Sawing Outside Your Knife Line

Frame & Panel and Bridle Joints Benefit from Leaving the Line

I'm back with another tease from The Hand Tool School vault of lessons.  This is an excerpt from a series I call "Apprentice Sessions" where we take a focused look at a particular shop solution or problem.  This is a highly specific one that comes up with frame and panel joinery where you plow a groove first then saw the tenons.  But also it is essential making bridles joints.  Since you saw both sides of the joint, you have to leave the line in order to prevent a loose fitting joint.  So whether this is a specific situation or not, being able to saw this precisely to leave, split, or take the line (pencil or knife) is essential for great joinery.