Woodworking Hand Saws

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If you want a job done right, do it yourself and do it by hand. That was my father’s main saying when it came to picking woodworking hand tools. He ignored power tools for anything except the strongest types of work and always preferred to use his hands. He had a fine collection of woodworking hand saws which served his carpentry needs and household do it yourself requirements. There are many reasons to chose and utilize hand saws.

Why Hand Saws?

Hand saws have been around since the early Egyptian era as a method for cutting down trees and forming pieces of wood to be used in construction and art.  The main advantage of a hand saw is the control of the tool which allows the person sawing to direct and control the cut, as opposed to a machine controlling the wood. Woodworking hand tools are the mainstay of many master craftsmen because of the power exchange which gives the master control.

The other benefits of woodworking hand saws are price and portability. A good handsaw with a wood stock and tempered blade can be purchased inexpensively which makes it the most common tool of choice. Millions of people around the world use hand saws every day because it is something they can afford.  Handsaws are also lighter and more portable than their electric counterparts. They can be shaped to fit into any situation and are light enough to be carried in a tool bag easily.

Types of Hand Saws

Just as there are many different surfaces and reasons to make a cut – there are different types of woodworking hand saws to be utilized.

Rip Saw – These assertive saws have larger teeth and tend to rip the wood to shreds as it cuts. They have a strong and fast cut that would be good for cutting up trees on the property, but they do leave a jagged edge that is not good for art or precision work.

Crosscut Saws – The blade of this saw has 8 to 11 fine teeth per inch. It does not cut as quickly as the rip saw, but leaves a smoother and workable edge. Crosscut saws are probably the most commonly used saw by the do-it-yourselfers and professionals who work around the home.

Bow Saw – This metal saw has a thin steel tension blade and an arching back to allow the saw to cut through an object both ways, by leaving a space on the opposite side.

Keyhole Saw – This saw looks more like a knife or dagger than a saw.  It has a sharp, pointed blade of micro-fine teeth that narrow to a point.  It is used for circular cutting and cutting parts out of a whole. 

Compass Saw – Using a longer blade than the keyhole saw, the compass saw still has a narrowed blade with 8 to 11 teeth per inch.  This saw is widely used in fine house work and trim because the narrow blade allows it to get into places a larger crosscut saw would not fit into.

Pull Saw – A smaller saw with a narrow handle and fan-type blade that has its teeth opposed to one another so the cut actually happens on the “pull” movement instead of the “push’.  This allows the artisan to have greater control over the cut and the pressure.

For clear control, and a fine cut, a hand saw is one of the most important woodworking hand tools you can add to your workshop.  Make sure to pick the right saw for the job and keep the teeth as sharp as possible.

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