How to choose a good wood hacksaw for your home

Which hacksaw is better to buy?

When choosing a hacksaw, you need to pay special attention to such details. For example, you should not use a wood saw when working metal. At a minimum, the canvas will become unusable, and certainly will not cope with the task. At the same time, a special hacksaw for metal can handle plastic, wood, and ceramics, but it will cost more.

Straight tooth blades are used only for cross cuts. If you need to cut a workpiece lengthwise, you need inclined cutters.

The teeth of a wood saw can be large, medium and fine, with a different number of cutters per inch:

A 3-6″ saw is used for thick wood;
Teeth with a pitch of 3-3.5 mm saw medium-sized workpieces;
Small parts are processed with files with a tooth pitch of 2-2.5 mm.

Hardened teeth retain their sharpness longer and cut any material efficiently, but they cannot be sharpened again.

The main condition for comfortable work is a good handle. The grip should be strong, without slipping. The best handle is a two-component one with a rubber insert.

The price of replacement blades is another important factor for those who work with tools on an ongoing basis. Some branded blades are unreasonably overpriced.

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The best hacksaws for wood

Such instruments differ in the size and shape of the blade, which determines the purpose of the instrument. Different cutters are used for longitudinal, transverse and mixed cuts. The universal saw blade is 450-500 mm, and its teeth are of medium size. It is more comfortable to cut branches in the garden with a short hacksaw, but it is better to cut logs with a long one.

FatMax 300 mm 11TPI Stanley 2-17-205

★★★★★

editorial assessment

100%

buyers recommend this product

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This is a circular hacksaw for precise and straight cuts. It can also be used to make holes in wood. Three cutting edges on each induction-hardened tooth ensure fast and efficient cutting. The two-component handle fits securely in your hand, allowing you to fully control the process. The length of the canvas is 300 mm.

Advantages:

High-quality manufacturing materials;
Long service life;
Light weight;
Wear resistance;
Easy and fast cutting.

Flaws:

Price.

With such a specialized tool, you can make both straight and curved cuts.

Bahco 2600-16-XT11-HP

★★★★★

editorial assessment

98%

buyers recommend this product

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The Swedish tool can cope with various wooden bases. The hacksaw is designed for cross cutting, although if you have experience, you can also perform longitudinal cutting with it. Thanks to its unusual design and long-lasting tooth sharpness, Bahco is very popular. The presence of a low-friction coating significantly reduces friction during work, which means that the hacksaw blade heats up less, and the work itself is not so tiring.

Advantages:

Corrosion protection;
High quality;
Light weight – 450 grams;
Convenient design;
Perfect cut.

Flaws:

Quite a high price.

The handle of the hacksaw is securely attached to the blade, ensuring safety and comfort of use.

Gross Piranha 24109

4.9

★★★★★

editorial assessment

80%

buyers recommend this product

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The tool is made of high quality steel. It is marked 52 HRc, but thanks to repeated hardening, the strength indicator has been increased to 66 HRc units. Classically shaped teeth with triangular sharpening make work easier. The length of the canvas is 400 mm, and it is coated with a Teflon layer. The plastic handle has a rubber insert that prevents the tool from slipping in your hand.

Advantages:

Effortless work;
The sharpness of the teeth is maintained for 2-3 years;
Good glide on wet wood;
Withstands intensive use;
Ergonomics.

Flaws:

Not intended for cutting large diameter parts.

This hacksaw will provide an even cut that is indistinguishable from a circular saw.

Stanley Jetcut 2-15-283

4.7

★★★★★

editorial assessment

86%

buyers recommend this product

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The hacksaw was made by a popular Chinese brand known for the high quality of its products. Jetcut cannot be called a cheap tool, but the model has a number of advantages. Three-way sharpening of the teeth allows you to cut wood moving in both directions. The length of the blade is 450 mm, so the hacksaw can be used to process any piece of wood.

Advantages:

Comfortable hard plastic handle with rubber insert;
Possibility of long-term work without fatigue;
Blade made of hardened steel;
Long lasting sharpening;
Reliable design.

