In addition to power tools, in the arsenal good master Must have hand tools. And this is not only a hammer and sets of keys, but hand tools also include a hacksaw, the selection of which requires an appropriate approach. It is used exclusively for wood processing - pruning trees, preparing rafters, beams and boards during construction, as well as manufacturing different designs from woodworking materials. Wood saws are the second most important tool after a hammer, and their selection requires an appropriate approach.

How to choose a wood hacksaw for your home

The choice of any tool requires a competent approach. A hacksaw, although it is considered the simplest hand tool, which consists of a cutting part and a handle, however, a lot depends on it. This includes the speed of achieving the result, the quality of the cut, as well as the amount of physical effort put in by a person when pruning trees.

Many home craftsmen still have old hacksaws from the USSR era, which have one important quality- this is reliability. Modern hacksaws are less reliable, but more practical and easy to use. That is why, if you have an old hand saw for wood lying in your garage, do not rush to throw it away. To restore the functionality of the tool you need. However, it is important to take into account that the tool must have all the teeth, otherwise it is not suitable for further use.

This is interesting! The absence of one or more teeth on a wood hacksaw not only reduces the productivity of the tool, but also makes its operation unsafe. After all, where there are no teeth on the blade, the load increases, so it is possible that the material may break, thereby injuring the craftsman working with the tool.

If you have an old wood hacksaw in your arsenal, then you can restore its functionality, and if you decide to purchase a new one, then you will need an appropriate approach to the choice. Before choosing, let's consider the types of hacksaws for wood, what they are and how they differ.

Types of hacksaws for wood - the main criterion when choosing

A good craftsman should have at least two wood hacksaws in his arsenal. One saw is used for cutting dry boards, and the second tool is used for wet ones (when trimming orchard). They differ in the setting and shape of the teeth. Depending on the type of work planned, it is necessary to purchase the appropriate type of cutting hand tool. To do this, let’s find out what types of wood saws are produced by manufacturers in different countries.

1. The classic version is an ordinary file, which consists of closed type handles and blades of different lengths. This type of hacksaw is also called universal, as they are suitable for performing various tasks related to wood processing.
   
2. Rounding is a highly specialized version of a cutting device, which is designed for cutting out different shapes and patterns in sheet woodworking materials, for example, when you need to cut out round hole. Circular files are also called narrow files, as they have a narrowed blade design and a sharp nose.
   
3. A backed saw, a tenon saw, or a tenon saw is another type of classic cutting tool, which also consists of a blade and a handle. The difference from the classics is that the blade has the same size (without tapering), as well as a fine tooth. This type of tool is intended exclusively for working with a miter box, when you need to obtain the appropriate cutting angle on woodworking material. Suitable for working with laminate flooring and skirting boards
   
4. Luchkovaya - it is more like a hacksaw for metal, only it has larger size frame part, as well as canvas with big teeth. It is used in locksmith workshops, as well as for sawing branches and twigs from trees. The instrument received this name for the reason that there is a similarity with an ancient weapon instrument - a bow that shoots arrows
   
5. Nagradka is a highly specialized type of hand saws used in carpentry and metalworking workshops. This type of tool resembles a plane, as there are two handles. At the bottom it is attached to the base cutting blade with fine teeth, which allows you to obtain precise cuts on boards, beams and other similar materials
   
6. Folding is a modernized version of the hacksaw, which is great solution for hiking trips. It folds up, which is its main advantage
   

Knowing what types of wood hacksaws there are and how they differ, you can decide for yourself which type of tool is suitable for performing certain planned actions. Considering the wide variety of tools under consideration, one of the most important wood saws in the household is the classic one.

This is interesting! Unlike working with a hacksaw for metal, where sawing is performed by applying force from oneself, the situation with a wood saw is different. Woodworking is carried out in two directions, that is, sawing is performed in the direction away from you and towards you.

To choose the right hacksaw for wood, you need to consider the following main indicators:

• The size of the canvas, or rather its length. Not only the ability to saw workpieces depends on the length large diameter, but also the speed of achieving results, as well as the ease of performing work
• The material of steel from which the blade is made. The efficiency and service life of the tool depends on this parameter.
• Teeth and their size - larger teeth do not mean a better tool. The larger the tooth, the easier it is to saw raw blanks, but the lower the quality of the cut
• Holder or handle - the ease of use of the tool depends on it. The more comfortable the handle, the easier it is to control the tool.

