Modern hand saw (wood hacksaw): what is it and how to choose it? What kinds of saws are there: the main types and characteristics of the tool There are hacksaws
The saw is one of the oldest tools used by man. Today's variety amazes the buyer's imagination.
However, when buying a tool, you want to get one, and if possible, a universal copy. In a regular store, you can at least hold the tool in your hands and feel the cutting part (the vast majority of tools, fortunately, are sold ready-to-use - that is, the teeth are sharpened and set apart).
Taking the hacksaw in your hands, you will be able to appreciate the comfort of the handle. However, it is unlikely that you will be offered a “test drive” - that is, you will not be able to try out the tool in action.
When buying a product in an online store, you can only rely on photos, descriptions and reviews. This makes choosing a hacksaw for wood even more difficult. In this article we will talk about the features of the tool and help you make a choice.
Existing types of hacksaws
To understand which hacksaw for wood would be better suited just for you, let's look at its structure and types
The design is simple - the tool consists of a cutting blade and a handle. Moreover, these two elements can be connected rigidly or hingedly, change the angle of connection, or even form a folding mechanism.
Hacksaws with replaceable blades are widely used. This allows you to get a whole set for various purposes, saving at least on handles.
This relates to comfort and cost-effectiveness characteristics. The main types of hacksaws differ in the following parameters:
Blade type
By comparing two hacksaws based on the quality of the cut, you can determine which one is better.
In the arsenal home handyman There is always a functional and easy-to-use circular saw. But there are situations when you need to saw off a part and perform a small amount of woodwork, but there is no time or desire to deploy and connect the unit. In these cases, a hand saw is a great help. But how to choose hand saw on wood, so that it is convenient to use and can easily “gnaw” any type of wood, let’s look at it in more detail.
- Parameters of teeth on the blade
- Types of hand saws for wood
- Option #1 - narrow
- Option #2 - regular
- Option #3 - with a butt
- Option #4 - archery
- Recommendations for choosing a tool
Tool Specifications
Saw is rightfully considered the ancestor large family hand tools. Since the creation of the first type of tool from iron, the saw has undergone many changes, having acquired numerous “sisters” capable of performing dozens of jobs.
IN household It’s impossible to do without “toothed helpers”: they are indispensable for garden pruning, small carpentry and joinery work
Hand saws for wood differ in many ways: blade size, steel grade, tooth shape, handle design. Let's look at each parameter in more detail.
How should a hacksaw blade be?
The main part of the tool is the hacksaw blade. The first thing you should pay attention to when choosing a product is the length of the canvas. The possibilities of its application largely depend on this parameter. At the same time, the longer the canvas, the more springy it is, which also complicates the process, especially when working with hard rocks wood such as ash, maple or oak.
The long stroke makes it possible to apply less effort when sawing, since the cut is completed in one stroke a large number teeth
For sawing small elements such as plinths, bars or narrow slats, you can get by with a hacksaw with a blade length of 25-30 cm. If you plan to use the tool when performing more serious construction work, choose a product with a canvas of 45-50 cm.
When determining the length hacksaw blade follow the rule that the length of the saw exceeds the diameter of the elements being processed by 2 times. Failure to follow this recommendation will only make your job more difficult. The teeth of a short hacksaw will jam inside the wood, and everyone will have to make a lot of effort to move the tool to free it from sawdust. Uncomfortable work will cause premature fatigue.
Traditionally, the width of the product blade varies in the range of 10-20 cm. Models with a narrower blade are not allowed for technical reasons, since they fail at the slightest bend. But it is worth considering that too wide canvases are inconvenient for manual work.
The material used to make the blade, which is most often alloy steel, as well as its degree of hardening also play an important role.
For hacksaws, tool alloy steel with high content silicon and carbon grades:
- 65G, 60 C2A;
- 8 HF, 9 HF, 9 HS;
- U7, U7A, U8, U8A, U8G, U8GA, U9A, U10
Hardening of the metal is carried out due to the influence of an alternating magnetic field on it, in which it appears electric current high frequency. Spreading over the surface, it heats the surface layer of the metal, which is hardened after cooling.
