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Understanding handsaws

Ah, the magic of handsaws! For many of us, the image of handsaws brings back nostalgic memories of our childhood as we stand with an old dull crosscut saw in one hand and a half-cut two-by-four laying in front of us while we examine the blisters that are forming on the hand that is supposed to be doing all of the work. We vowed that one day, we would find a better way to cut our boards.

Well, that day has arrived. Actually, it has been around for quite a number of years now. The "golden age of western handsaws" was around the turn of the 20th century. It doesn't have to be like we might remember it. Let's get down to business and figure out how we can turn an awful excercise in frustration into something that is at least satisfying, if not outright fun.

Types of saws

Push or pull?

Western saws cut on the push stroke. That is probably the one you wore blisters with as a kid. One advantage to this saw is that it tends to push the dust down through the kerf leaving the work surface relatively dust free so that your cutting line isn't obscured. Also, notably, these saws can be sharpened with a file. It does take a bit of patience and a fresh file (you may wear out a side on your file in a single sharpenening), but it can be done with a minimum of tools and some practice. Some people love sharpening their own saws. For others, well, let's just say that it is sort of a love-hate relationship without the love. If you want to learn to sharpen your saws and don't have a mentor, you should think about getting a good book and/or a video demonstration. For those looking for instant gratification, there is an excellent treatise online on sharpening vintage saws.

Japanese saws cut on the pull stroke. They aren't as common in the US, but they do seem to be gaining a following. Because they cut on the pull stroke, the blade can be much thinner meaning that they also require less force to saw. Quality Japanese saws are made of very hard steel that can't be sharpened with a file. When the blade finaly gets dull, you just discard it and buy new. With some saws, you have to replace the entire saw, with others just the blade. For those who detest sharpening their own saws, this is a God-send. For those who love it, it is a deal-breaker.

Cross or rip?

Both Japanese and Western saws come in two general versions, crosscut and rip. Due to the nature of the wood fibers, the appropriate saw should be used for the right job although one will obviously work for either job in a pinch. Rip saws are used to cut with the grain and have realtively simple teeth that are more like little chisels. Crosscut saws are made to cut across the grain and have a more complex pattern that sort of tears the fibers as the saw is pushed or pulled through the wood. The Japanese Ryoba saw actually has teeth on one side of the blade for crosscutting and teeth for ripping on the other side.

Teeth

The teeth on a saw are what does the work. I know, you though you were doing it. Well, anyway, as you doubtless already know, the more teeth per inch a saw has, the finer cut it produces and the slower it cuts. Each tooth takes a bite and the bigger that bite is, the rougher it leaves the edge of the board. Some saws actually have progressive teeth sizes, that is, more teeth per inch on one end of the blade than the other.

Set

Another important aspect to a saw is the "set" of the teeth. Each tooth is slightly bent out to the side. This allows the blade to pass more easily through the work without binding. If you are sharpening your own saw, you will probably need to adjust the set about every other sharpening.

Straightening

Your saw has to be straight to cut correctly. Kinked, bowed, and warped saws present unwelcome problems. If you have a junk saw and want to try straightening it, you might check out this article. It isn't for the faint of heart though, and will likely make your problem worse if you aren't careful. You have been warned.

Other saws

There are other types of hand saws other than the standard rip and crosscut saws. There is the tiny coping saw which is useful for cutting fine curved edges.

For resizing lumber or other heavy duty cutting, you might consider a frame saw.

The bow saw is considered to be a type of frame saw. Fine Woodworking magazine also has an article on building a bow saw (Subscription or free trial required). These are useful when you really need to do some heavy duty fast cutting where finish or accuracy aren't that important.

The turning saw is considered to be a type of bowsaw. It has a finer blade and is sort of like a heavy duty coping saw.

For nano-logging, there are also the one and two man crosscut saws. No one ever said it was easy to cut up logs this way, but does make less noise than a chainsaw provided you don't have a partner that talks too much.

For a wide selection of saws, you might try www.traditionalwoodworker.com.

Remember

Quality handsaws cut efficiently and rapidly. They still require a bit of umph, but that is part of the fun for the unplugged woodworker. Whether you go western or Japanese or some combination of the two, buy quality saws and use the appropriate tool for the job. This time, you don't have to cry tears of frustration.