So, knowing the basic parameters for choosing, buy best hacksaws woodworking for home handyman won't be a big deal. Among the many varieties of cutting tools, it will be difficult to choose the right option without the appropriate help. You can contact your tool dealer for help. hardware store, but only in the end you will buy such a hacksaw, for which the seller will receive a percentage of its sale. If you need to buy a good hacksaw for wood, then tips and recommendations from the material will help you make the right decision.

What parameters are used to select wood hacksaws for the home - basic requirements

Buying the most expensive hacksaw does not mean getting the highest quality and most reliable cutting tool. The result of such a thoughtless purchase is the same - the tool will lie on a shelf in the garage and become covered with dust. The reasons for this may be a variety of factors - from the inconvenience of using a saw to low efficiency when sawing woodworking materials. Therefore, you should not rely on the cost of hacksaws, since the price, although it affects the quality, is not always able to satisfy the needs. That is why you will need an appropriate approach to choosing a wood saw for your home, which we will discuss in detail below.

Blade material or type of steel used

Blades for wood hacksaws are made from different types of steel, which must have a hardness of at least 45 HRC. The main material is alloy or tool steel. To increase the service life of the tool in question, it is necessary to give preference to materials such as stainless steel. To increase the service life of the tool, the cutting part of the blade is made of steel with a hardness of at least 55-60 HRC.

When purchasing, you need to pay attention to the color of the teeth. If the teeth are black, this means that after manufacturing the material has undergone additional heat treatment - hardening. Usually, the teeth on hacksaws are hardened, in which the blade is made of steel with a hardness of 45 HRC, but no more. Most manufacturers indicate the steel material and its hardness on the blades of the tools they produce.

1. Wood saw blades with hardened teeth have a long service life, however, if they become dull, they cannot be sharpened. The teeth on the blades can be hardened or not. If hardened ones cannot be sharpened after dulling, then non-hardened ones, on the contrary, can be sharpened required amount times until the teeth are completely worn out.
2. Non-hardened teeth are not subject to additional heat treatment, however, due to the fact that they are made from harder types of steel, they are more expensive than similar wood saws with a hardened tooth.

Length of blades on hacksaws

You've probably had to deal with hacksaws different sizes. Some are very compact and have a short length of canvas, while others, on the contrary, are very long and awkward. Having decided on the material of the canvas, you need to understand their dimensions. Everything is simple here, because modern manufacturers They produce classic hacksaws with blades from 28 cm or more. The longest files are those with blades of 60 cm or more. When to use long and short blades on wood hacksaws:

• Short blades - such saws are used for sawing off boards, beams and other small workpieces. If you take a large saw to cut small workpieces, it will be inconvenient to work
• Long blades from 50 cm or more are used for sawing workpieces of large diameter from 30 cm. The use of such tools allows you to remove the hacksaw in one pass a large number of woodworking material from the cutting line

As you understand, the farm must have at least two tools with a long and a short blade, which will allow them to be used when performing the relevant work.

This is interesting! In order not to make a mistake in choosing the length of the hacksaw blade, you need to multiply the diameter of the workpiece by two and select a saw based on the obtained value. For example, if the diameter of the workpiece is 20 cm, then to effectively saw it, it is recommended to use a hacksaw with a blade 40-45 cm long.

Once the length of the blade has been selected, you should move on to another important indicator - the type of handle.

What kind of handle should be on a hacksaw?

Old hacksaws for wood from the USSR era had handles made of durable plastic, wood or metal. Their main drawback is the inconvenience during work. With frequent use of the tool, calluses formed on the master’s fingers, so the work had to be performed exclusively in protective gloves.

Modern hacksaws are equipped with handles made of plastic or metal, which are additionally coated with rubber or silicone materials. This increases the comfort of working with the tool, so you can forget about the appearance of calluses, provided that the hacksaw fits well in your hand and does not cause discomfort.

Not only the ease of use of the tool, but also its performance depends on the shape of the handle. Plastic handles without an additional coating of rubber and silicone, they have a positive effect on the cost of the cutting tool, only with constant use of the tool, this option is far from the best. Handles can be removable or non-removable. Removable models allow you to change blades on a wood saw.

All about teeth on hacksaws for wood

What a hacksaw is and what types of tools there are is known, so now it won’t be difficult to choose the most suitable option. But there is no need to rush, since in addition to the main criteria for choosing hacksaws, you also need to take into account auxiliary factors, which will allow you to even more accurately select a tool for the appropriate task.

