How teeth cut, how a tooth count is stated and how set makes a kerf wider than the plate are explained in the handsaw guide; why a pull saw's plate can be thin is in the Japanese saw guide. Full-size saws and backsaws are compared in choosing a handsaw, and other compact saws in choosing a benchtop saw.
Match the saw to the work
| Work | Kind of saw | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Model and craft parts, thin strips | A fine razor saw with a back | Fine teeth and a stiff, thin plate for small, clean cuts |
| General small cuts in wood | A coarser woodcraft or small pull saw | Fewer, larger teeth cut faster in thicker stock |
| Trimming pegs, plugs and through-tenons flush | A flush-cut saw | Teeth set one way only, or little set, so the face is not scored |
| Small joinery | A small backsaw | A deeper cut and a rigid spine; see backsaws |
| Curves and cut-outs | A coping or fret saw | A thin blade in a frame; see coping saws |
Kinds matched to work from the makers' own descriptions. Not a ranking.
Four small saws by their makers' figures
| Saw | Teeth | Blade length | Cutting depth | Plate and set | Blade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zona 35-150 ultra thin kerf razor saw | 42 tpi | 4-1/2 in | 7/16 in | Plate .008 in; tooth set range .009/.011 in | Not replaceable |
| Zona woodcraft saw | 24 tpi | 6-1/2 in | 7/8 in | Plate .015 in; tooth set range .016/.018 in | Not replaceable |
| Zona 35-400 flush cut saw | 16 tpi | 6-1/2 in | 1-1/4 in | Plate .015 in; tooth set range .013/.015 in | Not replaceable |
| Veritas double-edge flush-cutting saw | 22 tpi | 4-1/4 in (description); 4 3/4 in (specifications) | Not stated | Plate not stated; teeth set one way only | Disposable-blade style, not resharpened |
Each figure as its maker publishes it; Veritas's page gives two blade lengths, both shown. All four cut on the pull stroke. Not a ranking, and no prices.
For scale, a small backsaw is a different class: Lie-Nielsen's dovetail saw has a 10 in blade, 1⅝ in under its spine, a 0.020 in plate and a 0.026 in kerf, counted as 15 ppi. That is points per inch, Lie-Nielsen's own measure; it is not converted to compare with the tpi figures above, because the conventions differ, as the handsaw guide explains.
Equipment notePaid link
42 tpi ultra-thin-kerf razor saw
Zona 35-150
Zona's 35-150 from the table above: 42 tpi on a .008 in blade, 4-1/2 in long with 7/16 in of cutting depth; Zona says the blade is not replaceable.
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What each specification decides
| Specification | Why it matters | Range in the four saws |
|---|---|---|
| Tooth count | Finer teeth cut more slowly and more cleanly; coarser teeth cut faster | 16 to 42 tpi |
| Cutting depth | A back stiffens the plate but limits how deep it cuts | 7/16 in to 1-1/4 in where stated |
| Plate thickness and set | The set, not the plate alone, sets the kerf; keep the two apart | Plates .008 to .015 in; set ranges as Zona states them |
| Set on a flush-cut saw | Teeth set toward the work would score the surface | Set one way only (Veritas); a set range close to the plate (Zona 35-400) |
| Blade replacement | Whether a dull saw is resharpened, replaced or the whole saw replaced | Not replaceable (Zona); disposable-blade style (Veritas) |
| Stroke | Pull saws let a thin plate stay straight; hold the work against the pull | All four cut on the pull |
What each specification decides, from the four makers' figures. Not a ranking.
None of the four is described by its maker as resharpenable: Zona says its blades are not interchangeable or replaceable, and Veritas calls its flush-cutting saw a disposable-blade style. That is each maker's statement for these saws, not a rule for small saws in general; other small saws, backsaws among them, are made to be resharpened.
Safety— Small saws, small parts
Small parts move easily: hold them in a bench hook, a vise or a clamp rather than in the fingers beside the cut. OSHA's rules apply to small saws too — a dull saw is more hazardous than a sharp one, and a cracked blade comes out of use. See woodworking safety rules.
Before buying a small hand saw
- The work: craft parts, general small cuts, flush trimming or joinery
- Tooth count in the maker's own terms
- Cutting depth enough for the stock
- Plate thickness and set given separately, and one-way set on a flush-cut saw
- Whether the blade is replaceable, resharpenable or neither
Sources
Specification-based: every figure is the maker's own for its own saw, in its own terms — Zona and Veritas count teeth per inch (tpi), Lie-Nielsen points per inch (ppi) — and none is converted. Plate thickness, tooth set and kerf are kept separate as each maker gives them; Zona's 'tooth set range' is its own term. Veritas's page gives two blade lengths for one saw, and both are shown. 'Not stated' means the maker's page gives no figure. Nothing was tested and none is ranked; no prices are given.
- 1.
Ultra Thin Kerf Razor Saw 42tpi (35-150). Zona Tool Co..
Used for: Zona's 35-150 ultra thin kerf razor saw: 42 teeth per inch; blade .008 in thick with a tooth set range of .009/.011 in; 4-1/2 in long with 7/16 in cutting depth; a steel back; pull-stroke cuts in wood, soft metals and plastic; blade not interchangeable or replaceable.
- 2.
Woodcraft Saw 24TPI. Zona Tool Co..
Used for: Zona's woodcraft saw: 24 tpi; 6-1/2 in long with 7/8 in cutting depth; blade .015 in thick with a tooth set range of .016/.018 in; medium kerf; pull-stroke cuts in hard or soft wood; blade not interchangeable or replaceable.
- 3.
Flush Cut Saw – 35-400. Zona Tool Co..
Used for: Zona's 35-400 flush cut saw: 16 tpi; 6-1/2 in blade .015 in thick, tooth set range .013/.015 in; 1-1/4 in cutting depth; flexible; for pull-stroke flush cuts of dowels, pegs and tenons without marring the surface; blade not interchangeable or replaceable.
- 4.
Veritas Flush-Cutting Saws. Veritas Tools Inc. / Lee Valley.
Used for: Veritas's double-edge flush-cutting saw: 22 tpi; teeth set one way only; 11-1/2 in overall; blade length given as 4-1/4 in in its description and 4 3/4 in in its specifications; cuts on the pull stroke; a disposable-blade-style saw, not resharpened; for flush-cutting plugs, either edge toward the work.
- 5.
Dovetail Saw (1-SAW-DS) specifications. Lie-Nielsen Toolworks.
Used for: For comparison, a small backsaw: Lie-Nielsen's dovetail saw, 10 in blade, 0.020 in plate, 1⅝ in deep, 15 ppi rip, 0.003 in set and 0.026 in kerf.
- 6.
Hand and Power Tools (OSHA 3080). Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 2002 (revised).
Used for: Dull tools more hazardous than sharp ones; cracked saw blades removed from service; blades directed away from other people.
About this buying guide
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