A saw is a saw is a saw... right? Wrong!

The right saw will allow you to cut just about anything, from concrete and metal through to glass, wood, wall board and insulation. But it can be hard to know exactly which type is best for the job. The saw list is long: table saw, drop saw, jigsaw, circular saw, band saw are just a few, and then there’s the electric vs. traditional argument plus a range of prices, quality and styles.

 

Mitre 10 builder Stan Scott explains the differences, and why you might want one over the other. First up, in this instance I’m just talking the most commonly used handsaws.  An electric saw will never replace the traditional handsaw as they are an essential part of any toolbox, needed for power and speed.

 

This little beauty will be your main go to tool for the bulk of your woodwork projects. It’s best for sawing off lengths of framing timber or cutting up timber for shelving.

 

The name “Cross Cut” refers to the fact that it cuts across the grain of the timber. The teeth on this saw are shaped like knives so when it cuts it leaves a smoother edge then other saws. When purchasing one of these, look for one with 7-9 PPI (Points per inch).

 

This handsaw is not used as much nowadays but is still a very popular with craftsmen and woodworking hobbyists. The teeth on the saw blade are positioned to act like miniature chisels that tear along the grain. This means a rip saw cuts quite harshly resulting in a rough edge that will require some tidying up, but are great for when you need a straight cut through the grain.

 

The term “Panel Saw” is also sometimes given to handsaws like the Rip and the Crosscut, but in New Zealand panel saws are generally a slightly smaller handsaw with fine teeth, used to cut smaller pieces of wood, panels and finishing timbers:. skirting, scotia, and architraves. 

 

A good quality mitre box with a sharp tenon saw can produce an exceptional cut to just about any angle and can deliver a cleaner cut than an electric mitre saw. The most common type in the back saw family, its ability to allow you to make deep, precise cuts make it perfect for cutting architraves, skirting and scotia. It’s designed to cut ‘tenons’ as the name suggest, which are essentially joint pieces that fit together.

 

If you are doing finishing lines like skirtings or scotia or just want to cut some curly shapes into wood then the coping saw is worth having in your toolbox. The coping saw blade is installed with the teeth pointing towards the handle and cuts on the pull stroke. It is used for fine woodcutting and has a very thin blade allowing you to make intricate cuts at trickier angles. Loosening the handle allows the blade to be rotated to any angle you desire. Sometimes it is used to cut fretwork (decorative designs), but if it’s fretwork you want to cut out then you’d be best to buy a fret saw.  

 

A hacksaw is a fine-toothed saw, originally and principally for cutting metal. They can also cut various other materials, such as plastic and wood. The hacksaw has teeth pointing away from the handle and have fine blades. So whether you are cutting down a wardrobe rail, cables, wire ropes or are trimming a length of PVC pipe this saw earns its way into the toolbox quite easily.

 

The best way to hold a hand saw is with the “3,1,1 Grip”

That’s three fingers in the handle your fore finger pointing along the length of the blade and the thumb around the back of the saw.

When sawing do not force your handsaw, apply just enough pressure to cut the timber smoothly. Ensure you are not using only the middle of the blade, try and saw with long even strokes.

Your head should be positioned over your saw so you can see exactly where you are cutting.

On most modern handsaws with plastic handles, you can use the handle as a square to set 90 and 45 degrees.

 

Like any hand tool, the handsaw needs to be keep in a dry place and it is best to keep your handsaws in a saw bag or somewhere it won't get its teeth knocked. You can spray a fine lubricant on the blade to help protect it from rusting and using a beeswax candle on the blade can aid in producing a smooth cut.

 

There are a range of options available that vary in quality and therefore price, so it really depends what you are planning to use the saw for and how regularly. You can choose to buy a “throw away” saw (that’s one that cannot be re-sharpened) or you can choose a saw that can be re-sharpened, just make sure you are buying the right saw for the right job. When looking at a new saw, you will see that there are numbers with PPI (points per inch) marked on it. This indicates how many teeth there are per inch and the more teeth the finer the cut.