SAWS

STARTING AND BUYING HAND TOOL GUIDE FOR BEGINNERS

MUST HAVE TOOL 3- SAWS

Hand saws are useful, everyday tools perfect for various purposes from pruning green wood, cutting wood, log and even metal. Below are the types of handsaw that you can find at your local home improvement store.

TYPES OF HANDSAWS

KEYHOLE SAW

Also known as compass saw, a keyhole saw is perfect in cutting holes in wood and curves. Its blades
are mounted on handle that is made of metal, wood or plastic and shaped like that of a hand gun. Keyhole saws have a cross tooth pattern with 10 to 12 teeth per inch. It is a push stroke handsaw.

CROSS CUT SAW

A cross cut saw has wide alternating bevel teeth perfect for rough cutting on wood grains where tearing
out is not important. Its saw blade ranges from 55 to 70 cm with 8 to 12 teeth per inch.

PANEL SAW

Panel saws are perfect for cutting small pieces of wood. It is shorter compared to regular hand saws
and is useful for its portability. Panel saw length can be as short as 46 cm with 8 to 12 teeth per inches.

RIP CUT SAW

A rip cut saw is an aggressive, push stroke handsaw with sharpened teeth top. Its saw length varies from 60 to 70 cm with 5 to 7 teeth per inches.

BACK SAW

Back saws are used for molding, trimming and fine woodcutting. Back saws got its name from its reinforced upper edge made of brass or steel to prevent it from buckling during use. Its teeth are smaller compared to other types of hand saws grouped tightly together to achieve a fine cut. There are various subtypes of back saw like the Mitre saw, Dovetail saw, Carcass saw, Gents saw and Tenon Saw. Back saw blade size can range from 20 cm to 40 cm

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COPING SAW

Coping saws are perfect for cutting intricate patterns on wood.  It has a sprung steel frame with a
wooden handle that can be turned to tighten the blade. A coping saw is a pull stroke hand saw.

JAPANESE SAW

Japanese saws are pull stroke saws made of very thin steel. It is known for its faster cutting power while producing less sawdust. A Japanese saw is also perfect for precision cutting on both hardwood and softwood. There are three major types of Japanese saw namely; Dozuki, Ryoba and Kataba.

HACKSAW

Hacks saws have fine, disposable blades held in tension by front and back pins. It is used in metal
cutting such as thin tubing and drill rod with its 18 to 32 teeth per inch. Its finer blades can also cut through cables, wire ropes, light angle irons and channels. A hacksaw is a push stroke hand saw.

BOW SAW

Bow saws are push and pull handsaws with a round steel frame that is shape like a bow. It is generally used for cutting logs with its crosscut tooth pattern.