Crosscut Saws

Posted by Easy WoodCraft on

May 2, 2016

A crosscut saw is designed to cut across the grain. Crosscut saws vary in length from 22" to 26" and generally have around 7 to 8 teeth per inch. Although you can find crosscut saws at most home centers and hardware stores, you may be better off picking up a used saw at an auction, estate sale, or garage sale. That's because the older saws were made with softer steel that allows for sharpening. Many of the modern saws use hardened teeth that are next to impossible to sharpen. Granted, they stay sharper longer; but when they do dull, you have to discard them. A quality older saw will last a lifetime with a little care and an occasional sharpening (see Sharpening Edge Tools for more on this).

Profile

The teeth of a crosscut saw act like tiny knives to cleanly sever the cross-grain wood fibers and to clear out the waste between the points. The teeth are usually sharpened at around a 14° angle and often have an aggressive set to prevent binding.

Bench hook anatomy

For accurate cross cutting (with any saw), I recommend using a bench hook. You can't find these in any catalog; you'll have to make your own. A bench hook is just a flat, wide piece of lumber with a pair of cleats fastened on the ends on opposite faces.

Using a bench hook

A bench hook is positioned on the workbench so the cleat on the bottom hooks onto the edge of the workbench. The work piece is butted up against the cleat on top, and slid over so the cut line aligns with the end of the cleat. This lets you use the cleat as a guide block to start the cut. The cleat also supports the wood fibers to help prevent splintering or tear out.

Sight guide

Even with a bench hook, you may want to use some type of sight aid to help keep the saw blade vertical. A try square or engi­neer's square works well for this when you set it near the saw blade. You can also use a known-square block of wood. Whichever you use, try to keep an even gap between the sight guide and the saw blade.

TOOLBOX SAWS

Toolbox saws are a modern invention that solves the age-old problem of trying to fit a full sized handsaw into a tool box (note the size difference between the toolbox saw and handsaw shown in the photo). These short saws (typically around 16" long) fit in larger tool boxes and have aggressive teeth. Because of the aggressive teeth, they have limited use in the shop. They're suitable only for rough cuts, such as when rough cutting boards to length.

STARTING A CUT

To make straight cuts with a saw, you have to start it straight. Sure, on saws with aggressively set teeth you'll be able to correct the cut some­what; but you're always better off starting the cut straight in the first place. Here are three effective ways to accomplish this:

Finger as a guide

The classic way to start a saw cut is to use either a finger or your thumb as a guide. Start by marking a cut line on the board, then place the board on a saw horse or clamp it to the bench. Next, use your thumb to guide the saw blade to the waste side of the cut. Try to keep the saw and your hand, elbow, and shoulder all aligned. Draw the saw back a few inches and make a series of short cuts to create a kerf. Keep the blade constantly pressed against your thumb as a guide.

Guide block

For added accuracy you can start a cut with some type of guide block to hold the blade perpendicular to the work surface. A guide block not only keeps the edge square, but it also helps make a straight cut across the board. Often hand pressure alone will work to hold the block in place, but it's better to clamp it to the board for stability.

Starting notch

Regardless of the type of saw you're using, the surest way to prevent it from hopping off the intended mark is to make a starting notch. Just draw the saw back a few times to make a notch.

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