The Saws Guide

A Note on the Term ‘Handsaw’: Technically all saws can be classed under the term ‘handsaws’, as this is a general term for all saws used by hand (not machines). However, the term ‘handsaws’ can also refer to a specific saw which is described as a large panel saw. In this guide we will be referring to a handsaw as a name for a specific saw.

Uses

There are 2 types of saw teeth patterns, ripcut and crosscut. Ripcut is where the teeth are sharpened straight or square across. This tooth pattern is designed for cutting with or along the grain. Crosscut is where the teeth are sharpened from alternating sides to create bevelled points to the teeth. These teeth are specifically designed for efficient cutting across the grain of the wood. For both types of saw, the teeth are bent slightly in alternate directions (this is called ‘set’) using a sawset (see more in our ‘Setting up & Sharpening Guide’). This allows the cut to be slightly wider than the the thickness of the saw plate (blade) itself, enabling you to move the saw into and through each cut with ease. You can sharpen any saw to either one of these two tooth patterns. It doesn’t make too much difference in saws with smaller teeth, so Paul recommends sticking with a ripcut for all back saws and saws with more than 8 PPI (points per inch) to get you started. As the teeth get bigger, it is more important to have dedicated saws, one to each tooth pattern. To read more about using saws, click here.

Types of Saws:

There are three main types of saws; backsaws, backless saws and frame saws. The difference is the way the blade is supported. Backsaws have a metal rib running along the full length of the back of the blade. Frame saws have a frame structure which allows tension to be applied to the blade itself. Backsaws can range in size up to 14” (355mm). The backless saw, which relies on a certain level of stiffness in the blade alone for solidity in the cut, can range up to 30” (762mm).

Backless saws:

Backsaws:

Larger backsaws are referred to as ‘tenon saws’ and the smaller backsaws are called ‘dovetail saws’. ‘Gents saws’ are similar to a dovetail saw, but can be identified by their inline handle.