blade replaceability: Yes
• Teeth Design: Crosscut teeth
• Teeth per inch: 20 teeth
• Item weight: 3.6 ounces
• Cutting side: Single-sided
• Preferred Cutting Hand: Right hand

Feature Highlights

• Very economical, the IRWIN is one of the lower priced options on my list
• 20 teeth per inch (TPI) provides a smooth finish post cutting
• The 10-inch blade provides a large cutting surface for more cutting with less effort.

Let’s start with the weight. While the IRWIN weighs less than the Dozuki, the difference isn’t very noticeable. In fact, the lighter weight of the IRWIN stems from the lower quality blade. That equals faster wear and less cutting efficiency.

Additionally, the IRWIN is mainly designed for horizontal cutting and can only be used easily with the right hand. This can make the cutting angle a bit awkward, especially if you decide to use it vertically or with the left hand.

Finally, the handle of the IRWIN is made from cheaper, smooth polymer compared to the more expensive serrated plastic of the Dozuki saw. With a little sweat and the weird angle, the IRWIN might get slippery.

Pros

• A great mix between affordability and value
• Smooth cutting with 20 teeth per inch
• A long 10-inch blade for faster cutting

Cons

• Horizontal cutting may not be suitable for some people
• Quick wear of the blade shortens its lifespan

Best Budget: Olson Saw 35-560 Dovetail Saw

If you’re on a budget but still need a reliable dovetail saw, the Olson Saw 35-560 is the right pick

The two most notable features that the Olson lacks is a long blade length along with ease of replacement. However, the Olson still ticks a lot of boxes for essential features in a dovetail saw.

The blade is 8 inches long, which makes it shorter than both the Suizan Dozuki and the IRWIN saws. On the other hand, it has 24 teeth per inch, which makes its cutting smoother than both of them and also the highest TPI on my list.

Product Specs

• Brand: Olson
• Blade length: 6.5 inches
• Blade replaceability: No
• Teeth Design: Crosscut teeth
• Teeth per inch: 24 teeth
• Item weight: 3.2 ounces
• Cutting side: Single-sided
• Preferred Cutting Hand: Both hands

Feature Highlights

• Wooden grip with an ergonomic design that provides a comfortable fit for both hands
• It has a good handle to blade length ratio which reduces the strain on the rest as you cut
• Weighs 3.2 ounces; the lightest item on my list

Keep in mind that while more teeth means smoother finishes, it also means slower cutting, smaller teeth, and faster wear. Blades with such features are great for fine cutting, but should be avoided if you intend to cut large chunks of wood.

The Olson is the most affordable, smoothest cutting, and lightest saw on my list. If you don’t care too much for the other dovetail saw features, the Olson Saw 35-560 is a good fit for you.

Pros

• Costing just over 10 dollars, the Olson saw is the cheapest option on my list
• 24 teeth per inch making the Olson’s blade the finest cutting on my list
• Buying a new Olson saw is still cheaper than replacing the blades of most saws.

Cons

• Not suitable for cutting large pieces of wood because of its small blade
• irreplaceable blade forces you to dispose of the saw instead of getting a new blade

Best Versatility: Suizan Ryoba Double-Edged Saw

Who doesn’t like the jack of all trades? This is exactly what the Suizan Ryoba saw is all about. It is the only saw on my list that can cut with both sides of the blade.

This saw doesn’t just have two cutting sides, but each side has a different design of teeth.

One side of the blade has rip teeth in it which is suitable for the pulling motion. This slows down the cutting speed but produces a much finer finish to the wood texture.

The other side has cross-cut teeth which are more suitable for cutting or reshaping larger chunks of wood.

At 9.5 inches, this saw has an extremely long blade, much longer than cheaper dovetail saws on my list. Only the 12″ Spear and Jackson saw is longer from my recommendations.

Product Specs

• Brand: Suizan
• Blade length: 9.5 inches
• Blade replaceability: Yes
• Teeth Design: Crosscut teeth on one side and rip teeth on the other
• Teeth per inch: 20 teeth on the rip side and 25 on the crosscut side
• Item weight: 5.6 ounces
• Cutting side: Double-sided
• Preferred Cutting Hand: Both hands

Feature Highlights

• Double-edged blade with a different teeth design on each side
• Large handle with a good handle to blade ratio
• The blade gets wider as you get away from the handle which gives you more cutting surface area

The Suizan Ryoba is the most expensive saw on my list, and usually adds up to more than both the IRWIN and the Olsen saws combined. However, its double-edged blade is basically two blades in one.

