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Hand Saw Buying Guide

Posted by Katy | Toolstop on 8th Apr 2021

This hand saw buying guide explains everything you need to know about hand saws; What hand saw do I need and which hand saw for which job. We compare types of hand saws like Coping Saws, Pruning Saws, Wood Saws and Tenon Saws

This hand saw buying guide explains everything you need to know about hand saws such as what hand saw do I need and which hand saw for which job. We compare the different types of hand saws available at Toolstop like Coping Saws, Pruning Saws, Wood Saws and Tenon Saws and their main uses. This guide will help you work out which hand saw is best for you as well as how to care for your hand saw.

hand saw buying guide

A Toolstop Guide to Buying Hand Saws

When buying a hand saw, you need to take a few things into consideration – the application of the saw, how frequently you will use it and what materials you will be cutting.

Hand saws can be used for many things including roughly cutting wood and logs, making intricate curved cuts in wood, in professional trades or simply at home and in the garden. Typical applications of a hand saw include, but are not limited to, the cutting of hardwood, softwood, chipboard, plywood and MDF, and using the right saw for your material is essential in making sure you get the desired result.

There are multiple types of hand saws available, and in this Toolstop buying guide, we’ll take you through which is best for your requirement. We’ll cover: what to look for in choosing a high-quality hand saw, picking the right hand saw based on its specifications and your requirements, which type of hand saw suits your application, the top brands to look out for in hand saws, how to look after your hand saw and some of the top picks and bestsellers available at Toolstop.


What makes a good hand saw? Key Specifications to look out for

Construction

In most hand tools, construction plays a huge part in making the right choice. In this case of hand saws, things are no different! A good hand saw will be made from tough materials, typically hardened steel for durability and ease of use.

The quality and material of the blade will affect how the saw performs. Hardpoint saws prove popular and are extremely strong and durable thanks to their hardened teeth and those made from high carbon steel speak for themselves.

Many of the hand saws available at Toolstop are made from hardpoint steel, meaning they are extremely durable with long lasting sharpness.

The handle can also play a big part – high-end saws tend to have well-made, comfortable handles that will reduce friction and feel less strenuous during prolonged use.


What's in the numbers?

Hand saws come in many different sizes, styles and with varying numbers of teeth. This plays a huge factor and all depends on the materials you want to cut and the finish you’re aiming to achieve.

Hand Saw Length

Have you noticed that hand saws come in a range of different lengths? They can vary from 6” to 12” and 22” to 24” plus more depending on the type of saw. Short sawa are designed for short strokes, and long saws for longer strokes. Long hand saws require you to use the full range of motion of your arm whereas shorter saws require shorter arm movements. Longer saws are typically more efficient, and will get the job done quicker, but again, this all depends on the application you are carrying out.

A longer saw will have more teeth on it, but not necessarily more tpi, which we will explain below.

Number of Teeth is Important

If you need to create finer, more intricate cuts, this is going to require a completely different hand saw to making rough cuts in wood. Each hand saw has a purpose, and we will help show you why.

One of the defining factors in how a hand saw will cut is its number of teeth. More teeth equal a cleaner, more-precise cut. Fewer teeth make for quick cutting but not as neat and accurate a cut.

Teeth Count in Hand Saw is measured by TPI (Teeth per Inch) or PPI (Points per Inch) – The higher the TPI/PPI, the more teeth, therefore the neater finish.


Different Types of Hand Saws

Below we have listed some of our favourite types of hand saws along with their main uses and benefits:

Coping Saw – Coping saws are the most versatile type of hand saw and are ideal for cutting through hard and soft wood, plastic, ceramic and non-ferrous metals. Their thin narrow blades can be replaced as often as need be, saving you money in the long run. You can shop spare coping saw blades here. Due to their smaller, thinner design, they are perfect for making intricate curved cuts that would otherwise be impossible with other hand saws. One of our favourite uses of these saws is for cutting skirting. As the blade is so small, it can cut round the shapes easily.

Bow saw – Bow saws are designed for fast and aggressive cutting, meaning a rougher finish will be achieved. They are typically used for cutting tree branches and logs.

Tenon saw – A tenon saw is used for making straight and precise smaller cuts in hard and soft wood. Due to their high tpi, they provide a neat finish in the wood. The blade on these saws also does not flex, so you have full control of the cut.

Pruning saw – Pruning saws are most often used around the garden for making rough cuts in tree branches and other shrubs.

Regular Universal hand saw – Hand saws are great for the general-purpose sawing of wood. They have a large blade for making quick, straight cuts in wood, however, due to their larger blade, this type of saw is not any good for making smaller, more intricate and precise cuts. To do so, you would need a coping saw as mentioned above. General Purpose hand saws are used both on the professional job site and around the home. They are so versatile and definitely up to the task.

