What makes Alamo Toolworks different

This is what makes us unique:

• The only handsaw maker to cryotempered saw blades
• The only handsaw maker to hammer tension saw blades
• Our saws have stainless bushings
• One of a few makers of folded saw backs
• One of a few makers to taper ground saw blades
• The only handsaw maker in the world that sells saws with all of these features

Specifically:

Compared to the other custom or semi-custom saw makers out there our saws are unique in that they have stainless bushings that, most importantly, relieve the saw handle cheeks of the major stress of having to grip the saw blade to hold it still in the handle.  They also have the benefit of protecting the saw screws from being gouged by the blade if it does slip. 

We are the only handsaw maker that cryotempers saw blades.  This increases the hardness by about two HRC points but much more important is that it increases the scratch resistance of the steel meaning that our blades need sharpening less frequently than do any other blades out there. 

Where applicable we also resin infuse my handles for strength.  This only works on relatively open grain woods but it allows me to make stronger handles from woods such as walnut and mahogany. 

On our handsaws we also hammer tension our saw blades.  No other maker that we are aware of does this as it takes some knowledge, appropriate hardness testing instruments (which we have) as well as good technique.  We have made some instrumental studies of the golden era Disston and Atkins saws and have figured out how they did their hammer tensioning. Our saws replicate the golden era saws in hardness and pattern of distribution of hardness.  Nobody else does this.

Further:

• Our saw backs are folded. There are five other makers selling either folded backs or saws incorporating folded backs. Everybody else uses glued in blades and slotted backs.
• We make taper ground saw blades. There are two other makers offering this feature, neither of them offer folded backs however.

Overall, we are the only maker in the world selling saws with all of these features.  At this point we are selling at a discount because we are relatively unknown but that is changing.