A saw is one power tool you’ll likely use for any woodworking project you have in mind since it’s specifically created for cutting projects. However, not all materials can be cut with the same saw, so manufacturers continue to improve and create niche-specific saws.
To keep you abreast of the new and available ones, we break down all the different types of saws you can find today.
Hand Saw Category
There are a lot of varieties of hand saws available in the market, and they all differ in functionality and power.
Hand saws are the common handyman go-to’s in producing an array of projects, whether in creating mortise and tenon joints or cutting three branches. Hand saws are powered by force and are a staple to a household’s shed area.
Different Kinds of Hand Saws
1. Traditional Hand Saw
Traditional hand saws are the most common type you’ll find in almost every household. It’s the one with the typical handle, toothed blades on the bottom, and a flat upper panel that can cut through materials like plastic and simple wood.
It comes in various sizes, depending on the materials you want to cut. The traditional saw works manually and is powered by your energy and muscles.
2. Coping Saw
A coping saw is made for back-beveled cuts, and while it commonly resembles a hacksaw, the saw’s blade is shorter, and the frame is lighter in weight. Typically, a coping saw measures six ¾ long, and the teeth range from 10 to 32 TPI.
A coping saw with tiny blades makes it easier to curve cuts on the wood, and it’s better in coping joints than a miter saw. The only drawback with coping saws is that you have to replace the blades when it gets dull.
3. Bow Cut Saw
This medium-sized tool is a modern crosscut saw mostly used for outdoor pruning and cutting logs. It has a crosscut tooth and long blades that enables the removal of sawdust.
The bow shape of the saw and its long narrow cutting blade make it a perfect shape for cutting thick sections of wood.
(Check out the best bow saws for cutting logs and trees!)
4. Hacksaw
Hacksaws are the best fit for metal works and wood workings and are the best saw for cutting thick metals like bars and tubes. The thin blade of this hacksaw was made purposefully for cutting through metal pipes and plastic.
Hacksaws are very common and are always used for small DIY jobs, which is why it’s the most familiar for most woodworkers. Most commonly, you’ll find hacksaws anywhere from 18 to 34 teeth.
Interesting Read: The Best Hacksaws: Reviews and Guide
5. Crosscut Saw
Crosscut saws are designed with large, beveled teeth and relatively thick blades to make them sturdy enough to cut through rough woods and backyard planks. This saw is ideally used for cutting and trimming branches and construction sites.
Bigger crosscut saws come with bigger handles on both ends of the blade and are used to cut perpendicularly. Woodworkers love a crosscut saw because it’s durable and handy enough to pack for camping trips.
6. Keyhole Saw
Mainly used for cutting awkward shapes and irregular patterns, the keyhole saw gestures a dagger-like point on the front of the blade. It is also known as a jab saw or drywall saw.
There are two types of keyhole saws, one with a fixed blade and the other with a retractable one. The thin blades make the small and rough areas easy to maneuver without the fear that they will slant through and curve or get broken.
7. Fret Saw
The fret saw, which came from the French word ‘Freter,’ is crafted mainly for completing intricate woodwork, like pallets and shaped-wood shelves. The blades range around 32 teeth per inch and work best for precise works and latticework.
Also Read: Must-Know Woodworking Terms
A fret saw comes with a long and narrow blade and a big body, allowing you to cut from the outer edges. Hence it’s a little more fragile than most saws, given its build.
8. Japanese Saw
A Japanese saw is robust and delivers impeccable cutting performance. One of the most common characteristics of Japanese saws is their cutting technique which works through a pull stroke instead of a typical push manner.
They have longer handles and thin narrow blades, which makes it easier to cut wood with more precision without tearing the grain.
This saw type has three varieties: Kataba, Ryoba, and Dozuki. All Japanese saw types can cut hardwood and softwood precisely, making it another powerful small tool.
9. Rip Cut Saw
One of the most familiar types of woodworking saw, even for occasional users, is the rip cut saw. It is all-purpose woodworking saw that delivers crosscuts across the grain and is made especially for board sizing and rougher cuts.
It has a flat tooth edge and fewer teeth per inch compared to other hand saws, but it has sharp teeth just enough to carve out materials in a push and pull manner, almost close to how a chisel works.
Rip-cut saws are also equipped with tapered ends that reduce friction when cutting, making them more efficient for several jobs.
10. Pruning Saw
As a hand tool, pruning saws are designed to reach plunging branches or thick vine lines. Woodcrafters use a pruning saw for managing shrubs, and since it’s built with a curved blade and handle, it’s efficient for trimming branches in difficult areas.
The curve blades, which measure from 13 to 15 inches, can also cut through both sides using their coarse teeth. The pruning saw is most commonly used for landscaping and lawn services. It’s also mounted to the end of poles when used to cut tree branches and limbs.
11. Back Saw
Wrapped with a strip of brass or steel on the blade’s edge, back saws are known to have heavier weight making it easier to cut even with less energy. It’s also ideal for producing right-angled and straight cuts and goes with the alias -miter saws.
It has thinner blades with fine teeth, making it an option for precise work. There are also different types, such as tenon saws, dovetail saws, and blitz saws.
12. Veneer Saw
Named veneer saws, this saw is used mainly for veneer works. It has a short pointed blade on both sides and 13 teeth per inch, especially for small and fast work.