It’s important to keep your hand protected while using the Suizan Ryoba. It’s the only saw on my list that doesn’t have a safety cover on either side of the blade.

That being said, if you can pump your budget a bit and you want a versatile blade, this Japanese Suizan Ryoba is highly recommended.

Pros

• Double blade designed to cut larger chunks or fine increments
• High-quality Japanese steel that lasts longer
• With only 5.6 ounces of weight, it’s a light carry for a blade that versatile

Cons

• No safety coverage on either side of the blade
• More expensive than the average 20 dollars on my list

Best Cutting Efficiency: Spear & Jackson 9550B 12-inch Saw

If your work involves more than just fine details cutting, you’ll need a saw like the Spear & Jackson 9550B 12-inch saw.

With a length of 12 inches, this saw has the longest blade on my list, making it also the best when it comes to cutting efficiency. The brass back stabilizes the blade in place and prevents micro bending that you may get when the brass back is absent.

This saw also has the least number of teeth per inch in my list: 14 teeth per inch. This makes the final texture slightly rougher than the Suizan Dozuki, my top pick, with 15 teeth per inch.

Product Specs

• Brand: Spear & Jackson
• Blade length: 12 inches
• Blade replaceability: Yes
• Teeth Design: Crosscut teeth
• Teeth per inch: 14 teeth
• Item weight: 23 ounces
• Cutting side: Single-sided
• Preferred Cutting Hand: Both hands

Feature Highlights

• The only product on my list with an ergonomic inclined wooden handle
• High-quality carbon steel blade that doesn’t dull easily
• The brass back provides maximum rigidity of the blade and prevents bedding during cutting

The Spear & Jackson 9550B also weighs 23 ounces, which makes it the heaviest saw on my list. This is mostly because of the large inclined wooden handle.

This handle is designed to add more comfort when handling the saw. However, one thing I noticed about that handle is how small it is to some users. Your hand might get fatigued fast because of that.

Price-wise, this is the second most expensive item on my list. With just above 35 dollars, it follows the Suizan Ryoba, my most versatile saw.

Pros

• The angulated angle takes a lot of strain away from the rest while cutting
• The large 12-inch blade can cut along and across the grain. This is the longest blade on my list
• The relatively high weight of 23 ounces helps in adding more weight and precision during cutting

Cons

• With 14 blades per inch, the cutting texture is the least smooth on my list
• It’s relatively expensive. The only item that is more expensive on my list is the Suizan Ryoba

Dovetail Saw Features to Consider

Each of the dovetails saws on this list have advantages and disadvantages. The most important distinction is determining what you’ll be specifically using this saw for.

Teeth Design=

All dovetail blades will cut wood. The difference is how fast, how precise, and how fine these cuts will be.

If you need to have finer cuts, then the Japanese pull saws with their rip teeth are the better choice. The sharp angle of their teeth burrows into the wood and provides a smoother finish overall.

On the other hand, this teeth design is a bit slower when it comes to cutting efficiency and they also dull faster.

If you need quicker cutting or reshaping of larger wooden materials, go for the Western-styled cross-cut teeth. They often have more teeth per inch and will cut faster than their Japanese counterparts.

The downside is the relatively rough finish of the wood.

Blade Length

The blade length needed is often determined by the projects you usually work on. The standard is often between 7 to 10-inch blades.

• If your work involves more cutting of larger wooden pieces, then a longer blade is the way to go.
• Smaller projects can get by fine with a shorter blade length.

Most woodworkers end up having blades of various lengths. But the finer the details you need, the shorter your blade should be.

Brands

Searching for tens of products could be easily narrowed down by looking for quality brands. Suizan, IRWIN, and Zona seem to be the current benchmarks of the market.

If you keep your choices among these three brands, you’re more than likely to end up with a good saw.

FAQs

Final Words

That’s it for my best dovetail saw guide. Whether you’re looking for value, affordability, or versatility, I have you covered.

Stick to the Japanese saws like the Suizan Dozuki and the Suizan Ryoba saws if you want those super fine cuts.

If you prefer reliability and ease of use, their Western counterparts like Spear & Jackson and IRWIN saws are great choices.

If the budget is low, the Olsen Zona saw is the easiest on the pocket.