Saws. Wow, what a big topic... Everything from "portable" band saws mills that can't be moved with anything smaller than a pickup to things that can be slipped in a shop apron pocket are covered by this little four letter word.
The point of this page is to get one back in "touch" with wood. Get it? Handsaw... "touch" the wood... I'm a punny man; I just kill me. Anyway, this is about woodworking handsaws. As such:
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The saw descriptions below are based on accepted use, general form and function, and general design. The concepts come from long histories, as well as from some of the finest saw makers on the planet. I'm quite certain I've missed a few, and that someone out there has some "chunk-of-brilliance" (patent pending) saw not yet on the market, or a "genuine" one-of, historically significant, prototype that didn't make it on the market either. All of these saws are beyond the scope of this effort.
In the "power" realm, there are portable saw mills designed to mill felled trees, table saws, compound miters (sliding or not), circular saws, radial arm saws, band saws, jig saws, chair saws, etc. You get the idea; a motor for any occasion. Of course, all of these are beyond the scope of this effort.
And, some "handsaws" won't be included here, as their function is beyond generic woodworking use; I.e. Two-man crosscut or log saws, (more for lumberjack work), multi-blade/same handle cheapskate saws, pruning saws (yard work... YUCK), etc. These saws too, are beyond the scope of this effort.
To begin, handsaws are loosely divided into two categories; rip or crosscut. Rip saws are designed to perform best when cutting with the grain of the wood, while crosscut saws are your best bet when cutting across the grain.
Before we get too much further, it may be handy know the different parts of a saw.
Of a saw's defined aspects above, four things come into play when determining a saw's utility:
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Pitch: - Pitch is the number of tooth points along one inch of cutting surface. Within any given inch of measurement, the first or last tooth, but not both, would be counted to determine the number of teeth per inch (tpi). A saw's pitch can also be expressed as a number of "points," and saw makers often use the point determinant rather than tpi to detail their saws. Point calculations are based on an absolute inch. Thus, the first and last tooth are counted in any measured inch. Accordingly, the point size is always one more than the number of teeth per inch (tpi). In the example at left, it's a 5 tpi or 6 point saw. |
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Rake: - Rake is the angle at which the teeth are ground. It's the angle of the tip of a tooth measured as deviation from vertical. Saws with a positive rake angle have teeth that point in the same direction as the cut. Saws with a negative rake have teeth that point away from the cut. Although this is inconsistent with modern mathematical convention as to slope, you'll have to argue the point with the ancient Egyptians... or maybe Henry Disston |
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Fleam: - Also called "tooth angle," fleam is the bevel or skew of the tooth's cutting edge. Some saws have a 90° tooth angle (perpendicular to the blade, parallel to the length of the blade face). Acting somewhat like a chisel, it can plow through wood quickly, but it tends to leave rougher edges which may require additional planing later. Other saws have tooth angles of between 45° (for softwoods) and 60° (for hardwoods). The basic idea is that by angling the tooth, wood fibers are sheared away leaving a smoother edge. Less clean up, but slower too. |
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Tooth Set: - Tooth set is where the teeth are bent slightly outward away from the plane of the blade in alternate directions. Tooth set determines the kerf, or width of the cut, which will almost always be slightly wider than the blade. Tooth set allows for blade clearance as it sinks deeper into the plank. On rare occasion, we use 0° set saws (like inlay, flush trim, or veneer saws) where we use the gullet to clear saw dust. Without some way to clear it, friction would heat the resins in the wood and cause the blade to bind and turn your really nice saw into accordion shaped scrap metal. |
Picture courtesy of
Popular Mechanics.
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Generally speaking:
Rip Saws have lower point sizes (fewer tpi), zero to positive rake angle (more aggressive cuts), wider set (teeth bent out further away from the blade), and higher tooth angles (closer to 90°). Plows through wood quickly. Can cause severe tear out across the grain.
Crosscut Saws have higher point sizes (more tpi), zero to negative rake angles (less aggressive), narrower set (teeth closer to blade plane), and lower tooth angles (≤ 60°). Virtually no tear out across the grain. Ripping long planks could take weeks.
