Getting Started with Hand Saws // Total beginner, hand tool woodworking.

It's easy to buy handsaws for your woodwork, but you need a know a few things before you buy.
Get the Saw Vise plans and more below! (Scroll down)

Saw Vise Plans

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Tools in This Video (affiliate):

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Wood Work for Humans Tool List (affiliate):
*Cutting*
(Winner of the affordable dovetail-saw shootout.)
(Needs tune-up to work well.)
(Works out of the box)
(My favorite affordable new chisels.)
(I use these to make the DIY specialty planes, but I also like them for general work.)

*Sharpening*

*Marking and Measuring*
(For marking and the built-in awl).
(Excellent, inexpensive marking knife.)

*Drilling*

*Work-Holding*

Follow me on Instagram: @rexkrueger

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0:00 Intro
0:21 The First Saw
1:15 Medium Tool
2:24 Big & Aggressive
4:31 Pitch & Teeth
7:25 Workbench Sessions
8:33 Sizes
10:30 Going Vintage
13:25 Something New
15:38 Outro

[davidweiser]

I have one of those 4 TPI rip saws. I can confirm it is a genuine monster. I don't know how I ever lived without it.

[thomasarussellsr]

That's pretty cool that you have Mr. Underhill himself coming in live. I wish it was in my budget to support the channel, but with a household income under $800/month, it just isn't doable. Have fun, all of you guys and gals who get to join in. Congrats.
Yeah, if it wasn't for yard sales and flea markets, and tree servicing companies I wouldn't be able to enjoy woodworking myself. A 10-15 dollar tool here (restorable if course), a free log there, and a thrown out piece of furniture, when I find one, for up-cycled wood... and even the broke guy can have a hobby.
Even if most of what I make is just gifts for family. It can be a relaxing time to get out and build something. And there is no rush, as I am disabled and can't work a real job any more, I can't take on jobs for money because I can't promise a time line to complete a task. I work in the shop when I can, with what ever wood species I can scrounge up.
Edit: I can get Walnut oil and mineral oil on my food budget, so, with a little bee's wax those are my main finishes. (I have a couple of buddies who raise bees for honey, so I can get a decent amount of wax from them at a trade for building hive boxes and trays or wooden bowls and honey dippers from my lathe.

[charlesward]

I was gifted a deeply pitted 8-pt hand saw with a badly spalted handle. It was liberating because I could not ruin the saw. I ditched the bad handle and replaced it, did a vinegar soak on the plate, jointed it pretty hard and filed it for a crosscut. I use it to cut rough wood, anything that has been exposed to dirt or dust or paint or cement, etc. It cuts well, sharpens quickly, and I don’t have to feel bad about using it on recycled wood. ALSO IT WAS A GREAT SAW TO PRACTICE MY FILING TECHNIQUE ON.

[criswilson]

A few months ago I picked up 5 panel saws and 5 carcass saws for $2 a piece off of FB marketplace. Spent about 2 hours cleaning up each saw and handle, another hour per saw sharpening the crosscuts, and about 3 hours per saw converting 5 of them to rip teeth. It wasn't that much work, was cheap to do, and very relaxing. I'm giving the extra saws to my nephew for Christmas since he has just starting woodworking.

[giusepperesponte]

The 4 tpi hand saw is what I had growing up. It was my grandpa’s saw, he actually modified a higher tpi saw to get 4 tpi and honestly I hated using it because I was really young and didn’t have the power to start that aggressive cut efficiently. One time my brother asked me to cut some 2x4s and I was taking a long time to do it, the saw kept bowing when I tried to push it, he got irritated with me and didn’t let me help anymore. I never wanted to use the push saw again. That is probably the reason I like pull saws now. Every time I use a push saw to this day it brings up those feelings of inadequacy 😂

[mtmaniacs]

Been collecting hand saws now for about 7 years. Have about 150 of all kinds, Ryoba, panel, miter, ice, 2 handed and 2 man. Some are in nice shape but a lot are "as found" and I just recently started restoring some of them. My biggest challenge is finding all the screws needed for the handles.
I've also made some cases to store the panel saws and have most of the large saws hanging on my shop walls. It's a fairly inexpensive hobby that always provides opportunities for work, when I'm looking.

