Articles

Handsaws

From Australian Handyman Magazine

Everything you need to know about using handsaws. From the keyhole saw to the general-purpose saw, we have them all covered.

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The basics
■ The best handsaws are made of fine-tempered steel and have shaped plastic or wooden handles.
■ The main difference between handsaws is the shape, number and pitch of the teeth. These variations make them suited to either cutting timber across the grain or with it, along curved lines, or through metal, plastic or plasterboard.
■ To prevent binding, saw teeth are usually set, or angled, away from the blade so that the kerf it cuts is wider than the blade’s thickness.
■ Generally, the more points or teeth per 25mm a saw has, the smoother and slower it cuts.
■ Most saws sold in Australia are imported from America and Europe, and usually cut on the push stroke.

Decoder
Ripping Sawing along the grain of the timber.
Crosscutting Sawing across grain of the timber.
Kerf Width of the cut made by the saw blade.
Gullet Space between the teeth of a saw blade.

Crosscut saw

This has knife-like teeth that slice through wood fibres.
Use for cutting timber across the grain.
Standard blade length: approximately 500mm
Teeth per 25mm: 7-12
HINT: For a really smooth cut use a saw with 10-12 teeth per 25mm.

Coping saw

This steel-framed saw has a long, narrow, flexible blade that can be rotated to any angle. The blade is pulled taut by turning the handle of the frame.
Use for cutting small curves in timber.
Standard blade length: 150mm
Teeth per 25mm: 12-18
HINT: To make an inside cut, drill a starting hole then slip the blade through it before attaching to the saw frame.

Keyhole saw

A fine-toothed saw with interchangeable blades.
Use for cutting light metal, wood and plasterboard.
Standard blade length: 250mm
Teeth per 25mm: 9
HINT: To start an inside cut use the point of the saw to penetrate the surface or bore a hole then insert the blade.

Dovetail saw

A small backsaw with a straight handle and fine teeth set to cut a very narrow kerf.
Use for making fine joints.
Standard blade length: 250mm
Teeth per 25mm: 16-20

Ripsaw

Cuts parallel to the grain. Has larger, chisel-shaped teeth enabling swarf material to be quickly removed to prevent clogging.
Use for cutting timber along the grain.
Standard blade length: approximately 700mm
Teeth per 25mm: 4-7
HINT: A ripsaw with 5.5 teeth per 25mm will give a smooth, fast cut.

General-purpose saw

The teeth have three bevelled sides, providing razor-sharp cutting and deep gullets (spaces between the teeth), making it easier to clear swarf away fast.
Use for both crosscutting and ripping wood.
Standard blade length: 660mm
Teeth per 25mm: 9
HINT: If you’re only going to buy one saw, this is the one.