Hand Saws

A hand saw earns its place where a powered saw is more trouble than the cut is worth — one limb, one length of conduit, a cut up a pole or in a bucket where a running blade is the last thing wanted. Folding saws close into their own handle and live in a pouch, which is why they get carried and therefore used; the better ones have a locking mechanism that holds the blade open firmly enough to push as well as pull. Fixed-blade pruning saws give a longer, faster cut on green timber, with curved blades and impulse-hardened teeth designed to cut on the pull stroke so the blade stays straight rather than buckling. Tooth pitch follows the material: coarse and widely set for green wood which would otherwise clog, fine for dry timber and a clean finish. Hacksaws cut metal — conduit, threaded rod, bar and bolt — and a high-tension frame is what keeps the blade rigid enough to track straight instead of wandering and snapping. Blade choice matters as much as the frame: at least three teeth should be in contact with the work at all times.