TM 9-243
TYPES AND USES
Saws are tools with thin, flat steel blades that have a row
of spaced notches or “teeth” along the edge. The blade
is fastened to a handle. Saws are available in various
sizes and designs depending on their use and the mate-
rial to be cut. The most common types of saws are
handsaw, (crosscut and ripsaw), backsaw, one-man
crosscut saw, two-man crosscut saw, nested saw
(keyhole and compass) and hacksaw.
ONE-MAN CROSSCUT SAW
HANDSAW
The handsaw consists of a thin flat blade with teeth and
a wooden or plastic handle, called the heel, fastened to
the end of the blade by screws. There are two categories
of handsaws: the ripsaw (1) and the crosscut (2). The
ripsaw is designed to cut with the grain of wood, and the
crosscut saw is designed to cut against the grain. The
handsaw is used in carpentry, rough-out work, and for
“finish” hand sawing. Sizes of handsaws vary depend-
ing on design and nature of the task.
The one-man crosscut saw is about 36 inches long and
has a handle at one end. This type of saw is charac-
terized by a high-grade steel blade with two types of
teeth known as “cutters (1) and “rakers” (2). The cutters
do the cutting, and the rakers chisel out and remove
chips from the cut. It is used for heavy work such as
cutting down trees and sawing heavy timbers.
46-2
