33 Different Types of Saws and How to Use Them

What is Saw?

A saw is defined as a tool that consists of a rigid body or wire with a hard-toothed edge. It is used to cut through materials, most often wood, but also metal or stone.

A cut is made with the toothed edge of the saw firmly placed against the material and moved forcibly forward and less forcibly back, or continuously ahead.

Force to move the blade can be hand applied, powered through steam, water, electricity, or other forms of power. A circular saw is a type of abrasive saw that is powered with a circular blade designed to cut through metal or ceramic material.

Saws can range from the most elementary form of cutting tool to a highly advanced piece of powered machinery. Depending on your trade or hobbies, the kind of saws in your possession, or intended possession, can vary greatly.

Someone in construction will likely need a wide variety of saws that are suitable for different situations, as well as saws that will accomplish a specific task. A carpenter, or someone who has a wood shop at home, will need a different set of saws altogether, though some variations may apply.

Hand Saws

Hand saws essentially are any saws that are powered by hand, however they are typically not powered by electricity, batteries, or gas. Hand saws are common in many trades, and most hand saws can be used for many jobs at home or in the garden.

Hand saws have advantages of portability, small overall storage space, and cost. Hand saws typically are slower than powered saws, and best for smaller jobs.

Types of Hand Saws

#1. Hack Saw

Hack saw were originally developed to cut metal, and due to its thin blade it will cut thin materials like plastic or metal pipes great. If it is not used too often it could serve as a multi-purpose saw for cutting wood, but that will probably ruin the blades.

Hacksaws are great for cutting tubing and pipes and are one of the more widely used types of saw. Not only are they light, but they are versatile enough to cut wood, metal, plastic and other materials using blades specific to the material and blades can have between about 18 to 32 teeth per inch.

#2. Coping Saw

The coping saw, like the hack saw, has a blade that has tension and is held in place. The coping saw is used in the process of making curved cuts on wood, which means it gets its name from that, because it is ideally suited for making coping joints rather then miter joints.

The blades of the coping saw are narrow and the saws have 15 or 17 teeth per inch of the blade. These saws are very light weight and usually measure around 6 inches apart.

#3. Crosscut Saw

A crosscut saw is specifically designed for rough cutting wood, it has a relatively thick blade and large beveled teeth. Conventional crosscut saws (or felling saws) have one handle on each end and are designed for two people, used to cut across (perpendicular) to the grain of timber.

The more common 1-man crosscut saw is perfect for rough cutting lumber, trimming limbs or branches, and is an excellent saw to pack along for camping or keep on the job site.

#4. Bow Cut Saw

A bow-saw is a modern variation of a cross-cut saw. It is a hand tool that is mid-sized and is most commonly utilized outside for pruning trees and cutting logs. Bow-saws have a cross-cut teeth that are able to take away sawdust when pushed in and out.

Bow-saws come equipped with longer and thinner blades, which enable them to effectively cut larger sections of wood. Bow-saws can make curved cuts as well.

#5. Fret Saw

Most similar to a coping saw, the fret saw has a longer thinner blade for producing more detailed cuts. The fret saw has a longer and larger frame that also makes it possible to cut further out from the outer edges, however the blade cannot be swivelled which creates more complex and tedious cutting positions when carrying out intricate scroll work.

#6. Keyhole Saw

These saws have a dagger style, with blade pointing tip at the opposite end of a single handle. They are also referred to as “jab saws” since their sharp point can jab through material like drywall and cut just as readily.

Their thin blade is great for adapting motion for awkward cutting angles or small holes of good size, and they can also be used for cutting rough patterns. Generally, they come in two styles; with a fixed blade or retractable blade.

#7. Japanese Saw

As a saw with one handle and a robust, thin cutting blade which is protruding, the cutting precision of a pull saw is greater than that of a backsaw and has the ability to reach cuts that a backsaw or panel saw cannot.

Different types of pull saw are available (dozuki, ryoba, and kataba); all three are capable of accurately cutting through hard and softwoods.

#8. Rip-Cut Saw

One of the most frequently used types of saws by anyone who works with wood is a rip-cut saw. It is a versatile saw that can be used for many jobs, so it is probably the saw that gets used most often. A rip-cut saw cuts wood parallel to the grain.

This saw has fewer teeth per inch (TPI) than most other hand saws, but each teeth is very sharp, allowing it to take out chips of wood as it cuts, much like a collection of chisels that are all used at once.

#9. Back Saw

A backsaw is a type of saw that is shorter than most, and also narrower. The top edge of a backsaw has reinforcement, giving it the appropriate name. Backsaws are often used with miter boxes or other applications when a consistently fine, straight cut is critical to the job.

There are many names given to a backsaw, including miter saw, or tenon saw, depending on the design of the saw, usage context, or regional differences.