Such auxiliary factors for selection include sizes, types and number of teeth. It is these parameters that have a direct impact on the quality of the cut, the speed of work, as well as worker fatigue. Let's look at each parameter and find out what type of teeth should be on the wood hacksaw you choose for your home.

Types of teeth: small and large

Hand hacksaws for wood have blades on which the teeth can be large or small. For what purposes blades with large and small teeth are used, we will find out further.

1. With large teeth - used for cutting raw trees, as well as other workpieces where the quality of the cut does not matter. Large teeth are needed in order to get the result as quickly as possible, however, the cutting accuracy and quality of the cut suffer. When collecting firewood or pruning trees, this does not play a big role
2. With fine teeth - designed for sawing laminate, fiberboard, chipboard, plywood and other workpieces. Their main advantage is that they provide a high-quality cutting line without scoring, chipping or other deformations. Fine-toothed wood hacksaws are used to work with a miter box, where laminate flooring, trim on doors and windows, as well as baseboards can be cut at appropriate angles. Sawing with a hacksaw with a small tooth takes 2 times longer than with a large one.

To achieve quick results, you need to choose files with large teeth, and when accuracy is needed, then blades with fine teeth are used.

Tooth pitch and what it is

Let's consider such an important parameter as the tooth pitch, which many craftsmen are not even aware of. The pitch of a hacksaw's teeth on wood is designated by the abbreviation TPI. This indicator characterizes the number of teeth per inch of blade length. There is no need to calculate this value, since most manufacturers indicate the pitch on the surface of the canvas. This parameter is interconnected with the size of the teeth, since the larger they are, the higher the pitch. What does tooth pitch affect?

First of all, the accuracy of the cut. If you need to get a neat cut, then you should give preference to tools with TPI parameters from 7 to 11. If speed of work is important, then you need to choose tool models with a larger tooth pitch, and the TPI value is smaller and ranges from 1 to 7. Below is a table of tooth pitches, based on which you can determine optimal parameters this indicator.

For the home, the optimal tooth pitch on a hacksaw for wood is 4-5 mm or 5-6 TPI.

Tooth shape and how it affects performance

Available different types woodworking materials, therefore it is absolutely appropriate to produce canvases with in different forms teeth Let us find out in detail what types of teeth these are.

The higher the efficiency of the tool, the correspondingly more expensive it is. The most expensive are hacksaws with wolf teeth and Japanese teeth. For the home, a tool with a classic shape of cutting links is quite enough.

How does blade thickness affect performance?

Another important parameter is the thickness of the canvas. The difference in thickness is almost impossible to detect by eye, so many manufacturers indicate its values ​​on the surface of the device. Thickness affects the following parameters:

1. Device Durability
2. Kerf thickness
3. Scope of application

The thicker the canvas, the more reliable it is. Hacksaws with thick blades do not “play” when working, so it is recommended to use these types of blades for sawing thick wood. Thin sheets are fragile, and when bent at an angle of 90 degrees, they may break. They are suitable for sawing thin beams, boards, branches and other materials. They also allow you to obtain high-quality and thin cuts in materials.

Checking steel and quality of teeth sharpening

When purchasing, you need to take into account not only the parameters by which the tool is made, but also the quality of sharpening of the teeth and straightness of the blade. We'll find out how to check it yourself later.

1. To check the quality of steel you need to look at the design of the blade. It should be perfectly straight. Now, to make sure that the tool is made of high-quality steel, you should hold the hacksaw with one hand by the handle, and with the other by the tip of the blade, bend it to 70-80 degrees, but do not overdo it, as it may burst. After this, release the canvas and look again at its straight shape. If it remains the same as before, it means it was made using high-quality tool steel. If a bending angle has formed, then such a tool is made of low quality steel, and it will not last long
2. You can determine the quality of sharpening visually by looking at the links. If their edges sparkle, then they are sharpened, and if they merge with the blade, then the sharpening is not done well enough

Choosing a tool requires an appropriate approach, and sometimes it is better to overpay than to buy a hacksaw for the home of insufficient quality. Even if such a tool will serve for a long time, you will suffer with it not only when working, but also sharpening the teeth.

Which is better, a Chinese or domestic hacksaw?

Many people are accustomed to dividing instruments into “their own”, German and Chinese. As you know, Chinese products are not famous for their high quality, but at the same time they are considered affordable, just like domestic ones. German instruments are expensive and of high quality, so their prices are correspondingly high. If you need a good cutting tool, then it is not necessary to choose models of German origin, since there are many Russian manufacturers, producing quality products, for example, Zubr.