The standard parameter is considered to be a metal hardness of 45 HRC, but it is still preferable to choose products whose blade hardness is 55-60 HRC. A hacksaw with a blade of high hardness will have sufficient flexibility, but at the same time high stability of the teeth. Upon external inspection, such a tool can be identified by the darkish tint of the sharpened teeth.
Parameters of teeth on the blade
The determining indicator of the tool’s performance and the accuracy of cutting wood is the size of the teeth.
The teeth of a hacksaw for woodworking perform a dual function: they cut the wood and, at the same time, remove sawdust
Sawing accuracy is determined by the “TPI” indicator - the number of teeth per inch.
There is an inverse relationship between these technical parameters:
- blades with large teeth set a high speed of work, but the cut is rough and sloppy;
- hacksaws with fine teeth guarantee a clean and precise cut, but at a relatively low speed.
When determining the required tooth size, you should focus on the type of material being processed. For example, for working with chipboard, where high cutting accuracy is required, choose a tool with a high TPI of 7-9, and for sawing logs and garden work, where the cleanliness of the cut is not so important, choose a TPI of 3-6.
When choosing optimal option hacksaws, follow the rule that minimum thickness the log should in any case be larger than a pitch of three teeth
If we compare a hardened and a regular tooth, the difference is that in the first option, provided that it is used in everyday life, the product does not become dull for a long time. But a hacksaw with a hardened tooth cannot be sharpened again. When it starts to cut poorly, you just have to throw it away.
An ordinary tooth can be sharpened. This can be done periodically using a special file marked with an accident mark (for sharpening saws). To sharpen the blade, it is enough to perform several movements on each tooth.
Depending on the type of teeth used, there are three types of hand saws:
Some types of modern tools are equipped with teeth that are shaped like a trapezoid. This solution makes the fabric more durable and wear-resistant.
But it is worth considering that sharpening such a blade is very problematic, since it is difficult to give the trapezoidal teeth the desired shape. This significantly reduces the service life of the product, after which it is necessary to change the blade or purchase a new tool.
For sawing fresh branches, it is more convenient to use blades equipped with triangular teeth processed by parallel sharpening, in which each element is sharpened only on one side and in a checkerboard pattern.
You can often find a modernized type of hacksaw on the market.
Modernized hacksaws can be easily distinguished by the teeth located on the blade in groups, between which the spaces are clearly visible
Retrofitted hand saws are effective for cutting raw wood. Wet chips easily come out of the cut through the spaces between the teeth during the cutting process, without impeding the movement of the tool.
Types of hand saws for wood
Option #1 - narrow
A small narrow saw is a structure that consists of a straight flat blade and a handle. It is carried out fine work: through cuts, cutting out curved parts.
This type of tool is designed for cutting wooden blanks, the thickness of which does not exceed 8-10 cm, cutting small branches and minor works in the garden
When making narrow models, manufacturers install blades with triangular double-sided teeth, or with parallel sharpening. The disadvantage of the tool is that when pressed during operation, the blade can deviate from the given direction.
Option #2 - regular
A standard hand saw can be equipped with any type of teeth and often comes with replacement blades various types and execution.
To be able to cut workpieces at a certain angle using a standard hand saw, you have to purchase special miter boxes
But despite the stated versatility of their use, it is not advisable to use saws of this type in the manufacture of furniture.
Option #3 - with a butt
Both narrow and regular saws with increasing rigidity of the processed material, they are prone to bending. In these cases, it is effective to use canvases equipped with a backing, which acts as a kind of stiffening rib.
Hand hacksaws equipped with a backing are designed to create shallow cuts in wooden surface any thickness
The presence of a backing prevents the saw from making a cut deeper than the width of the blade, since it prevents the cutting blade from passing further into the tree.
Option #4 - archery
Bow-type saws are more bulky devices that act as an analogue of a jigsaw.
The main purpose of saws of this type is to create an accurate cut when working with surfaces located at any angle.
Thanks to the solid design and threaded connections of the handles, bow-type saws are able to easily overcome knots, cutting along radii and curved patterns.
Depending on the purpose and constructive solution saws can be:
- sweeping – for longitudinal cutting;
- transverse – for sawing workpieces across the wood fiber;
- round - for cutting holes, making roundings and figure sawing;
- tenon - for cutting connecting tenons, as well as sawing simple ones on the workpiece geometric shapes.