#10. Pruning Saw

Pruning saws are ideal for garden use and allow for fast and easy pruning of trees and large shrubs. They are typically self-contained, with one curved handle attached to a curved blade, and happily cut even tricky-to-reach branches tucked away in thickly-growing trees.

Pruning saws have many more teeth per inch than a similarly-sized saw, and therefore are a useful tool for requiring smaller pruning jobs that don’t need a chainsaw.

#11. Veneer Saw

These saws are used for cutting hardwood veneers, laminates, and plastics. The veneer saw is a small saw with double-edge that’s curved, typically about 3 – 4 inches long. Although it’s small so it can only be used in small areas, it is very fast and smooth.

The number of teeth on these saw blades is usually 13 teeth per inch of blade. When used with a straight edge, the veneer saw can cut square edged material perfectly, achieving butt-joints for matching veneers.

#12. Wallboard Saw

Similar to a keyhole saw, the wallboard saw usually has a wider, shorter blade and fewer teeth per inch, and many wallboard saws even come double-edged. It is made for puncturing paneling or drywall and typically is used for creating a starter hole for a powered tool.

#13. Camping Saw

Various camping saws can be found on the market, with varying types and features. For most people, when they think of needing a saw when camping, the most important aspects of the saw are that it is multi-purpose and able to cut various materials; and that it is compact and lightweight and easy to carry.

The fold-up camping saw meets all of these criteria, and is perfect for slipping in a pocket of your clothing or in a bag.

They are not bulky and you will be able to use them for doing small amounts of cutting up firewood, trimming branches, or making a variety of cuts for other various tasks that you may be confronted with while in the backcountry.

#14. Bone Saw

As one can surmise, a bone saw is to cut bones. These are seemingly employed for meat butcher, or by hunters to cut through deer or other meat. A stainless-steel blade is ideal for these saws as it will not corrode from the exposure to animal blood.

Power Saws

Power saws are essentially saws that are powered by gas motors, electricity, or rechargeable batteries, and produce cuts. They can either be portable or stationary tools.

They’re excellent for performing tasks that require precision and for making the cutting job far quicker than using hand saw companions.

The down side of these is that they can be quite expensive; however, if you purchase a reliable option, it should last you for years and years of cutting.

Although many power saws are considered safe and simple to use, some can be tricky, maybe dangerous, and if you’re going to work with power saws, perhaps you’ll need to take a special course for your training.

Types of Power Saws

#15. Circular Saw

The saw receives its name from its blade shape which is circular. The circular blade spins very fast, and is guided down by the user to cut the material that is held firmly in place beneath it. They are popular with construction workers and contractors due to their versatility and portability.

These saws are lightweight as compared to table saws, meaning they can easily be taken to various construction sites and locations. They accept many different kinds of blade types, allowing them to cut through stone, metal, wood, plastic as well as ceramic materials.

#16. Miter Saw

Miter saws are one of the few saws that have been specifically designed to replicate the function of a hand saw. They are ideally suited for applications in trim or other work with precise measurements and angle cuts.

A basic miter saw allows for a pivot of up to 45 degrees to either side of straight 90 degrees. They allow for the added bonus of using tables to cut long mitered ends.

#17. Compound Miter Saw

A compound saw is a miter saw on steroids. It has the same blade, but it operates on an arm rather than a pivoting lever, providing additional scope for adjustment on more complex cutting.

These saws can produce miters, straight cuts and compound cuts. A compound saw is great if you want to work quickly and accurately.

#18. Jigsaw

A jigsaw is a handheld saw that features a short, fairly thin blade that moves vertically at different speeds. In fact, they are one the few saws specifically designed for cutting curves and non-straight lines. When choosing a jigsaw check to see if it has long cords or if you can find a cordless jigsaw.

A jigsaw is lightweight and easy to use as well as quiet. Jigsaws are somewhat best suited for cutting out patterns from thin materials like plywood.

There are thicker blades sold to fit jigsaws to cut through metal, tile or ceramics, though they usually are not provided as part of the jigsaw kit. Jigsaws are very useful tools and will be used frequently in woodshops at home.

#19. Stationary

Stationary band saws are a popular choice for safety-conscious carpenters because there is no risk of kick-back in the same way there is with a table saw. Band saws have a blade which is continuous and comes from a band and spins around 2 or 3 wheels as seen below to make cuts.

The blades have fine teeth which allow them to work on a range of materials. The blades are part of a heavy table, so this is a workshop tool, not something you can drive around. They can cut wood, pipes, and plastic, but their cutting depth will only go for a few inches.

The band saw is relatively quiet considering it is a power tool, so this may appeal to users with a workshop located in residential areas that don’t want to disturb the neighbors.

