Cross-Cut Or Hand-Saw

This saw has its teeth more in the form of equilateral triangles, and thus resembles a rending saw used for hard wood, the angle being nearly equal at both sides. The teeth of this saw are somewhat smaller than those of the rending saw, as the saw itself is also smaller than the other.

Panel-Saw

The panel-saw is very similar to the cross-cut, only its teeth are smaller, and its blade smaller and thinner.

Tenon-Saw

This saw has a thinner blade and finer teeth than any of the foregoing, and is used for finer work. To strengthen the thin blade, a thick back is supplied, giving to it the name of the back-saw.

Dovetail-Saw

This is like the tenon-saw in all respects, only smaller and finer every way, and is used for finer and lighter work.

Compass-Saw

The compass-saw has a narrow, tapered blade, and is used for curved work, as in following the lines traced by a compass.

Saw blades are made of cast steel plate, while the backs of tenon and dovetail-saws are made of iron, steel, or brass. The handles are made of beech, fixed to the blades by brass screws. Good saws have their blades ground thinner towards the back. This makes them more easily worked, even with a smaller amount of set.

Set

Set is the bending of adjacent teeth to opposite sides, to make a wider saw-kerf and thus reduce the friction on the sides of the saw. The cleaner the saw. cuts and the drier the wood, the less necessity for set; but if the wood is wet, or the saw dull, then the value of set will be more readily perceived.

Sharpening

Saws are sharpened by files of triangular section, the blade being secured in a suitable vice. Alternate teeth are sharpened from the same side, one complete side being sharpened and then the saw reversed for the sharpening of the opposite side. The file must be held at different suitable angles to give the proper form to the teeth.

The Rule

For workshop purposes the rule varies in length from 6 in. to 4 ft., the longer ones being made to fold up into convenient lengths. The 1, 2, and 3 foot rules are most largely used - the latter two being folded up into 6 in. and 9 in. lengths respectively. Each foot is divided into inches and any suitable fractional part of an inch, as1/2 in.,1/4 in.,1/8 in.,1/16 in., etc. Rules are mostly made of boxwood and mounted with brass; but small ones, to be used also as straightedges, are often of steel or brass.

The Square

This tool is made up of two parts - the stock and the blade, fixed together at the angle of 90°. The former part is made of rosewood, covered on the edge by a brass plate to prevent wear, the latter is a thin steel plate, and both are fixed together by means of rivets to prevent shifting.

Pin-Hammer

The form of this tool for bench work is varied, but a convenient shape is one with a thin cross-pane, suitable for moving the plane iron screws. A useful weight is about 10 oz. The head is made of cast steel and the handle of ash. The handle is slightly reduced in section towards the head so as to afford it more spring.