Name	Description	Conclusion
View	Classic, round, heel, bow, etc.	Depending on the work being done, but for a home you will definitely need a classic look
Canvas material	Alloy or tool steel with a hardness of over 45 HRC	The degree of hardness on the canvas is indicated. It is not recommended to buy with a lower indicator. Before purchasing, check the canvas for bending
Teeth type	Hardened or not hardened	If you plan to sharpen it yourself, then non-hardened ones will do, and hardened ones cannot be sharpened, but at the same time they have a long service life
Blade length	Starts from 25 cm and above	30-40 cm is enough for home
Handle type	Plastic or wood	High quality rubberized plastic is recommended
Type of teeth	Big and small	For a high-quality cut, a small tooth, and for a quick cut, a large one
Tooth pitch	From 1 to 25 TPI	Saws are selected for the home in increments of 4 to 7 TPI
Tooth shape	Universal, chisel, dagger, wolf tooth, Japanese tooth	Depending on the tasks, but for the home, universal or Japanese types of teeth on the blades are chosen
Blade thickness	From 0.8 mm and above	The best option is 0.9-1 mm
Manufacturer	Europe, China, Russia	You need to choose depending on the specified requirements, as well as cost. Chinese hacksaws “Mother-in-law” showed their worthy quality

Chinese models of hacksaws can be divided into cheap and high-quality, so if domestic products are not suitable, then you can choose a wood hacksaw for your home made in China, represented by brands such as Bahco, Stanley and others. The price of cutting tools depends not only on the manufacturer, but also on the length of the blades.

Suppose we need to adjust wooden baseboard or prune the garden. It would seem that we take a hacksaw and saw. What kind of hacksaw do we use for wood? No, the question is not an idle one at all. To be convinced of this, just go to any construction supermarket or online store that sells tools. Dozens of models are presented to our attention. And their differences are not only in logos and prices.

It seems like a simple tool, but no, if you make the wrong choice, at best, you won’t get the expected pleasure from your work. At worst - as the author of the comment on the forum: “It seemed to me that the saws were sold ready for use, i.e. already sharpened and divorced.” So how to choose a hacksaw for wood? What should you pay attention to: brand, length or price? We will try to answer this question in this article.

Main characteristics

The canvas is of primary importance in this tool. The ease of use of the product and its service life will depend on the grade of steel, the correct hardening procedure and successful sharpening. The choice of a hacksaw for wood is based on four basic characteristics:

• blade length;
• tooth size;
• steel type;
• handle type.

The first criterion is the length of the canvas. It depends on the needs of the buyer, for small bars, boards, etc. A 280 - 300 mm hacksaw is quite sufficient. For construction or summer cottages, a sheet of 450 - 500 mm is more appropriate. There is more. When selecting a model, you must clearly know what size wood you are going to cut. The rule is this: the length of the hacksaw should be twice the length of the largest workpiece for which it is intended. You can do less, but ease of use will be lost. This is due to several reasons:

• this ratio allows all the teeth of the hacksaw to completely come out of the log during cutting, and this is an effective removal of sawdust (it will not become clogged);
• It’s easier on the hands; with more sweeping movements the hand doesn’t get so tired.

​

The size of the teeth and their sharpening. The accuracy of the cut and its speed will depend on this characteristic. The pattern is this: a small tooth means a clean and precise cut, but less speed; larger - a rough cut at much higher speed and less fatigue. This characteristic on hacksaws is referred to as “TPI,” which stands for the number of teeth per inch (almost 30 mm). The higher the TPI value, the more “delicate” the cut will be. For example, for working with chipboard and fiberboard, this value should be at least 7 - 9. The cut surface will be smoother without a “ragged” edge.

For garden work, cleanliness of the cut is not so critical, especially for trimming or sawing logs. A more important characteristic for such work is the cutting speed and the effort to be expended. For this we need a hacksaw with a TPI value of 3-6, the distance between the teeth is from 4 to 8 mm.

The classic tooth shape is a triangle. As a rule, such saws are of the sharpened type. The latest generation of hacksaws with hardened teeth have a trapezoidal shape. They are initially designed with increased strength and wear resistance. When it gets dull, we go buy a new hacksaw or change the blade. No matter how hard you try, you won’t be able to sharpen it: repeating the sharpening angles is extremely difficult, and such steel cannot be filed. Provided that the production technology is followed.