A veneer saw delivers quick results if you sustain the teeth clean of debris. This saw cuts straight and is best for butt joining matched veneers.
13. Wallboard Saw
Wallboard saws are often comparable to keyhole saws, only it is shorter and has wider blades. Known to have double-edged blades and a pointed nose, this is typically used for making starter holes for drilling or puncturing in drywalls.
It also has fewer teeth count per inch than the keyhole saw, which it resembles, and is commonly used for rough cuts.
14. Camping Saw
The camping saw is another crowd favorite because it’s portable and is the perfect saw for cutting up firewood and log branches, and can make numerous types of cuts needed in the wilderness.
For campers, it’s vital to invest in versatile yet compact cutting materials or small-sized chainsaws like this one, since it doesn’t take much space but are still very useful.
Folding Style
Pruning
Pruning folding saws are camping saws easily carried in a belt-mounted holster and folded down into the handle. This pruning style saw folds down into the handle.
Folding Bow
Folding bow saws are locked into place and fold out from a collapsed position.
15. Bone Saw
As to the name itself, a bone saw is used for cutting bones. It’s the main tool hunters use for butchering and, sometimes, to cut through deer or other hunted animals.
We recommend using a stainless steel blade for these saws to prevent them from rusting when used on animal blood.
16. Carcass Saw
The carcass saw is similar to a tenon saw due to its framework. It’s a specialized saw made for smaller work than a tenon saw.
It has stiff blades enabling it to make more precise cuts when worked across wood grains. It looks similar to the carcass of a cabinet, hence its name.
17. Wire Saw
Wire saws are amongst the favorites of light backpackers and survivalists because it’s handheld and is comparable to band saws. The only drawback is that it takes longer to cut since it’s smaller, and your hands can take a beating since the handles are not that comfortable.
We recommend choosing models with more comfortable handles to avoid cuts and bruises on your knuckles.
18. Razor Saw
Razor saws are popular amongst model train enthusiasts due to their crosscut teeth that can craft clean cuts on softwoods and metals.
It’s mostly used to cut wood used in making model planes, trains, and boats and is a little different from other saws of the backsaw family.
19. Manual Pole Saw
The manual pole saw falls low into the level of ease, so most people consider investing in electric ones. It’s a little more difficult to use since it’s manually powered, but it can allow you to reach high to medium-duty branches when cutting.
20. Pocket Chainsaw
To picture a pocket chainsaw, imagine a typical gas-powered chainsaw without the chains and split at one point, and there you have it.
Close to a wire saw, it’s also lightweight and small, making it another backpacker’s favorite. To work on it easier and more efficiently, use the teeth of the saw rather than the friction.
Power Saws
From its namesake, power saws run through power by battery, electricity, or gas motor. There’s a wide variety of power saws, and they can come in portable and stationary types.
Both are efficient and deliver precise cuts but can be costly compared to hand saws. It completes jobs quicker and, when maintained, can last throughout the years.
The disadvantage of these types of saws is they are more complicated than handheld saws which are mostly manual and easy to operate. We always remind starters to take special training before proceeding with power saws.
Different Kinds of Power or Electric Saws
21. Chainsaw
Chainsaws are designed mainly to cut wood–for limbing, logging, or pruning. It’s one of the most powerful saws ever made, as it can be used to cut metal or tree branches. But, it is also the most dangerous.
Chainsaws have a lot of models and varieties, too. You have those that are for trimming trees and those that can cut curves and make precision cuts.
22. Table Saw
Table saws are also powerful and can accommodate huge construction projects and remodeling tasks.
The circular blade is supported by an electric motor that features stable guides. Table saws are the most accurate for making repeated cuts while maintaining speed when cutting wood.
Table saws come in a variety, from the least to the most portable.
Table Saw Variations
Cabinet
Cabinet-style table saws are accurate and are considered the most expensive and heaviest table saw. It’s often used for cabinet making and cutting wood blocks.
Hybrid
It is considered a less expensive contractor saw and is built to look more sophisticated than cabinet saws. It is fully enclosed and has its motor on the back.
Jobsite
Jobsite table saws are lightweight and deliver equally powerful cutting capability. Plus, it’s also the most efficient portable table saw. It can handle tremendous work but is cheaper, especially for DIY enthusiasts.
Contractor
The motor built of a contractor table saw is made for heavy-duty works and is heavier than job-site saws. They are less portable but durable for any heavy cutting, which is why it’s popular amongst construction companies.
Portable
If you’re up to lightweight table saws, which you can bring with just one hand, then a benchtop saw suits you best. It’s not as accurate as the heavy-duty saws but is certainly an inexpensive buy if you just need a handy traveling saw.
23. Circular Saw
If you’re looking for a more powerful version of the typical hand saw, then a circular saw is your best find. A portable circular saw caters to rip and cross cuts and delivers convenience, too, as it is mobile and can be brought anywhere.
It is also a favorite tool of construction workers and carpenters because of its versatile cutting and portability.
24. Miter Saw
A miter saw is designed to craft angled cuts with accuracy. To create a miter cut, two kinds of wood are angle cut equally at the end and joined together.
It’s a common tool for making picture frames. It’s also popular for cutting molding and making trims as it has a box that guides angle cutting.