Only with a bow-type hacksaw can you cut the material lengthwise and crosswise, sawing workpieces with complex lines and doing the work alone without the involvement of an assistant.
The procedure for choosing a hand saw for wood is quite simple:
Conventional handles are made of plastic. Prefabricated plastic handles, made of two halves, do not have sufficient rigidity. It is much more convenient to work with a tool that has a one-piece handle, which is equipped with a rubberized backing for the fingers. The presence of a rubber insert allows for a tighter grip, preventing the formation of calluses on the palm.
Pay attention to the design of the tool handle: it is desirable that it has an ergonomic shape that allows you to correctly transfer force to the blade
There are products on sale with standard and reversible handles. The second option is convenient because it allows you, if necessary, to replace the worn blade with a new one.
Keep in mind that not all hand saws come on sale already sharpened. And this seemingly trifle largely determines how quickly you can get to work.
There are many companies producing hacksaws on the market. Judging by the reviews, they have proven themselves well: the Zubr hacksaw domestic production, Gross Piranha joint German-Chinese cooperation, Irwin Xpert made in the USA. They are famous for their decent quality at a low price, which varies between 10-20 USD.
Finally, we invite you to watch a video with tips for choosing:
Related Posts
It is impossible to imagine a professional carpenter or carpenter without a hacksaw for wood, and it is used quite often in everyday life. Wide Application This instrument contributed to the emergence of various types intended for specific operations.
To choose the right hacksaw, you should study its characteristics, imagine what exactly needs to be cut with it and how often it will be used.
Species
Like any common tool designed to perform large quantity works, a hacksaw for wood is classified according to several parameters.
By type of cut and purpose
Hacksaws can be designed for cross cutting, longitudinal cutting (swing) or be universal. These types differ from each other in the shape of their teeth.
The teeth of saws designed for longitudinal cutting of wood have the shape of an oblique triangle. The angle between them ranges from 45 to 60°, which allows you to cut wood in only one direction, while ensuring an accurate and even cut line. Most often they are used in the manufacture of furniture.
Hacksaws with teeth resembling an isosceles triangle are used for cross-cutting wood. Sharpening at an angle of 45-55° makes it possible to cut workpieces in both forward and reverse directions. This saw works most effectively on dry wood.
A universal hacksaw has two types of teeth - triangular and semicircular (whereas semicircular ones are larger than triangular ones). When the saw moves forward, the long teeth set the direction, and the wider, triangular ones widen the cut, which allows sawdust and shavings to escape unhindered. The smaller the angle between these teeth, the more accurate the cut.
Depending on the purpose, hacksaws for wood are classic, circular and tenon. Classic saws are used for longitudinal or transverse cutting of wood. Circular hacksaws for wood are designed for cutting holes. Using tenon saws, elements for connecting individual parts are formed.
By tooth size
One of the main parameters of any hacksaw for wood is the size of the teeth. By size we mean pitch, that is, the distance between adjacent points. Depending on this parameter, saws may have teeth:
- small;
- average;
- large.
Hacksaws with fine teeth (from 2.0 to 2.5 mm) provide cutting of wood with high precision and are most often used for working with products of the smallest sizes.
Saws with large teeth (from 4 to 6 mm) are used for cutting logs or beams.
Hacksaws with medium tooth sizes (from 3.0 to 3.5 mm) are used when processing small parts.
There are also types of hand saws for wood with teeth arranged in groups of 6-7 pieces, separated from each other by intervals. This tool is used to process raw wood. Thanks to the existing gaps, wet wood chips do not clog the cutting channel.
Classification by design
Structurally, hacksaws for wood are:
- narrow;
- standard;
- with butt;
- with a reward;
- archery;
- folding.
Narrow hacksaws are used to cut workpieces whose thickness does not exceed 10 cm. They are also used for sawing branches in the garden, sawing out curved parts and other work. Structurally, these saws are a narrow blade with triangular teeth connected to an L-shaped handle.