[lynnbryant]

I've had my (identical) Craftsman dial caliper since 1978! Still measures perfectly and operates flawlessly. Marvelous. Timely video, too, as always. Well done, Sir!

[charlesbowen]

I bought a crosscut hand saw the other day that was manufactured by Disston, according to the medallion it was manufactured between 1917 and 1942. There aren't any teeth missing and is sharp...very sharp. It's in really good shape, someone took good care of it. Oh and the price I paid for it in the pawn shop was only $8.

[AMTunLimited]

Fun fact: the ppi vs tpi confusion is called a "fencepost problem" in computer science (as in "how many fenceposts for a fence of n length")

[MatthewBuntyn]

I bought a Civil War era 4 ppi Disston No. 7 at a MWTCA meetup a few years ago. I finally cleaned and sharpened it last year, and it's now my go to rip saw

[divyabirsingh]

The Most underrated carpentry youtube channel out there. I love your work and the dedication to your job.

[flyball]

Whilst not all are fine-woodworkers, I'd like to give a shout out to all those everyday chippies (British slang for carpenter) of my youth (1970s) most of whom used these hand tools. A great family friend (my best mate's dad) was one of these and worked nearly every day for 30+ years on building sites mostly constructing (and prancing about on) roofs and he could wield a handsaw like a master. Typically used any sharp box-store saw and could get through a 2x6 in 3-4 strokes either at 90o or any appropriate compound or simple angle, usually by eye and using any available part of the roof, wall or his knee as a bench. I would swear blind that these guys could do this stuff quicker than lugging any power tool around. Give him a hammer and some 6" nails, which he could hit home, dead straight, in 2 swings (3 for an awkward angle) and he could frame a roof in < 1 day (saw him do it). It wasn't fine woodworking, but these people had serious skills with hand tools.

[glencrandall]

So Peter is first. So what.😜 It doesn't count unless you have something to contribute. Rex, thank you for this one. I didn't know about the TPI vs PPI designation. I remember my father sharpening hand saws. He learned from his father who was a carpenter in the 1930's to 1950's. Unfortunately none of the attraction to hand tools rubbed off on me. I am pretty much a power tool guy. But I am fascinated by guys like you and Roy Underhill. I got to meet Roy on the set of his show when I lived in NC in the 1980's. Thank you for sharing. Have a great day and stay safe.

[marcmedeiros]

Rex - you are truly a gifted entertainer/educator! Thank you for your time and effort in this channel. I find myself always excited to see how the videos go!

[darodes]

Rex I’ve been on the lookout for some vintage saws since watching this video a year ago and I’m happy to say I just found a steal! Guy was selling 10 of them at a garage sale and gave me the whole set for $20! I’m gonna examine each and see which ones I like best to refurbish and use! I just wanted to say thank you so much for your content!

[paulmaryon]

Done it again Rex, brilliant vid thanks, just gotten into Japanese saws, (been a woodworker for 40+ yrs) and I love them, always keep one in my toolbag. Thanks again keep safe and well

[rojirrim]

Damn, thanks for including that last part for countries where you can't really get cheap good old saws. I'm probably going to buy the bahco right away!

[kccool]

Restored an old disston alot like the one your neighbor threw out only thing I lacked was a saw vise so I just put some wood scraps bout 14" long in a 4" desk vise worked fine found mine covered in rust against an I beam in a chemical plant

[TigerNL]

A pal of mine used a cloth and some diesel to wipe off surface rust off a piece of steel. Worked like a charm. :)

[ivan]

l've heard (but not yet tested by myself) a hypothesis, that you can sharpen hardpoint saws - but before that you must heat-treat them by swinging teeth with a lighter to get hardness off. Then you can file them.