Hacksaws for wood: types and characteristics

A hacksaw is a small but handy cutting tool that has a solid metal frame and a serrated blade. Although the original purpose of this saw is to cut metal, it is also used for plastics and wood.

There are various options for a hand hacksaw, but the main (or most common) ones are full frame, which use 12 "or 10" blades. Regardless of the type of hacksaw, it is important to ensure that you are purchasing a high quality tool made from a special alloy steel.

In more modern models, the blade can be adjusted in length, which allows you to remove branches of various thicknesses. The cutting element is placed in the posts that are on the frame. Many people do not understand that you can install it in different positions for your own needs. The blade simply moves left and right or up and down.

Among the huge range of products offered, all models differ in the shape of the handle, dimensions, dimensions of teeth and other parameters. The buyer should take into account his own needs when choosing the material of the canvas and its dimensions. If you intend to saw boards and remove small branches, then you should pay attention to the tool, in which the width of the metal cutting part is from 28 to 30 centimeters. For construction purposes, a canvas from 45 to 50 cm is used, but you can find more on the market - it all depends on what kind of work you plan to do.

The efficiency of the tool depends on the proportions, so the thickness of the wooden blank should be half that of the hacksaw. In this case, more sweeping movements are obtained, therefore, it is possible to complete the task faster. Large teeth must fully enter the material - this is the only way to remove sawdust.

The convenience of the user during work will depend on how much the manufacturer has thought about the handle. This structural element is attached to the back of the blade, sometimes you can find a pistol-type handle on sale. The handle is created from two materials: wood and plastic. In more expensive versions, it can be rubberized, which significantly improves the interaction of the hand with the surface.

Another feature that can distinguish wood hacksaws from each other is the firmness and size of the cutting teeth. If you look closely, the pointed elements never stand behind each other, since in this case the tool will immediately get stuck in the material. To simplify the task, the teeth are given a different shape, which is also used for different cutting options:

• longitudinal;
• transverse.

The rip-toothed tool is used to cut along the grain of wood. The main distinguishing feature is that each pointed element is rather large and sharpened at right angles. The tool cuts wood like a chisel.

To cut across, take a different unit, in which each tooth is sharpened at an angle. There are also Japanese teeth, which are narrow and very long, and there is a double bevel cutting edge at the top of the blade. You can find on the market and a universal tool that can be used in both cases. Its teeth are sharpened symmetrically.

Depending on the number of teeth on the working blade, the purpose of the tool is also determined - it will be used for sawing or for cutting. As a rule, you can see this characteristic in the instructions or description for the instrument. On some models, the manufacturer applied the necessary parameters directly to the surface of the working blade.

Large teeth indicate that the hacksaw is used for fast, rough cuts. As a rule, this is the main tool of summer residents and gardeners, since you cannot do without it in the household. Using such a hacksaw, you can cut firewood, remove thick excess branches in the fall. The instrument should be marked 3-6 TPI.

If the description for the tool contains TPI 7-9, then such a hacksaw should be used for better cutting, where accuracy is important. The main area of ​​application is working with laminate, fiberboard and chipboard. Due to the small size of the teeth, the user spends more time cutting the part, but the cut is smooth and without chipping.

Carpenters acquire a whole set of wood hacksaws, since each one is used to solve a specific task. For rip saws, the teeth are always in the form of triangles, the corners of which are chamfered. If you look closely, this shape is somewhat reminiscent of hooks that are sharpened on both sides. As a result, the cut is smooth, the web penetrates the material tightly. The teeth that allow cross-cutting have a shape very similar to an isosceles triangle. It is only allowed to use such a hacksaw on a tree that is completely dry.

Hacksaws are presented in a wide range, they can be divided into three large groups, which have their own classification:

• with a butt;
• to create a curved cut;
• Japanese.

If you plan to perform delicate work, then it is worth using a tool with a backing, in which a brass or steel strip is additionally installed on the upper edge of the canvas, which prevents bending. These hacksaws are classified as follows:

• tenon;
• with a dovetail;
• with an offset handle;
• edging;
• model.

The first on the list are the largest, since their main purpose is to work with thick boards and firewood. Equipped with a closed handle, which is ideal for comfortable fixation of the instrument in the hand. A smaller version of this model - the dovetail - is used for working with hard wood species.

If you have to work with through thorns, then you should use a hacksaw with an offset handle. The user can adjust the element, while it is convenient to work with both right and left hand.

When you need to make a thin cut, there is no better tool than an edge saw, which is compact in size. But the smallest of all the presented options for this tool is a model file.

If it is necessary to cut out a curved part, a completely different tool is used. This category also has its own classification:

• onion;
• openwork;
• jigsaw;
• narrow.

A bow hacksaw is usually 20-30 centimeters long, with 9 to 17 teeth of the same size per inch on the cutting blade. It is possible to turn the canvas in the required direction so that the frame does not interfere with the view. There are folding tourist models on sale that take up little space.

In the case of an openwork file, the working surface reaches a length of 150 mm, and the frame is made in the form of an arc. The main areas of use are artificial material and solid wood.

As for the jigsaw, its frame is also made in the form of an arc, but deep, since the tool is necessary to create strong bends in a thin material, for example, veneer.

A narrow hacksaw is also known in the professional world as a circular hacksaw, since it is used in the middle of a wooden blank. The cutting element is very thin and tapers towards the end. It is thanks to this shape that it is possible to create curves with a large angle. The design provides a pistol-type handle, on which you can attach the desired blade.

