Know Your Handsaws

While power tools may have made the handsaw obsolete, there is still a place in the home workshop for this hand tool, especially for cutting timber and if you don’t own a jigsaw or circular saw. There are various types of handsaws, each with its own unique characteristics and uses. Let’s take a look at the various types of handsaws and where you would use this for home DIY.

The best handsaw to buy are ones made of tempered steel and with a wooden or rigid plastic handle. Tempered steel means that steel has been treated with heat to increase the strength and hardness of the steel blade.

Bow saw
A bow saw is generally used for rough cutting of branches, logs or other types of timber. This heavy-duty saw has a replaceable blade fitted to a tubular steel frame.

TIP: The deep cutting blades allow for easy removal of material while cutting.

Coping (Fretsaw) saw
In the absence of a router or other power saw, a coping saw allows you to make detailed cuts in wood. The fine-toothed blade can be easily rotated and used at any angle to cut curves or shapes.

TIP: To cut out sections on the inside of wood drill a hole, remove the blade from the coping saw to allow you to re-thread the blade inside the drilled hole and cut.

Dovetail (Backing or Tenon) saw
With its fine teeth and reinforced blade, a dovetail saw is used for straight cuts in timber or board. The reinforced strip on the cutting blade ensures that the blade does not bend during cutting.

Hacksaw (Junior Hacksaw)
A hacksaw comes in handy for a variety of projects that involve cutting hard and soft materials. The strong teeth and narrow blade allow you to use a hacksaw for cutting PVC pipe and soft metals without too much effort.

TIP: When fitting a new blade, tighten the locking nut to apply tension so that the blade does not vibrate when cutting.

Handsaw
If you are buying a handsaw for cutting raw timber or manufactured wood board, choose a handsaw that offers comfort and ease of use. The handle should be comfortable to hold with saw-teeth angled and away from the blade to prevent binding and allow cutting on the push-stroke. By cutting on the push-stroke you will be able to apply far more pressure when using a handsaw.

Handsaw – Crosscut
As the name denotes, a crosscut saw is used when cutting across the grain, as you would when cutting a tree or stump horizontally. A crosscut saw has sharp teeth that are designed for cutting through hard and soft wood fibres.
A crosscut saw is available in two versions: one that cuts on the push stroke for single-person use, and one that cuts on both the push and pull strokes when handled by two people.

TIP: When buying a crosscut saw – the more teeth a saw has the smoother the cut.

Keyhole saw
Another handy handsaw to add to your collection is a keyhole saw. A keyhole saw has a blade that tapes to a thin end and is used for cutting wood, as well as other light materials. Some models offer the ability to be able to change the blade. As with a coping saw, you can use a keyhole saw for cutting out inside sections of timber simply by drilling a hole and inserting the blade.

Veneer saw
Although I haven’t seen this saw locally, a veneer saw is fitted with a blade on two sides that allows for precision cutting, such as trimming thin veneer.