Steel type. The standard metal hardness for a wood hacksaw is 45 HRC. Steel with a hardness of 55 - 60 HRC is used for the teeth. This type of hacksaw combines the flexibility of the blade with high resistance to tooth wear. They are easy to recognize by their characteristic appearance - the teeth have a darker shade than the rest of the surface of the blade. These hacksaws are of the non-sharpenable type. If the teeth are not hardened, they can be straightened and sharpened.

Lever. The number of calluses on your hands depends on its ergonomics. There are two handle options: reversible or classic. The first option allows you to change blades, for example, in the Bahco Superior EX-19-XT9-C wood hacksaw model.

How to choose?

First of all, it is necessary to determine what type of tool is needed: carpentry or carpentry. Joiner's cut has a more precise and clean cut and is used primarily for dry wood. Cutting speed for of this type the instrument is not the main characteristic.

When choosing a length, focus on your needs, i.e. what size timber or log are you going to cut? If the tool will not be used frequently, e.g. summer cottage, choose with hardened teeth. The service life of such a saw is long. In addition, properly sharpening and setting teeth is its own science, and mastering it for seasonal work in the garden may not be advisable.

The quality of the canvas can be checked upon purchase. To do this, take a hacksaw and see how smooth the canvas is. Next, bend the canvas until you feel resistance and release. The bending force should be slight, do not break it. After this, look at the evenness of the blade at the bend; if the deviation is more than 2 mm, the steel is not of very high quality.

The teeth of a hacksaw have a dual role:

• cut wood;
• remove sawdust.

The smaller the number of teeth per inch, the faster the cutting speed and the less clogging with sawdust. Hacksaws with up to 7 teeth provide high productivity with little user effort. True, accuracy will suffer from this. But even here it is necessary to look for a middle ground, because The greater the distance between the teeth, the smaller the cutting surface. Accordingly, productivity will decrease. The best option will next rule: the minimum thickness of the bar should be more step three teeth. Otherwise it will be torment, not cutting.

Hacksaws can be used with longitudinal and transverse cutting methods. Longitudinal webs It is easy to recognize by the angle of the teeth; such saws cut only from themselves. Usually their length does not exceed 50 cm, they have an acute cutting angle - 75 - 800. Most of the models presented in stores can be classified as cross-cut hacksaws. They have sharpening on both sides of the tooth. This allows you to cut both forward and backward.

One of the determining criteria for choosing a hacksaw for wood is price. As with everything else, quality products leading brands will cost more than Chinese brands. This overpayment, in fact, guarantees the durability and wear resistance of such a tool. And with hardened teeth, this is very important; the overall service life of such a tool will depend on it. It cannot be sharpened. Leading manufacturers exercise more stringent control when choosing steel grades and hardening technology. And as we discussed above, even the shape and pitch of the teeth of such a tool will influence a lot. Starting with convenience and effort expended, ending with the accuracy and evenness of the cut.

Models you should definitely take a closer look at

The models below deserve very good feedback both according to the results of specialized tests of the tool, and according to the opinions of the users themselves. For convenience, all models will be in increasing price categories, from budget to professional wood hacksaws.

Wood saw Bison Expert, has a very comfortable plastic handle. The teeth are hardened, triangular in shape with two cutting edges. Suitable for both longitudinal and cross cuts. The length of the blade, as well as the number of teeth per inch, is selected by the user independently; there are different variations of this model. It cuts any type of wood well. This tool suitable for carpentry work, because controllability and cutting accuracy are excellent. For the garden, you can choose a model with a lower TPI value. Cost from 12 to 15 USD.

Wood saw Gross Piranha also available in several versions. Blades Available in different lengths (from 400 to 550 mm) and different numbers of teeth. The saw is made of hard steel 52 HRc, teeth, hardened 66 HRc with triangular laser sharpening. It cuts smoothly and cleanly. The Piranha wood hacksaw has a Teflon coating, which significantly improves the glide of the blade and allows you to get clean cut edges. The cost of this tool is 12 - 15 USD.

Stanley General Purpose wood hacksaw. This instrument is produced by a French company, has good quality and is not a high price (about 12 USD). Designed for both longitudinal and cross cutting. Length 500 mm with TPI 8. Hardened teeth. The cut is easy, without additional effort. An excellent purchase for a summer cottage.

Irwin Xpert hacksaw. Very good tool for a reasonable price, from 20 USD The cut was easy, the cut was even and smooth. When sawing hardwood, the force on your hand does not increase significantly. Good ergonomics of the handle. Length 500 mm, teeth, hardened with proprietary geometry, TPI 8.