The blade of a standard hacksaw (GOST 2615-84) can have any type of teeth. They are often equipped with sets of interchangeable blades designed to perform a wide variety of carpentry and joinery work.
When processing hard wood, hacksaw blades can bend greatly. Saws whose blades are equipped with a backing, which acts as an additional stiffener, are free from this drawback. However, its presence does not allow making a cut deeper than the width of the blade itself.
A hacksaw with a reward looks like a plane. It has two handles and is used in cases where it is necessary to make grooves or tenons. However, the depth of these elements may vary.
A bow saw is a blade stretched over a base made in the form of a large arc. It is connected to the handle using a threaded or tension connection, which allows the use of blades during operation different types. In turn, this makes it possible to single-handedly cut workpieces with complex cutting lines.
You can also find folding hacksaws for wood on the market. They are very light and different small in size folded, which allows amateurs active recreation take them with you on a hike or fishing trip. This saw has a short, pointed blade with small teeth.
Other varieties
There are other types of wood hacksaws. Among them are garden hand saw, equipped with a narrow blade, for the manufacture of which chromium steel is used. It is equipped with widely spaced teeth inclined towards the handle. This tool is convenient to use in cases where you have to focus on yourself while cutting.
There is a two-handed saw that is convenient for sawing large logs or felling trees. Two people should work with it.
A chain hand saw is a short chain with hardened teeth and two handles at the ends. It is compact and suitable for use on backpacking trips. You can work with it either by one person or by two people.
Modern and universal tool– an electric hacksaw, with which you can perform large volumes various works. In some cases, it completely replaces a circular saw. When changing blades, they use it to saw not only wood, but also plastic and metal.
Basic parameters
The effectiveness of using a hacksaw for wood largely depends on its technical characteristics. The main ones are:
- the material from which the saw blade is made;
- length of the canvas and its shape;
- tooth size and shape;
- type of handle.
When choosing a tool, you need to pay attention to each element of the characteristic. Only in this case you won’t have to regret the purchase.
Canvas material
The blade of modern hacksaws for wood is made from high-quality tool (alloy) steel with a high content of carbon and silicon (65G, 8HF, U7...U10). The hardness must be at least HRC 45. There are also models that use a combined, more wear-resistant blade with a cutting part (teeth) that has increased hardness (HRC55...60).
Length and shape of the canvas
On the domestic market you can find hacksaws for wood with a length of 250 to 650 mm in increments of 25 mm. This parameter is specified by GOST 2615-84 and depends on the distance between the teeth.
Pay attention! It is necessary to choose a saw, guided by the rule: “The length of the blade should be 2 times the thickness (diameter) of the workpiece.”
Otherwise, working with a hacksaw will be uncomfortable, since the short blade will jam inside the solid wood.
As a rule, hacksaws with a narrow blade are no more than 350 mm long and are equipped with a large number of small teeth. Universal-purpose tools are equipped with blades about 500 mm long with medium-sized teeth. Hacksaws with a wide blade are made with large teeth located on long distance from each other (large step), their length can reach 650 mm.
Traditionally, a wood saw has the shape of a triangle narrowed on one side. This tool can work with any type of wood. In addition, there are hacksaws adapted for working, for example, with tree branches or other objects located at some distance from the sawyer. They have a rounded shape and are lightweight.
Tooth size and shape
The size of the teeth (pitch) of the hacksaw blade directly affects the performance and accuracy of the tool. The larger the teeth, the higher the speed, but the accuracy and quality of the cut deteriorates. Using a saw with fine teeth, on the contrary, guarantees a clean and even cut, but at the same time the speed decreases.
The cutting accuracy is determined by the number of teeth per 1 inch of blade length (TPI coefficient), that is, their density. Its value is marked on the side surface of the canvas (for example, 7x1″ or 7TPI). The higher the TPI, the smaller the pitch. So, 2TPI=12 mm, and 12TPI=2 mm.
When choosing a hacksaw for wood, you must take into account that the minimum thickness of the workpiece must be greater than a pitch of three teeth.
The appearance of sharpened teeth is essential when working with a hacksaw on wood. In this case, teeth that are sharpened on both sides and have the form of an acute-angled or isosceles triangle are considered standard.
