Cutting Tools
Handsaws
Handsaws are manual cutting tools that use a toothed blade and physical effort to cut wood, metal, or other materials without a power source.
| Tool | Used for |
|---|---|
| Crosscut saw | Cutting boards and lumber to length. Designed to cut across the grain (the direction wood fibers run), using knife-like teeth that slice through the fibers. |
| Rip saw | Ripping boards into narrower pieces during woodworking. Designed to cut parallel to the wood grain, using chisel-like teeth that chop through the fibers. |
| Coping saw | Cutting intricate shapes in wood, plastic, and soft metals. Designed for detailed curved cuts. |
| Miter box and backsaw | Cutting trim, molding, and other materials at accurate angles. The miter box is a jig — a fixture that guides the backsaw along a fixed path for precise angled cuts. |
| Hacksaw | Cutting metal pipes, rods, bolts, and tubing. Designed specifically for cutting metal. |
A jig like the one below doesn’t cut on its own — it guides a blade or tool along a fixed path for more accurate, repeatable cuts, the way a miter box guides a backsaw.
Power saws
Power saws use a motor to drive the blade, allowing for faster and more efficient cuts than a handsaw.
| Tool | Used for |
|---|---|
| Miter saw | Cutting trim, framing lumber, and boards to precise lengths and angles. Designed to make fast, accurate crosscuts and angled cuts. |
| Circular saw | Cutting plywood, dimensional lumber, and other building materials. Designed to be handheld, with a rotating circular blade for straight cuts. |
| Band saw | Cutting curves, irregular shapes, and resawing wood or metal. Designed to be stationary, with a continuous loop blade for smooth, controlled cuts. |
| Reciprocating saw | Demolition, remodeling, and cutting through wood, metal, or piping. Designed to be handheld, with a blade that moves rapidly back and forth (reciprocates). |
| Jigsaw | Cutting curves, circles, and intricate shapes in wood, plastic, and thin metal. Designed to be handheld, with a narrow reciprocating blade for detailed work. |
Telling similar tools apart
Crosscut saws cut across the grain, while rip saws cut along the grain — ripping means splitting a board lengthwise. The three curve-cutting saws differ mainly in power and mobility: the coping saw is manual, the jigsaw is handheld and powered, and the band saw is stationary and powered for longer, continuous cuts. The miter box and backsaw is simply the manual version of the power miter saw — both guide a blade to make accurate angled cuts.
Other cutting tools
Not every cutting job calls for a saw — these tools use shearing, chopping, or leverage to cut wire, bolts, chains, and wood.
| Tool | Used for |
|---|---|
| Bolt cutters | Specialized heavy-duty cutters designed for cutting metal bolts, chains, and rods. |
| Wire cutters and strippers | Specialized tools used to cut wire and remove insulation from electrical wires. |
| Axes | Chopping, splitting wood, and demolition work. |