Sandvik wood saws(in the past), and now it is a well-known instrument under the Bahco brand. Bahco saws with proprietary XT geometry have practically no equal, this is already a category professional tool. The Bahco ProfCut PC-19-File-U7 model is noteworthy. This is one of the few saws that can be sharpened. Convenient, 475 mm long hacksaw. Sawing smoothly and easily. Cost from 20 USD

By the way, you can get Bahco quality and save money by purchasing a hacksaw under the “Tescha” brand. This instrument comes to Russia from two countries. If you purchase one marked “made in Sweden”, you will have in your hands a tool from the Bahco factory, with its level of quality.

Despite the diversity modern material, it’s hard to imagine crafts without wood. Therefore, carpentry tools are most in demand for home workshops. With their help, wood is processed, wood crafts and structures consisting of wooden parts are made.

Carpentry tools, based on their purpose, can be divided into several groups:

• shock;
• sawing;
• chopping;
• measuring;
• marking;
• boring;
• chopping;
• auxiliary

The sawing tool is designed for cutting and sawing wood parts to specified sizes. Such devices include a hacksaw, which is a type of hand saw.

All hacksaws differ from each other in their characteristics: size, grade of blade steel, shape of the handle and teeth.

Dimensions and material of the canvas

The dimensions of the canvas depend on the needs of the buyer. If you need to cut boards, a small diameter block, it is enough for a hacksaw blade to reach 28-30 cm. For construction, it is more convenient and expedient to use a 45-50 cm blade. The dimensions can be larger; they directly depend on the size of the wood you plan to work with.

To make it more convenient to work, the length of the workpiece should be half the length of the blade. If this rule is followed, the movements of the hand will be more sweeping, and the hand will not get tired quickly. In addition, the hacksaw teeth completely come out of the workpiece during cutting, which facilitates the effective removal of sawdust. The width of the canvas varies from 10 cm to 20 cm.

Hacksaws are made of alloy steel containing silicon and various types of carbon grades. Hardening of some is carried out by exposing the metal to an alternating magnetic field. One of the indicators of the quality of a canvas is its hardness, which is measured using the Rockwell method using the C scale, hence the abbreviation HRC.

A tip with a diamond cone or strong balls are pressed into the test sample as an indicator. Based on the depth of penetration of the indicator, the hardness of the material under study is determined on the Rockwell scale. For a hacksaw blade, the standard hardness is 45 HRC. Steel with a hardness of 55 HRC to 60 HRC is used for teeth. With such indicators, the tool is distinguished by the flexibility of the blade and high wear resistance of the teeth.

Handle shape

Comfort of work depends on the shape of the tool handle. To ensure the working stroke of the hacksaw, the handle is attached behind the blade. Although some manufacturers produce tools with pistol-style handles, most make heavy-duty closed plastic or wooden handles. In some models, closed plastic handles act as a large square.

Types of teeth

The tool blade along the cutting edge has a row of pointed teeth. If they stand evenly next to each other, the canvas will jam immediately in the first minutes of work, so they are bent in different sides one by one. Depending on the purpose of the saw, the teeth are given different shapes:

The size of the teeth can be indicated in two ways. The first is by the number of teeth per inch when calculating the distance between the tops, the second is between the bases.

Models with variable distance between teeth are manufactured. Sawing begins with small teeth, and closer to the handle the distance between the teeth increases.

Rules of operation and care

If the workpiece is positioned incorrectly, the result of the job may be affected. Therefore, the workpiece should be positioned so that the inclination of the hacksaw to the surface is at an angle of 45º, and the blade is in line with the forearm.

For smooth sawing, the blade can be rubbed with a candle.

When working with the tool, the index finger must be held in the direction of the blade in an extended position. The blade is guided by the joint of the thumb of the free hand. In this case, you need to cut with short back-and-forth movements. After forming the cut, the movements of the saw should be smooth along the entire length of the blade. If the saw deviates from the marking line, you need to slightly turn it, returning it to the desired path. When narrowing the cut, you need to use a small wedge.

At the end of the sawing, it is necessary to hold the waste with your free hand. Smooth and careful actions when cutting the last fibers will prevent the workpiece from splitting.

To extend the service life of a hacksaw you need to:

• Place plastic protection on the teeth.
• If you do not use the tool for a long time, before starting work you need to wipe the blade with an oiled rag to prevent corrosion.
• It is necessary to remove rust stains from the canvas with a wire wool, after moistening it with white spirit.

There are a wide variety of sawing tools that differ depending on the type of work that needs to be done.