So that was a few of the key types of hand saw and their uses, but the list doesn’t stop there. Toolstop also stock a range of Plasterboard saws, hacksaws and general purpose saws which you can shop here.


Which Hand Saws Are Best? Toolstop's Top Picks

Which Brands Make the Best?

At Toolstop, we stock a range of high-quality hand saws that meet the demands of frequent use in professional trades.

Bahco

Bahco are one of the market leaders in hand saws. They are renowned for their quality, precision, design and range. We have loads of Bahco Hand Saws available to shop at Toolstop!

Irwin

Irwin are the market leader for tenon saws. Hand saws are more designed for site work and everyday cutting etc. whereas tenon saws are more precise for the manufacturing of structures such as windows and doors.

Below you will find a couple of our favourite bestselling saws at Toolstop:

Hand Saw Application Main Features Specification

Medium thick wood materials such as chipboard and hardwood

  • The best selling hardpoint saw in the UK
  • Hardened teeth provide up to five times the life of conventional teeth
  • Fast efficient cross cut and rip performance
  • Teeth: 7/8 TPI Hardpoint
  • Cut: Medium
  • Size: 20" (500mm)

Most building materials

  • One of the best on the market
  • Patented tooth grind is designed to cut 25% faster than other standard saws
  • Its versatile, universal teeth cut most building materials
  • Made from high quality steel which has been treated with a water based lacquer providing four times better rust protection than traditional lacquer
  • Pro touch grip with finger rest is extremely comfortable upon use
  • Length: 20"/500mm
  • Teeth: 8 per inch
  • Point: 9 per inch

Green and dry wood, plastic and bone

  • The blade is specially coated for rust protection
  • Great for use in the garden as well as camping
  • Size: 9 Inch / 230mm

Wood, plastic and soft metal

  • Handsaw for cutting all types of wood
  • Handle with a comfortable grip and good sawing support
  • Long-lasting sharpness from the universal hardpoint toothing
  • Length: 550 mm / 22 in
  • Toothing: 7 Teeth / 8 Points

Medium thick wood materials such as chipboard and hardwood

  • This pack of 10 hand saws will save you money in the long run. Forget wasting time resharpening your hand saw, and remain productive on site with this great bundle deal
  • Features the same as above
  • Teeth: 7/8 TPI Hardpoint
  • Cut: Medium
  • Size: 20" (500mm)
  • Pack Qty: 10 Pack
Application Features Specs

Medium thick wood materials such as chipboard and hardwood

Best selling hardpoint saw in the UK

Hardened teeth for up to 5X longer life

Fast, efficient performance

Teeth: 7/8 TPI Hardpoint

Cut: Medium

Size: 20" (500mm)

Application Features Specs

Most building materials

One of the best on the market

Patented tooth grind is designed to cut 25% faster than other standard saws

Made from high quality steel which has been treated with bater-based lacquer providing four times better rust protection than traditional lacquer

Pro Touch Grip with finger rest is extremely comfortable to use

TPI: 8

PPI: 9

Size: 20" (500mm)

Application Features Specs

Green & dry wood, plastic and bone

The blade is specially coated for rust protection

Great for use in the garden and when camping

Size: 9" (230mm)

Application Features Specs

Wood, plastic and soft metal

Hand saw for cutting all types of wood

Handle with a comfortable grip and good sawing support

Long-lasting sharpness from the universal hardpoint toothing

Teeth: 7/8 TPI

Size: 22" (550mm)

Application Features Specs

Medium thick wood materials such as chipboard and hardwood

Save money in the long run by buying in bulk

Teeth: 7/8 TPI Hardpoint

Cut: Medium

Size: 20" (500mm)

Pack Size: 10


Hand Saw Care Guide

In order to get the maximum life out of your hand saw, regular care must be taken.

It needs to be kept dry, so when not in use, store it away in a sheltered, moisture free zone to prevent it from rusting.

Make sure there are no nails in the wood you are cutting. Cutting into metal will blunt the saw blade very quickly meaning it won’t perform as well and require sooner replacement.

Keep a hold of the cardboard/plastic sheath your hand saw is supplied with and place it over the blade when the saw is not in use. This will keep it dry and protect it from damaging other tools in your kit.

Only use the saw to cut the materials its designed to. Using a wood saw to cut metal will significantly damage it.

Can You Sharpen a Hand Saw?

Hand saws can by sharpened using a vice and metal file, however this tends to be incredibly time-consuming when considering the cost of the saw. Given their low price point, hand saws tend to be replaced with a new one once the blade becomes blunt and do longer cuts efficiently.

In the case of hacksaws, bow saws and coping saws, extra saw blades can be purchased at Toolstop and replaced as necessary.

Did you know that we sell packs of 10 hand saws? These will save you money in the long run, and also mean you always have a backup lying around!

We hope you have enjoyed our hand saw buying guide and have learnt a bit more about what each type of saw is used for. Which is your most used hand saw and why?


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