Important! The latest generation of saws are equipped with hardened teeth of non-standard shape. They have the shape of a trapezoid and are distinguished by the presence of three sharpened edges and increased wear resistance. Blades with such teeth do not yield.
Handle type
The type of handle and the material from which it is made largely determine the ease of working with a hacksaw on wood. It is best to work with a saw equipped with a solid plastic handle with rubberized finger inserts. The handle, made of two parts, is less comfortable, as it does not have sufficient rigidity.
The Zubr Expert saw is a universal tool that can be used to carry out both longitudinal and cross cuts of wood. The 40 cm long blade has hardened, in a special way set teeth spaced at 5 mm pitches.
The Banco Laplander 396-LAP mini file is specially designed for use in hiking conditions. The narrow, pointed blade has Sandvik XT-shaped teeth, which ensure high-quality cutting of wood both along and across the grain. The length of the hacksaw when folded is 23 cm, and it weighs only 200 g.
Every true craftsman (even at home) always has a convenient and multifunctional circular electric saw. But sometimes there are types of work when you need to saw off only one part, or simply perform small amounts of work, and get electrical device I don't want to. In this case, a hacksaw blade will help you out. But we’ll look further at how to choose a good hacksaw for wood that will be easy to use and can easily “gnaw through” any type of wood.
The saw can rightfully be called the mother of all hand tools. From the moment people realized the importance of iron and created the first saw, the tool has changed many times and already has a dozen “sisters” that can be used to perform any type of work.
Let's take a closer look at what each of these parameters should be.
Hacksaw blade - what it should be like
The main part of the tool is the blade. The first thing you should pay attention to when choosing a hacksaw for wood is the length of the blade. A lot will depend on this, at least even the possibilities of application.
At the same time, the larger the canvas, the more it will spring, which will complicate the process, especially when working with maple, ash and oak.
If you plan to saw bars or narrow slats, a tool with a length of 25 to 30 cm will be enough for you. If you plan to use a tool for serious work in construction, give preference to tools with a blade length of 50 cm.
When choosing the length, you should be guided by the rule that the length should exceed the diameter of the element being processed by exactly 2 times.
If you do not follow this recommendation, you will make your job more difficult. The teeth of a short hacksaw will only jam in the wood, and it will be very difficult to move such a saw to free it from sawdust.
Working in an uncomfortable environment will cause you to become tired sooner than if you had followed all the instructions.
Typically, the width of a hacksaw blade is from 10 to 20 cm. Models with a smaller width have many disadvantages, since they are impractical and will immediately fail. But keep in mind that tools that are too wide will not give you comfort.
For the manufacture of hacksaws, alloy steel is used, which differs from ordinary steel in its high content of carbon and silicon of the following grades:
- 65G, 60 S2A.
- 8 XF, 9 XF, 9 XC.
- Y7, Y7A, Y8, Y8A, Y8G, Y8GA, Y9A, Y10.
The metal is hardened under special influence magnetic field, due to which a high-frequency electric current appears.
When spread on the surface, it heats the top layer of metal, after which it is hardened cold water. According to the standard, the hardness of the metal should be 45 HRC, but it is better to give preference to products whose blade hardness will be from 55 to 60.
At a hacksaw for wood with high density will good performance flexibility, but at the same time the teeth will be stable. Externally, upon inspection, you will determine the quality of the instrument by the dark shade of the sharpened teeth.
What kind of teeth should there be?
One more important factor The performance of the tool and its performance when cutting is determined by the size of the teeth. An indicator such as sawing accuracy is designated TPI, which means the number of teeth per inch (2.54 cm).
The relationship between this technical parameter is as follows:
- A blade with larger teeth gives high speed when working, but in this case, expect a sloppy and rough cut.
- Hacksaws with fine teeth will make a clean and precise cut, but the work speed will be several times lower.
When you decide on the size of the teeth, focus on the type of material being processed.
When working with materials such as chipboard. Where high cutting accuracy is needed, you should take a tool with an index of 7 to 9, and for logs in the garden, where the cleanliness of the cut does not play an important role, an index of 3 to 6 is suitable.