Hacksaws with edge

This tool is perfect suitable for fine work . The upper edge of the canvas is covered by a massive brass or steel strip. It prevents the saw from bending, and the weight makes sawing easier by helping with downward hand pressure.

Types of hacksaws with a back:

Work with a hacksaw with a backing begins with short movements towards you, while the tool is held under small angle. As the cut is formed, the tool is lowered to a horizontal position.

For curved sawing

For cutting curved parts there are tools various sizes, which ensures work with wood material any thickness.

This group includes the following types of hacksaws:

A narrow hacksaw is used as a regular one, all others require certain skills in operation.

Japanese hacksaws

Japanese hacksaws work when moving towards themselves, so their blades are thin and their teeth are set very often. They make a narrow cut virtually without breaking the wood fibers. The handles are wrapped with split bamboo.

Japanese hacksaws are represented by the following types:

To choose which hacksaw for wood will be better, you need to decide on the purpose of purchasing it. A hacksaw with a large tooth is used in carpentry, and a hacksaw with small teeth is used in carpentry.

If the tool is rarely used, then it would be correct to choose a model with hardened teeth, since during the work you will not have to think about setting and sharpening them.

When inspecting whether the tool is of high quality, you need to bend the blade at an angle of 45º and release it. If, upon repeated inspection, any deviations in the bend are noticeable, this indicates low quality of the metal.

If you choose a tool handle, it is most convenient to work with a solid one, which has a rubberized backing for the fingers. Models with reversible and standard handles are manufactured. Reversible handles allow you to replace the blade in the hacksaw at any time.

Manufacturers rating

The manufacturer ratings will help you identify the best hacksaws for wood. At the same time, you can be sure that the tool is reliable and will last a long time. These are models from the Swedish company Bahco, the American manufacturer is represented by Stanley models, models German company Gross.

In first place due to budget cost and versatility are the ZUBR Expert models. On the second - hacksaws Gross Piranha, which has a Teflon coating, hardened teeth with triangular laser sharpening. In third place is the tool good quality and with a low price - Stanley General Purpose. It is distinguished by easy longitudinal and cross cuts.

There is still no such tool as a hacksaw for wood, or when working with it you experience a lot of inconvenience, it’s time to correct the situation and purchase good saw, understanding in detail all the characteristics of the tool.

Wood hacksaws differ in blade size, steel grade, shape of teeth and handle. Now about each aspect in more detail.

Fabric characteristics: length, width, hardness

Particular attention should be paid to the hacksaw blade. From him quality characteristics The cutting capabilities of the saw itself depend. If the blade is long, then when sawing hard wood: oak, ash or maple, difficulties will arise, since the blade will spring back, which will require more effort to get the job done.

When it is necessary to carry out work on sawing small elements: skirting boards, slats, a blade length of up to 30 cm will be sufficient. To saw thicker bars or even logs, you will need a tool with a cutting part length of at least 45 cm.

Here is the simplest rule for determining optimal length blade, which will minimize the effort expended during sawing: the length of the cutting part should be twice the thickness of the part being cut. A hacksaw that is too short will constantly get stuck inside the element being cut, and you will quickly get tired.

As for the width of the canvas, we choose the golden mean. If it is too narrow, there is a risk of breaking the tool when bending it, and inconvenience will arise when working with a blade that is too wide. The width should be between 10 and 20 cm.

The hacksaw blade is made of tool alloy steel, grades U10, U8GA, U8G, U8A, U8, U7A, U7, 9 HS, 8 HF, 9 HF, U9A, 60 S2A, 65G.

The acceptable parameters for the hardness of the alloy of the cutting part of the saw are considered to be 45. But still choose a blade that has high hardness parameters: 55–60 HRC. Such a tool has the necessary flexibility and at the same time strong teeth. These teeth have a characteristic darkish tint.

Determined by teeth

We are interested in the size of the teeth. There is such a coefficient: “TPI” (the number of blade teeth per inch). For example, to work with chipboard, the TPI should be around 7-9 (meaning 7 to 9 teeth per inch). If the work to be done is mainly garden work: sawing logs, branches, then sparser teeth are also suitable - from 3 to 6 teeth per inch.

Saw blades with sparse and large “teeth” can set a higher cutting speed, however, at the same time, the cut area will be chipped. A blade with a larger number of teeth and a smaller size, on the contrary, leaves behind a clean cut, without burrs, but the operating speed is quite low.

Don’t rush to conclude that the best hacksaws for wood have hardened teeth. Indeed, at home, using such a tool for a long time does not lead to wear of the teeth. However, it will not be possible to sharpen them again. When the teeth become dull, all you have to do is throw the tool away.