Professionals know that the range of hacksaws is not limited to this, since there are also Japanese edged ones, which not every beginner could have heard of. Their classification includes:

• kataba;
• dosages;
• rioba;
• mawashibiki.

The main distinguishing feature of all these hacksaws is that their blades work for themselves. The teeth on the blade are very close to each other, so the cut is narrow, without serious breaks in the wood fibers.

In a kataba, the cutting elements are located on one side. The tool can be used for both longitudinal and cross cutting, therefore it is considered universal. In comparison with the described model, the rioba has a cutting blade for cross-cutting on one side, and for longitudinal cutting on the other. When working with such a tool, it is worth keeping it at a slight angle.

The tooth pitch of hacksaws can be anywhere from 14 to 32 teeth per inch. With the development of technical progress, this instrument passed from the category of manual classics and began to be made electric. In the design of electric hacksaws, there is a powerful motor that provides the necessary power for cutting branches.

Stationary silent vertical machines have the greatest power, but some portable models are also not inferior. The power depends on the type of power supply. Rechargeable batteries are inferior to stationary electric ones, but they can be used even where there is no way to connect to the network.

Also, separately in the category of the described tool, there is an award - a product with a thin blade of no more than 0.7 mm. The cutting part fits very tightly into the last made of wood. Used with one or two hands for small cuts or cuts.

This parameter is one of the most important, as it determines the scope of the tool.

Large teeth are considered to be 4-6 mm in size. Their distinctive feature is that they create a rough cut, but take less time to work. It is best to use such a tool with large blanks, for example, logs, where the quality and fineness of the lines are not so important.

Small teeth include any hacksaw in which this indicator is in the range of 2-2.5 mm. One of the advantages of such a cutting blade is an accurate and very accurate cut, therefore the tool is advised to be used when processing small parts.

If the teeth on a hacksaw are 3-3.5 mm, then this is an average size, which is also used for small wooden blanks.

They make hacksaws of any type from various types of steel, including alloyed or carbon steel. The quality of the product is indicated by the hardness of the canvas - it is checked using the Rockwell method.

Hardened hacksaw blades are made of hardened high quality tool steel. They are very hard, but in some situations they are not very susceptible to bending stress. Flexible blades contain hardened steel on the teeth only.The backing is a flexible sheet of metal. They are sometimes referred to as bimetallic blades.

The high-alloy metal blades cut accurately but were extremely fragile. This limited their practical application. A softer form of this material was also available - it was highly stress-resistant, more resistant to breakage, but less stiff so it was bent and the result was a less accurate cut.

Since the 1980s, bimetallic blades have been actively used in the manufacture of hacksaws for wood. The advantages were obvious - there was no risk of breakage. Over time, the price of the product has dropped, so such cutting elements are used as a universal option everywhere.

Carbon steel is usually the softest and cheapest of the other types. It began to be used in the manufacture of household-level tools. The material is appreciated by craftsmen because it can be easily sharpened. Most woodworking tools are made from carbon steel, as it is sometimes quite expensive to use a different material.

Stainless steel is heat-treated, its hardness coefficient is 45. It is used for the manufacture of tools with a high-quality cutting edge. It can be operated in difficult conditions, but it is more expensive than carbon.

High alloy is widely used in tool making. It is available in different versions: M1, M2, M7 and M50. Among them, M1 is the most expensive variety. Although few hacksaws are made of this material, this type of steel will last longer. It is not used for making large tools due to its intrinsic fragility. Hacksaws made from high alloy steel are often marked HS or HSS.

Carbide steel is used in hand tools because it allows you to perform tasks efficiently. Being very hard, the alloy is carefully processed so that it can be used later, since the products can easily break.

From domestic manufacturers I would like to highlight model range "Enkor"which is made of carbide steel. One of the best representatives is the Enkor 19183 model, which is distinguished by the size of the teeth of only 2.5 mm. The tool comes on sale with a comfortable handle and hardened teeth, which indicates a long service life of the product.

It is impossible not to highlight Japanese saws, for example, model Silky Sugowaza, which is used for the most difficult work, since its teeth are 6.5 mm. Gardeners and summer residents prefer to purchase such a tool for shaping the crown of fruit trees when they want to work quickly without much effort. The special arc shape makes it easy to cut unnecessary branches.

Swedish hacksaws do not lag behind domestic ones in quality. Among them stands out Bahco brand, which has proven itself due to its high quality. In the universal tool category, the Ergo 2600-19-XT-HP model stands out for medium-thick workpieces.

Experts give their recommendations on how what the consumer should pay attention to when choosing a quality tool of this type for the home.

• Before buying a hacksaw, the user should pay attention to the material from which the hacksaw blade is made.It is best if it is M2 steel, since it has not only an attractive service life, but also decent reliability.
• When choosing, the diameter of the processed wooden blanks must be taken into account, since when buying a hacksaw with a smaller blade size, the user will have to put more effort during work.
• For cutting firewood and other rough work, it is best to use a coarse-toothed hacksaw.
• Alloy steel saws can be sharpened using a special disc on a grinder.
• If difficult work is ahead, it is better if a cross-over handle is provided in the design of the hacksaw.

As for the rules of operation, the user needs to know how to use this tool correctly and safely. The sharpening angle may differ depending on the type of the selected hacksaw, some can be sharpened on their own, but without proper experience it is better to entrust this to a professional, since you can ruin the tool.

The hacksaws feature a metal blade that is set in a solid steel frame. Although it itself is flexible, held in a state of high tension, the user is advised to wear protective gloves, even if the process takes only five minutes.

For an overview of wood saws, see the next video.