Hand Saws - Panel Saw - Crosscut Saw - Coping Saw

Common carpentry tools like hand saws and hammers are familiar to everyone but the number of different types of saws (and saw blades) available is staggering. It seems that there is a saw suited to every species of wood, and even then, there are different saws for use on ‘green’ wood and on seasoned solid wood. If you intend to do some DIY then some knowledge of wood saws and cutting will be desirable.

The saw is essential for any woodworker and a basic knowledge of the three main types of hand saw is needed before you even purchase a saw. They can be grouped as panel saws (hand saws), tenon saws and other special saws. Saw technology is such, that a dovetail saw will not necessarily be any good for sawing lengths of lumber and so forth.

How to know a good saw

A good saw will cut through wood very easily (like a knife through butter) with only a little effort expended by the woodsmith in the process. The saw should ‘feel’ right in your hand and you should be able to sense a balance as it cuts. Once you have experienced the merits of a good saw you will be able to detect an inferior or cheap saw immediately.

Rip saws and crosscut saws

The rip saw cuts along (with) the grain of the wood as the teeth of the saw act like a chisel when cutting. The saw only cuts on the forward stroke and should not be used to cut across the grain as it will damage the wood by tearing it. The crosscut saw will cut across the grain and cuts on both the forward and reverse cut. This saw will cut with the grain but you will have to expend a great deal of energy and effort. Crosscutting should be done at 45° whereas ripping with the grain should be done at a 60° angle. Another notable difference between these two saws is that the rip saw will usually have a much longer blade.

Frame saw or bow saw

The frame saw looks like the letter ‘H’ and usually contains a 36 inch blade but is still classified as a hand saw. It can cut in any direction, as if you were cutting out a jig saw piece, and can be turned during the cut. The thin saw blade can be tightened with an adjustable thumbscrew. The blade can flex during cutting which allows the saw to be manipulated in small tight spaces unsuited to the crosscut and rip saws. The smaller version is the fret saw.

Coping saws or fret saws

The coping saw has a very small blade which has tiny very sharp teeth. The handle can swivel allowing the cut to be made in any direction. Just like the frame saw it is used for cutting curves and arcs, but on a smaller scale.

Tenon Saws

Quite a few different tenon saws exist but basically they are a square or rectangular shaped saw used for cutting dovetail joints in wood. They are about 12 inches long with fine-set teeth (up to 20 points per inch) on a thin narrow saw blade. A good one would have a brass ridge along its top rather than a cheaper metal.

Cutting trees or large logs

To cut large logs it is best to use a two man saw, some times called a log saw. This saw is very long and has an upright handle at either end and is operated in a ‘push-me’ ‘pull-me’ fashion by the two operators. The cutting edge is what is unique about the saw because the blade is it curved (fatter) in the middle and thinner at the ends. The teeth have large hoops cut out of the blade and these have the effect of clearing the sawdust with each draw of the blade which cuts on both forward and backward strokes.

Bushmans Saw

The Bushmans saw is sometimes referred to as a ‘forrester’ saw and is the ideal hand tool for the garden. The teeth profile is identical to the two man saw described above. The difference is that this saw can be used by one person as the blade is shorter at only 24 inches long. The blade does not have the ‘belly’ effect in the middle and is a straight bladed instead. Like the two man version this saw is excellent for cutting new wood containing sap (green wood).

Old saws

Years ago a craftsman protected his old tools and kept them sharp and in perfect working order. For instance, the panel saw was protected by oiling the blade and keeping the saw in a saw case when not in use. An alternative to the saw case was a block of wood with a slot in it allowing the saw blade to slide into gap, thus protecting the teeth. The saw was sharpened regularly too but the expert knew all about the correct 65° and 90° cutting angles required as well as the points (teeth) per inch specification. Modern hand saws do not need such maintenance as the teeth are specially hardened (usually tungsten) and cannot be sharpened at all.