The Secrets of A Hand Saw

Starting a hand saw can be a pain, but with a few quick tricks starting, even the biggest of hand saws can be east. all it takes is time to learn the skill!

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[SigynsHope]

Mind-blowing! The bottom horn control is a revelation. Your straightening the cut method feels like martial arts practice. Awesome video, thanks!

[HarryPulliam-vzef]

Thanks, James. Not owning a camera (and being too lazy to build a stand for my smartphone), I have often used a mirror to view the saw from the other side of the board and to observe my technique. Great video. Keep strokin' those saws!

[larryohara]

First time I have ever seen anyone tell me how to use a hand saw correctly. I thank you!

[Jimbo]

great tutorial James, I've been teaching my grandson woodwork techniques, when I explained that each saw tooth can only "bite" into, as much wood as the depth of the gullet between the teeth, I explained that the saw plate weight was key, once he stopped trying to press the teeth deeper and to relax his grip and down pressure it was a "lightbulb moment" for him. Less effort, less breathlessness, binding, more control...I call this technique "Guide and Slide". It expanded his interest once he realised you can "work smarter, not harder". I hope this helps others new to woodworking, and find sawing a chore.

[phishENchimps]

your shops background, old tools reminds me of my grand fathers. You have to many finger tips and less callasaes as well. ;)

He would always put out a free bin of wood chips, scrap and dust for neighbors to pick up to burn in the winter. I enjoy your videos.

[transmundanium]

The saw/hand/elbow/shoulder alignment was something I learned years ago and it seems to be a very common problem. Excellent advice on that to use a camera!
To get straighter cuts use more teeth. You know how a longer plane makes a flatter surface? Same with a saw. Lower the handle so more teeth are engaged and you can saw straighter, easier.

[kencarlile]

One of these things that I know somewhat instinctively by this point, but it's good to get the reminder verbally, especially about the stopping immediately on drift and moving back up.

[deang]

My father was a shipwright, and he taught me a cool trick. If you look at the reflection of the board your trying to cut, and that reflection is lined up, you know your square on the board.

[Wyman]

Just what I needed to fill a gap in my knowledge. Thanks very much.

[justplanebob]

Great video; clear and easy to understand. For me the hardest "feel" was balancing the saw weight on the horn and third finger. Once I could feel that, the rest fell "into alignment". Nowadays I am more likely to pick up my hand saws for a quick cut or two rather than break out the power. My replacements made hand sawing easier rather than more painful. Thanks. :)

[beansproutmusicalinstruments]

The real take home for me was the bottom horn tip. Thanks for that.

[cookig]

That is the best, most concise video I have seen on hand saws usage and troubleshooting. Great resource, thanks James! 👍

[dandelie]

Never knew that bottom horn was so important. Thanks for all the great information.

[brooklynpaul]

Just ordered my first rip saw. This video is a great tutorial. Thanks.

[johnjackson]

Thanks for the video Jim. I learned years ago the incorrect way to correct a cut that goes offline. Subsequently, I usually ended with a cut that definitely needed planed.

[robertweldon]

The lesson I learned, from watching you use hand saws, was that I let my elbow stick out to the side, making an angled (Unsquare) cut. Keeping the elbow IN LINE with the saw made the difference. That along with learning how to easily sharpen and set a saw, with basic hand tools, was next.
You are a very good teacher, The really good ones teach more than what your saying and demonstrating. Much is conveyed by the WAY your teaching. I may not be saying this quite right, sorry

[NelsvanToor]

Well.... That was a quick refreshing-course of what my old crafts-teacher told me, back in '79. =) Well done, good sir!

[Mike-prhx]

When starting, commit to the cut.

Another great video as usual. 👍

[jacoboribilik]

Great video for getting the hang of these tricky tools!

[aarondavenport]

great video man thank you, the info on the Japanese saw was a little gratuitous but I got a lot from this