If you compare an ordinary and a hardened tooth, the difference will be that an ordinary one does not become dull for a long time. household use. But a hacksaw with hardened teeth cannot be resharpened, so when the quality of the cut decreases, you have no choice but to simply throw it away.
The advantage of a regular tooth is that it can be sharpened. This work is periodically carried out using a file marked with an accident ( for sharpening saws). To sharpen, you need to run the file over each tooth several times.
Depending on the type of teeth, there are three types of hand saws:
Some types of instruments have teeth that are shaped like a trapezoid. This decision has created a new generation of hacksaw blades, which are wear-resistant and much stronger.
But it is worth considering that sharpening such a blade is a difficult task, since it is difficult to shape the complex shape of small teeth. This greatly reduces the service life of the tool, at the end of which you will have to change the blade or choose another good hacksaw for wood.
Nowadays, new models of hacksaws are increasingly found on the market, which are designed for cutting not yet dried. Small chips easily pass between the saw teeth and do not impede the work.
Narrow
This is a small saw that consists of a flat, straight blade and a handle. With its help, you can perform a number of small jobs: cut out curved parts, make a through cut, etc.
It is made of cloth with double-sided teeth in the form of a triangle, sometimes with parallel sharpening. The disadvantage of the tool is that when pressed during operation, the blade may deviate from the specified direction.
Standard
Hand saw with standard parameters can have any type of teeth and is most often equipped with several blades for changing, which have different designs and types of teeth. Despite the versatility stated in the parameters, such saws are not suitable for making furniture.
With a butt
Both narrow and standard saws tend to bend when the stiffness threshold increases. To avoid this, it will be effective to use a tool with a backing, which will act as a stiffener. The presence of such a “fixer” will not make it possible to make a cut larger than the width of the blade, since it will prevent the blade from passing into the tree to a greater depth.
Luchkovaya
This type of saw is a bulkier device that is a manual version of a jigsaw. Due to the solid design and the threaded connection of the handles, such saws can easily overcome knots, making cuts along patterns and radii.
Depending on the intended type of work and the design of the saw, there may be:
- Transverse– for cutting across the wood grain.
- Sweeping- for cutting lengthwise.
- Circular– for creating holes, roundings and cutting shapes.
- Spiked– for cutting connecting tenons and sawing out simple geometric shapes on the workpiece.
Only a bow saw can perform all these functions without additional tools.
The procedure for choosing is quite simple:
Now about the handles. They are usually made of plastic. Prefabricated handles are made from two plastic halves, which are not very rigid. It is much more convenient to work with tools that have a one-piece handle equipped with a rubber backing for the fingers. If you have a rubber insert, it will be much more convenient for you to make a grip, thereby protecting yourself from the formation of calluses.
You can often find tools with a flip-over and standard handle on sale. The first option is convenient because it is possible to replace the canvas with a new one if its service life expires.
Please also keep in mind that not all saw models are sold sharpened, and this seemingly insignificant detail determines how quickly you can start working.
According to customer reviews, the following have gained trust:
Wood has been used as a building material since time immemorial. And now it has not lost its popularity. He is loved for environmental cleanliness and ease of processing, which is best done with wood hacksaws. These tools are available with different parameters, which are selected depending on the specific purpose.
Specifications
The saw is one of the first hand tools invented by man. Since the appearance of the first rough version Centuries have passed, and many varieties have appeared for different types of work.
As for hand saws for wood, they differ from each other in many parameters, including the following:
Let's look at each in detail.
Hacksaw blade
In principle, this is the instrument itself. The most important parameter the canvas is its length. It is this that determines the range of application possibilities. However, the longer the blade, the stronger the spring, which makes working with hard wood species such as oak, ash or maple especially difficult. For sawing small objects such as plinths, bars or narrow slats, a hand-held wood hacksaw with a blade length will suffice 25−30 cm. For more serious work, you need a tool with a blade length 45−50 cm.
A simple rule for determining the length: the blade should be twice the diameter of the logs that will be sawed with it. The teeth of a short hacksaw will jam in the wood, requiring much more effort to work, which will quickly cause fatigue. The width of the blade usually varies in the range of 10−20 cm. A narrower blade is not allowed, as it breaks at the slightest bend, but an overly wide blade is inconvenient to work with your hands.