Westerners, we Americans and our European cousins, have pretty much grown up with handsaws that work on the push cut. Several of the "older" cultures like the Japanese and even the ancient Egyptians use saws that work on the pull cut, and have been doing so for centuries. These saws have only been introduced to the west in the last few decades.
Opinions run deep and loyalties run true. Since the pull saws have shown up over here, we woodworkers have argued amongst each other, and sometimes with ourselves, trying to figure out which is better. Some of the things to consider are cut accuracy, kerf width, straightness of the cut line, energy expended, etc...
I don't know which one is better. The best thing you can do as a woodworker is try out each and figure out which works best for you. If you love what you buy, don't gloat and don't pop my bubble. On the other hand, if you hate it, don't come crying over mine. Salty tears make my tools rust... I don't like that... rust sucks... don't cry on my tools!
European style saws are generally push cut saws. The handles are either carved for the hand or short and straight, depending on the use of the saw.
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Hand Saw - When folks think of a saw, this is the one in their head.
Hand saws include rip, crosscut, and panel saws. They range from
about 18" to 26" in length, with panel saws essentially being shorter versions
of crosscut saws. These are great saws for all the normal aspects of
carcass work. Specifics are as follows:
rip: length 20"-26", 5-7 points, set ≤5°, fleam of 85°-90°, rake 90°-110° (positive) |
 Photo courtesy of Disstonian Institute |
Skew Back Saw - Originally conceived by
Henry Disston
in 1873 as a way to cut a carpenter's effort by reducing the weight, the skew
back saw came in all of the flavors of the standard hand saw. Today,
an old Disston skew back is the pride of many collectors. Sadly,
Disston is out of business.
rip: length 20"-26", 5-7 points, set ≤5°, fleam of 85°-90°, rake 90°-110° (positive) |
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Tenon Saw - Tenon saws are the largest of the "back saws," so
named for the rigid spline across the back of the blade which acts to stiffen
the saw. Because tenon saws have to cut with and across the grain...
Specs: length 10"-16", 12-20 points, set 12°-15°, fleam 75°-80°, rake 60° (negative) |
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Dovetail Saw - Looking to be a smaller version of a tenon saw, dovetail
saws have fine teeth ground for ripping and used for cutting fine kerfs to
well defined lines as in dovetails. Grind leans to rip cut.
Specs: length 6"-10", 20-24 points, set 3°-5°, fleam 85°-90°, rake 90°-110° (positive) |
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Gentleman's Saw - Classed technically as tenon or dovetail saws,
gentleman's saws are back saws with turned, instead of fitted, handles.
The handles don't lend themselves to the force needed for larger carcass
work, so they're usually reserved as alternatives to dovetail saws for fine
trim work. Typically, the smaller the saw, the finer the tooth grind
is for some very fine work. Grind is usually set to rip cut.
Specs: length 4"-14", 16-24 points, set 3°-5°, fleam 85°-90°, rake 90°-110° (positive) |
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Jamb Saw - Often called a "Reversible Gent's Saw," jamb saws
are actually quite different from gent's saws. Jamb saws are so named
for their use in cutting door jambs flush to the floor. The have offset
handles for clearing a carpenter's knuckles, tooth set to "one side only"
(don't want to mar the floor), and center pivot with end pin to facilitate
right or left handed use. The pivot and pin wear would quickly render
them useless for the detail work of a gent's saw. Tooth grind is for
crosscut.
Specs: length 10"-14", 28-40 points, set 3°-7° (one side only), fleam 80°-90°, rake 45°-60° (negative) |
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Flush Trim Saw - Looking somewhat like a gent's saw, the back spline
is noticeably absent. The blades are very thin and flexible, and are
used to crosscut waste wood joinery like dowel pins or through tenons flush
with the surface. Although they have no tooth set to prevent the
maring of adjoining surfaces, it can be done with relative ease. Adding
a little presure with your finger will eliminate a lot of it... otherwise,
grab the sandpaper.