But an ordinary, unhardened tooth can be sharpened. To sharpen a saw, just take a special file, marked with a three-letter abbreviation: Accident (for sharpening saws), and run it over each tooth.

Video: saw sharpening technique

There are several types of hand saws:

• Longitudinal. Has an oblique tooth. When viewed from the side, it looks like a hook. Used for sawing large wooden elements along the fibers. The teeth in such saws are sharpened on both sides, which makes it possible to cut not only in one direction.
• Transverse. It has a tooth in the shape of an isosceles triangle. The sharpening is double-sided. This makes it possible to cut in two directions. Suitable for sawing dry wood only.
• For mixed sawing. It has triangular-shaped teeth, replaced by elongated, semicircular teeth. This shape of the edge of the blade allows you to effectively cut with semicircular teeth when moving forward, while triangular teeth, when moving backward, expand the cutting furrow, while removing sawdust and shavings formed at the cutting site. Intended for infrequent use.
• Trapezoidal. Has three cutting edges. Hand sawing with this type of teeth is a pleasure - without extra effort, fast and easy. However, sharpening this type of tooth is very difficult, and in some cases impossible.
• Modernized. The teeth are located on the edge of the blade in groups, with characteristic spaces between them. Used when sawing raw wood. The spaces between groups of teeth allow wet chips to easily exit the cutting zone without clogging the cutting edge.

The following types of hacksaws can be distinguished:

	Narrow. Designed for smaller work: sawing curved elements made of wood no more than 8–10 cm thick. Very convenient for working in the garden for removing small branches.
	Regular. A blade of this type may contain different types of teeth, both modernized and trapezoidal. The convenience is that the canvas is replaceable. However, due to inaccurate cutting, it is not recommended to use it in the manufacture of wooden structures.
	With a butt. This cutting tool received this name because of the characteristic stiffening rib that runs along the edge of the upper part of the blade. This allows you to avoid unwanted bends of the cutting part of the hacksaw when working. They are used in work where it is necessary to make shallow and neat cuts in the workpiece.
	Luchkovaya. It is somewhat reminiscent of a jigsaw, which can easily make a curved and precise cut, even in the presence of knots.

There are also saws:

• Sweeping. Used for longitudinal cutting.
• Transverse. Used for cross cutting.
• Circular. Used when making holes and curved cutting.
• Spiked. Used for cutting connecting tenons.

The most popular among tourists is the folding saw. It looks like a large folding knife, with a serrated blade that snaps into the handle. Firstly, you don’t need a special case, and secondly, such a saw takes up little space. Such folding saws are able to saw through a tree trunk up to 14 cm, which makes it an indispensable tool on long hikes.

So, we looked at the main types of hacksaws for wood: in terms of their purpose and characteristics, they are very different from each other. Therefore, before you buy a tool of one type or another, ask yourself a few questions:

1. For what purpose. If for carpentry work, then the blade should have a fine tooth. If you do carpentry - with a large one.
2. How often will it be used? If from time to time, it is better to take it with a hardened tooth.
3. What is the quality of the metal? Bend the canvas at an angle of 30–45º, then let it straighten out again. If after this it does not visually return to its original position, then the quality of the metal of the cutting part of the hacksaw leaves much to be desired.
4. What is the price. If a product is expensive, then it is not consumer goods. It is better to pay for wear resistance and durability than to simply throw away the saw, and at the same time the money. However, for infrequent use, you can take a cheaper tool.

You should also not forget about the tool handle when choosing a saw. It is better to buy a tool with a solid handle, which, as a rule, has a rubberized insert for the fingers. Such rubber backings allow you to make your hand grip tighter, which will protect you from the appearance of calluses.

Video: technical characteristics of hacksaws for wood

Wood has been used as a building material since time immemorial. And now it has not lost its popularity. It is loved for its environmental friendliness 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

Saw - 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 work different types.

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 of the canvas is its length. It is this that determines the range of application possibilities. However, the longer the blade, the more springy it is, which makes working with hard wood 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.

Harden metal by exposing it to variables magnetic field when electric current appears high frequency. 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.
• Using a blade with fine teeth guarantees 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 is household use doesn't slow down for a long time. 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 replaced.

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. There are 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. The rubber insert allows for a tighter grip, which prevents the formation of calluses.

To choose correctly hand saw woodworking, 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 accuracy sawing. 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 from leading manufacturers are an order of magnitude 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.