Material of manufacture
Blades for hacksaws are made of tool alloy steel with a high content of carbon and silicon, grades:
- 8 HF, 9 HF, 9 HS;
- 65 G, 60 C2A;
- U7, U7A, U 8, U8A, U8G, U8GA, U9A, U 10.
The metal is hardened by exposing it to an alternating magnetic field when a high-frequency electric current appears. As it spreads over the surface, it heats the metal layer, which hardens after cooling. A hardness of 45 HR C is considered standard, although it is recommended to take products with a hardness of 55-60 HR C when the flexibility is sufficient and the teeth have high stability. Upon external inspection of such a tool, you can see the darkish tint of the sharpened teeth.
Teeth parameters
Precision and performance mainly depends on tooth size.
The defining indicator is “TPI” - the number of teeth per inch.
There is an inverse relationship between these technical parameters:
- Blades with large teeth allow you to work at high speed, but the cut is sloppy and rough.
- With the help of a blade with fine teeth, it is possible to guarantee a clean and precise cut, but the speed of work is relatively low.
When determining the size of the teeth, focus on the material being processed. To work with chipboard, for example, greater cutting accuracy is required, so a tool with a high TPI of 7−9 is selected. For cutting logs and gardening work where cut cleanliness is not so important, TPI 3−6 is sufficient.
The difference between a hardened tooth and an ordinary tooth is that the first one does not become dull for a long time in everyday use. But a saw with hardened teeth cannot be sharpened again; it can only be thrown away after use. Ordinary teeth can be sharpened, which is done with a special file marked with an accident (for sharpening saws). It is enough to pass over each tooth several times.
Depending on the type of teeth, there are three types of hacksaws for different types of sawing:
Some modern instruments have teeth trapezoidal. This increases strength and wear resistance, but sharpening such a blade is not easy, since the trapezoidal teeth are difficult to shape. Because of this, the service life is greatly reduced, and after it has expired, the blade has to be changed.
The market also offers modernized hacksaws. They are effective for cutting raw wood. During operation, wet chips easily come out through the gaps between the teeth, and the movement of the tool is not hampered.
Types of hand saws for wood
It is impossible to say for sure which hacksaw is better for wood. Eat different options, for different types of work. Let's describe them.
Depending on the design and purpose of the saw, there are:
- Swing - for longitudinal cutting.
- Transverse - for sawing across the grain.
- Circular - for making holes, figure sawing, making roundings.
- Tenoning - for cutting connecting tenons and cutting out simple geometric shapes.
You can cut the material lengthwise and crosswise only with a bow saw, cutting blanks with complex lines. The work can be done without an assistant.
Handle type
In many ways, the ease of use of a tool is determined by the shape and material of its handle. Handles can be wooden or plastic. The surface at the grip site should not allow the hand to slip. This effect is eliminated by making scars on the handle, or covering it with a rubber layer. The saw can be cast or with a reversible blade. In the latter case, it is easy to replace the canvas.
Conventional handles are made of plastic. Prefabricated plastic handles of two halves do not have sufficient rigidity; it is much more convenient to handle a tool with a one-piece handle with a rubberized backing for the fingers. Rubber insert allows you to make your grip tighter, which prevents the formation of calluses.
To choose the right hand saw for wood, you need to follow a number of recommendations. You need to pay attention to the following:
- Target. For carpentry work, you need a saw with fine teeth, which will ensure high cutting accuracy. Carpenters need a blade with large teeth.
- Fabric uniformity. Gently bend the fabric at an angle of 30-45° and release it. The slightest deviations on the fold line (even within 2 mm) indicate low quality of the metal.
- Frequency of use. If you need a saw for one-time work, it is better to take a tool with hardened teeth. The service life is quite long, and you don’t have to worry about sharpening and setting.
- Price. High quality models leading manufacturers are much more expensive than consumer goods. But the high price is a kind of guarantee of wear resistance and durability. However, for one-time work it is not advisable to buy an expensive tool.
Decide on the purpose of the tool, see how it fits in your hand. Please read the included instructions, if available. These minimal “wisdoms” are repeatedly will reduce the risk of choosing a bad tool.