#20. Portable

Portable band saws are merely the portable version of a stationary band saw, which consists of a looped blade that runs around two wheels for cutting.

The advantage of this tool is that it can be carried to the job site very easily, however it is only good for cutting smaller items (i.e. pipes). This tool is one of the most widely used by metalworkers, plumbers, and welders.

#21. Table Saw

Table saws have circular rotating blades that come up from out of a table to cut through the material you want. They function almost the opposite of a circular saw, in that you pull the blade down onto your material, and with a table saw, you are pushing your material onto the blade.

You can adjust the depth of the blade depending on how deep you want your cut and you can swap out the wood blade for masonry or metal blades to cut different types of material. This type of saw is best for repeating exact straight cuts, but it definitely requires training as they can be dangerous to operate.

#22. Chainsaw

A chainsaw has a usage of a linked chain that rotates around a piece of steel with special teeth attached that cut wood at high speed. It is used mostly to cut lumber and to fell or trim trees. Chainsaws have different forms of power including gas engine, battery powered motors, and corded electric powered motors.

Gas-powered chainsaws provide the most power but are also heavier and more difficult to use because they have the most vibrations. Battery powered and corded electric chainsaws are better for long jobs as they induce less fatigue on the user.

#23. Chop Saw

These saws are similar to circular saws, yet provide portability while being larger than your standard circular saw.

These saws are used for cutting through metal or masonry with smooth toothless blades that have been designed with abrasives for cutting through material. More often than not these saws will connect to a water line to mitigate dust while in use.

#24. Flooring Saw

This is a specialized tool specifically designed for installing flooring including hardwood, laminate, and bamboo. It can make straight cuts and miter cuts, and is intended as a portable substitute for a table saw, capable of cutting whatever you may need in laying flooring.

#25. Panel Saw

Usually, either vertical or horizontal, these derivatives of the table saw are designed specifically to cut large panels.

The horizontal style uses a sliding feed table, while the vertical style requires either you to feed the material or it has a blade that moves through the stationary panel. Panel saws are typically found in cabinetmaking, sign making, and similar industries.

#26. Oscillating Saw

It is often referred to as an oscillating multi-tool or perhaps more simply as an oscillating tool, it has a body design that is similar to that of a grinder, but which has an oscillating attachment at the end which can be swapped out, depending on the task.

It is often referred to as a reciprocating saw’s more versatile brother; it is capable of not only cutting but also grinding, removing grout or caulking, and scraping. One manufacturer even produces sanding pads for their OMT.

#27. Radial Arm Saw

The radial arm saw provides the advantage of replicating identical compound cuts, miter cuts, etc., but does so by placing the motor and blade on an arm that extends over the cutting table.

The blades used in a radial arm saw may also be used in a circular saw, dependent on the manufacturer, however do check on the speed of the spin as some radial saws turn very fast.

#28. Scroll Saw

These types of hand tools will be used to perform more detailed and careful work such as patterns, spiral lines, and scrolls.

The blade can be oscillating continuously, or fixed to a band, and is attached to a small table where you can hold your materials and cut it to size while cutting it. This tool performs well with curved edges.

#29. Pole Saw

A pole saw includes a telescoping pole with a chainsaw at the end of the pole opposite the handle. The design of pole saws is for pruning and trimming hedges and trees from great heights while not using a ladder. A pole saw can be powered by battery and therefore be cordless, electric, or gas engine.

#30. Wet Tile Saw

These saws are specifically designed to cut flooring or wall tiles that will not chip or crack. This portable machine is easy to move between job sites and use on site where the user is fitting tiling.

They function similar to a circular saw, they have a round blade which spins highly fast, while the user pulls the saw down over the tile to cut. These machines are critical for tradesmen in the kitchen and bathroom, or flooring trades in general. And are very accurate and save time.

#31. Reciprocating Saw

These small saws are very versatile on a job site. Their size allows them to be mobile, and they can be offered in a variety of projects, while providing a good bit of power.

They work by powering a small blade that moves back-and-forth to cut through both metal or wood. They can be offered either by power or cording.

#32. Rotary Saw.

A rotary saw (also referred to as a rotary tool) has a fixed blade and a small handle resembling that of a screwdriver. Rotary saws have broad application, ranging from crafts to construction.

They serve as an excellent cutting tool for cutting into a wall to access or make repairs. Like the keyhole saw, a rotary saw is a must-have for drywall, paneling, and many more minor cutting.

#33. Track Saw.

Having the ability to attach to a long gliding rail, the track saw (or plunging saw) is like table and circular saw on steroids, only it has a few more capabilities. It looks a lot like a circular saw, making it more portable.

To use it, simply align the sticky-backed track with the cut line (which you can clearly see through the track), attach the saw to its rails and it will glide effortlessly along the rail creating a perfect cut.

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