Specs: length 8"-12", 28-40 points, set 0°, fleam 90°, rake 50°-60° (negative) |
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Veneer Saw - The name pretty much says it. Veneer saws have very
thin blades and are used to cut veneer. The blade geometry is a small
compromise such that it can be used for either crosscut or rip.
Specs: length 3"-5", 18-28 points, set 0°, fleam 90°, rake 50°-60° (negative) |
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Inlay Saw - Writeup coming... |
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Jewler's Saw - Writeup coming... |
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Keyhole Saw - Also known as a compass saw or padsaw, A variation of a keyhole saw is a wallboard saw |
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Coping Saw - Writeup coming... |
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Fret Saw - Writeup coming... |
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Miter Saw - Writeup coming... |
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Hacksaw - Writeup coming... |
 Photo courtesy of E.C. Emmerich Saws |
Frame Saw - Frame Saws are named more for the frame that holds them
rather than some explicit framing function. Frame saws can be used for
ripping, cross cutting, re-sawing, and curved cuts. See the text above
for blade specifics. Although frame saws can still be had, for the
most part, they've been replaced by the modern day band saw. Also
known as a bow saw.
** NOTE ** Blade tension on these saws must be released after use... |
 Photo courtesy of Bob Kaune |
Flooring Saw - Flooring saws have slightly curved blade bottoms and were originally used to cut across floor boards at the center of a joist. Once the blade penetrated the board, the straight narrow tip, with teeth on both sides could slip in finish the cut. I know of no company currently making these saws, and they have pretty much been reduced to antique collections. |
Japanese style saws are generally pull cut saws. The handles are rather long and relatively straight to the saw blade. Although tooth direction is reversed from their European counterparts, tooth grind is consistent with function as described above.
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Ryoba - The traditional Ryoba is a combination saw with teeth on both sides of the blade. One side is used as a Rip saw and the other is used for Crosscutting. |
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Kataba - Equivilent to the western Panel saw. Used for quickly cutting carcass stock down to size. The blade has no back. |
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Dozuki - Dozukis are equivilent to the western tenon and dovetail saws. Used for high quality cuts for precision joinery. The blade has a rigid back for added control. |
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Azebiki - An Azebiki is equivilent to the western floor saw in that cuts can begin in the middle of a plank. Used when a plank cut has to stop short of the end of the plank |
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Kugihiki Nokogiri - This is a flush cutting saw. It's use to cut dowel pegs or tenons flush to the surface that they protrude through. Many of these saw have tooth sets that are all on one side of the saw so they don't mar the surface. |
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Kobiki Nokogiri and Temagari Nokogiri - Kobiki Nokogiri (rip) and Temagari Nokogiri (crosscut) were large timber saws for ripping and crosscutting felled trees. Both have, for the most part, been replaced by industrialization, and are no longer available. In contrast to the western two-man timber saw technology of the time, both of these were one-man saws. |
Photo Courtesies, except where noted in text:
Japanese Saws Dieter Schmid
European Saws Thomas Flinn
Top Disston Saws Disstonian Institure
Brendler, Ralph.
"The Handsaw FAQ.", and linked articles.
Ralph Brendler's Old Tool Page.
2006.
<
http://www.brendlers.net/oldtools/handsaws/handsaws.htm>.
(29 Aug. 2006).
Capotosto, Rosario.
"Handsaw Basics.", and linked articles.
Popular Mechanics.
2006.
<
http://www.popularmechanics.com/home_improvement/tools/1273896.html>.
(24 Aug. 2006).
Gardiner, Ray. "Backsaw Nomenclature." Backsaw.net. 2008.
<http://www.backsaw.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=55&Itemid=93>.
(Jul. 17, 2010).
"Saws.", and linked articles.
Sawdust Making 101.
2006.
<
http://www.sawdustmaking.com/Hand%20Saws/saws.htm>.
(20 Aug. 2006).
"Timber Cutting Hand Saws.", and linked articles.
DIYTools.co.uk.
2006.
<
http://www.diydata.com/tool/handsaw/handsaw.htm>.
(21 Aug. 2006).