Saw Blades from Hand Saws to Chop Saws

The novice wood or metal worker initially has a lot to learn about the tools of the trade and saw blades are one of the essentials in any workshop shed. Saws are divided into three groups hand saws, tenon saws and special saws but like other carpentry tools they come in hundreds of shapes and sizes and there is probably a saw and saw blades made for every conceivable job. Of course you do not have to have every tool you may substitute one for another in many cases.

Handsaws

Handsaws are divided into sections: the rip saw, the crosscut saw and the panel saw for finer work. They are specified by the design of the teeth, the teeth on all saws alternate from left to right and cut a groove in the wood.

Sharp teeth

Rip saw teeth are sharpened like small chisels at their points and are used to cut with the grain of the wood. These saw blades will rip and damage the wood if used on the end grain. Crosscut teeth are sharpened on the edges and are meant to be used against the grain as they cut two small grooves in the timber and the waste material crumbles in between.

The crosscut saw would make very hard work of cutting with the grain. The panel saw has smaller teeth set closer together and is used for finely detailed work. It is therefore very important to know what you want to use your saw for and buy accordingly.

Tenon saws or back saws

The tenon saw or back saw is one of the most indispensible tools used in woodworking and it is one of the first tools bought by the ‘would be’ woodworker. The tenon saw is used to cut fine joints such as the mortise and tenon, dovetails and other small joints.

Special saws

The frame, bow, pad and fret saws are all classed as special saws. The frame or bow saw is specifically used for cutting curves. It has a very thin blade attached by removable pins. The saw blades are anything from 8-28 inches and ordinarily have 9 points per inch. A smaller saw for cutting curves is the coping saw which tensions the blade by twisting the handle. The pad saw is an open ended saw used for cutting key holes, slots and curves it also accepts hacksaw blades. The fret saw is as the name suggests used for cutting fine fret work in thin veneers and fine sheets of wood. They can also be used to cut out jig saws.

Chop saw

Chop saws are very useful contemporary compact saws with a blade cover that automatically covers the blade when the saw is switched off and slowing down. It is built to be moved around from place to place and is utilised by many carpenters or builders during construction. It is also used by the home woodworker for cutting lengths of timber either straight across or at an angle. The angles can be set on the chop saw making it invaluable for picture framing or making windows or anything else that requires accurate angles.

Mitre saw

The mitre saw is used for cutting very accurate angles on small, narrow lengths of timber usually for picture framing. They use an in-built saw guide to direct the saw and to ensure an accurate angle is cut.

Metal saws

The most basic metal cutting saws are hacksaws these are handsaws that have a blade that is made to cut metal. The teeth are usually pointed away from the user when the blade is inserted into the handle. It may be used for cutting pipes and all types of metals. The junior hacksaw is a version of the hacksaw but has finer teeth and is used for cutting fine metals and pipes.

Tree cutting - Bushman saws - 2 man saws or chainsaws

Chain saws are needed for heavy tree cutting or for long term forestry work but if you just need to work on trees around your own property then you might prefer a less powerful saw such as a manual saw. If you are cutting trees the two-man cross cut saw is the ideal tool, it easily handles large logs and comes in many sizes and the teeth have large gaps between them to take away the waste material helping to avoid the problem of a blade jamming in the cut. The bushman saw is a great tool for cutting smaller branches or even small trees. Store your saws in a dry storage area and ensure your saw blades are always kept well oiled and sharpened to help you in your cutting.