A Primer on Hand Tools: Saws
Just as there are a lot of power saws, there are a lot of hand saws. Most of us are familiar with the big hand saws our parents kept around the house and hardly ever used, (it's that rusty, tapered metal thing with the big cowboy looking wooden grip, hanging on the pegboard behind the cobwebs.) A really skilled woodworker can make perfectly straight cuts with a hand saw like that and do it fairly quickly. The rest of us save hand saws for some specialized tasks and that is what I'll cover here. First, some terminology, (this also applies to power saw blades.)
o Kerf: A kerf is the width of the gap, or the channel, left by the saw. So, if you cut a board partway through and then measured across the slot you would have the kerf. Power saw blades tend to be thicker than hand saws so they eat up more wood on the cut. This is important to know because if you are cutting several lengths from one board you have to allow for the waste of the kerf.
o For instance if the kerf is 1/8" (standard table saw blade) every three cuts would add up to 3/8" of waste. So, you have your 8' board and you want to get four 2' foot lengths. You measure 2', cut it. Measure 2' cut it. Measure 2' cut it. You pick up the remaining board, measure it and OOOPS! It is only 1' 11 5/8" long. You're 3/8" short.
o Bummer! You cannot get four 2' boards from one 8' board, even with a very thin kerf. You can get close but it will still be short. If you want to max how much you can get from one board, use a thin kerf saw.
o Gullet: The gullet is the space between the teeth. This is where the sawdust and chips land during the cut. When you pull the blade out of the cut, the debris falls out and lands on the floor, or on the board, the bigger the gullet, the faster the cut because debris is expelled. The size of the gullet is related to the TPI.
o TPI: TPI is Teeth Per Inch. Measure an inch on the blade and count the teeth, the greater the TPI the finer the cut. Usually a fine tooth saw is used for cross cutting, or tenon and dovetail forming, because it leaves a nice, smooth finish. A saw with a lower TPI is used for rip cuts, down the length of the board. Then you smooth that edge with a plane.
o Set: Set refers to the way the teeth are set on the blade. If you look closely at a saw blade you'll see that every other tooth flares slightly to one side or the other. This helps keep the blade from binding as it grabs the wood and pulls itself through the cut. Think of it like swimming, or paddling a canoe. Each stroke pulls you through the water but, if you only pulled on one side, you'd go in circles.
Because handsaws have thinner blades they are also more flexible this can make them difficult to keep on course and, increases the chance of binding, or getting stuck in the cut. On the up side, the larger saws do have a nice twang and you could make music with them, if you were so inclined.
The four types of handsaws you are most likely to need in your workshop are:
o Dovetail/Backsaw: Many small handsaws have a stiff spine on the top. These are sometimes known as "backsaws," because of the stiffened back. Backsaws come in several different sizes, usually with a high tpi 14, or greater, and are used for dovetails, mortises and other fine cuts
o Japanese Dozuki Saw: Some years ago Japanese saws landed with a huge splash in the woodworkers shop. Japanese saws have an even thinner blade than American saws with up to 27tpi. Many woodworkers prefer Japanese saws because of the very fine kerf, for an exceptionally smooth cut and because Japanese saws cut on the pull stroke which many people think offers more control. I love my Japanese saws. They are incredibly sharp, cut very fast, are very lightweight and easy to use.
o Flush cut trim saw: Flush cut saws are a smaller saw with no "set" on at least one side and a very flexible blade. You use these to cut a dowel or peg flush to the surface of the work piece. Because the teeth have no set they will not mar, (cut into) your project
o Coping Saw: Coping saws are the hand version of a scroll saw or a band saw. They have a very fine, thin, wire like blade that is held in tension on both ends by a u shaped back. This allows the blade to make very delicate cuts in all kinds of shapes. It is used for fretwork, inside cuts (cut outs) and also for trim carpentry when a carpenter needs to "cope," a piece of shaped molding to make an inside corner.
These are very versatile saws but the tiny blade breaks quite easily so you have to be very, very deliberate in your work.
If you are interested in using or learning more about handsaws you should go take a look at what is available. Rockler Woodworking carries a wide selection of Japanese saws. Highland Woodworking has many traditional back saws as well as Japanese saws. They also carry a full line of Lie-Nielsen saws. Lie Nielsen makes very high quality (though not inexpensive) tools, often modeled after tools from the 19th and early 20th century. These are true heirloom tools. I have a couple of hand planes that are just awesome.
That pretty much sums up handsaw basics. Get a decent saw, keep it rust free and lightly oiled, keep the teeth sharp. Japanese saws stay sharp longer but use replaceable blades. With practice and patience you can learn to make straight, precise cuts.
About the Author:
Lucy LaForest is a self-taught woodworker and tool aficionado. She has been working in her home shop for over twenty five years and enjoys building furniture, decorative boxes, and toys. Lucy is especially interested in attracting more women to woodworking as a hobby, or as a profession. Lucy has lots more information for you at Woodworking With Lucy
Article Marketing
6 people like this article