Flaws:

Not the neatest cut.

The ergonomic handle will allow you to confidently operate the tool, but this hacksaw is not suitable for fine work.

Fiskars 124810

4.5

★★★★★

editorial assessment

84%

buyers recommend this product

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The bow saw has a collapsible design, which allows you to replace the blade without the use of additional tools. The worker can help himself with his second hand by grasping the arch, which has grooves for a comfortable grip. The blade length is 700 mm, making it possible to work with large diameter workpieces.

Advantages:

The paint coating protects against corrosion;
High quality product;
Compactness;
Sharp blade;
Reasonable price.

Flaws:

How to choose a hacksaw for wood

The choice of saw, whether for gardening work or for repair and construction purposes, should be approached responsibly. After all, if you buy the wrong tool, at best there will be difficulties in working, it will be difficult to achieve the desired result, and at worst there is a risk of injury.

Experienced carpenters advise paying attention to the working surface of the hacksaw - the blade. Before purchasing, be sure to find out what kind of steel is used in the saw. A blade with good hardening and correctly sharpened teeth will be much more effective in use than a tool with a poor working base.

A hand saw is without a doubt a necessary tool in the household.

There are different types of hacksaws for woodworking, which differ in many ways. For example, the ease of sawing and the service life of a hacksaw depend on the blade. In total, when buying a hacksaw for wood, you should pay attention to three components:

Blade (steel grade, length);
Teeth (their size, shape, distance between them);
Handle model.

Length and size of the canvas

You need to choose a hacksaw for wood based on your needs: for cutting small, not large building materials, a 300 mm hacksaw is enough. If the purpose of the purchase is repair, use in the country, or, especially, construction, it is advisable to choose a saw with a base of 450 - 500 mm. Also, we must not forget about the “golden rule” of choosing a hacksaw: the length of the tool must be at least twice as long as the workpiece being cut.

The most common hacksaws - with blade lengths from 350 to 600 mm - are medium sizes. It is believed that up to thirty-five centimeters these are mini-saws, and over 60 cm – large ones. The success of working with wood depends on the correct choice of blade length.

If you take a tool that is shorter than optimal, you will have to put more effort into cutting. By choosing a blade that is too long, the saw will spring back and also create additional difficulties.

Classic hacksaw with a comfortable and ergonomic handle

Tooth size and shape

This property of the saw affects the main factor of the tool - its purpose. The right size can be easily selected using the TPI coefficient. This is a special scale showing the number of teeth per inch of working length of the blade. Often this coefficient is indicated directly on the working surface of the tool.

Advice! Hacksaws with large teeth are well suited for roughing, initial work on construction sites, and sawing trunks. Working with small cutters will take more time and effort, but the quality will be higher.

Wood saw with double action blade

Differences between incisors in appearance

The triangular tooth configuration is considered standard. Variations are allowed: acute or isosceles triangle. The advantage of such teeth is that they are easy to sharpen. The cut is quite neat without any rough notches.

It is best to use a hacksaw with triangular cutters for transverse or longitudinal cuts.

Tempered blade-shaped cutters with the correct layout can cope with any type of wood

Another important point that you should pay attention to before purchasing a saw is the teeth of the blade. Cheap models use regular cutters, while expensive ones use higher quality hardened teeth. This characteristic will affect the cutting speed and accuracy.

The option with a hardened cutter is good because of its energy consumption - you don’t have to sharpen anything yourself, because the saw will be as sharp as possible. However, a non-hardened cutter can always be sharpened “to suit you” (or when it becomes dull), which cannot be done with hardened teeth.

With small cutters the cut will be more accurate, but the work will take more time; with large ones, on the contrary, you can saw off faster, but the result will be a rough cut.

Sharpening saw teeth is a difficult task, so if you do not have enough experience, it is better to entrust this task to a professional

Handle design

The design of the handle is an important characteristic that affects the quality and safety of work. Handles come in different shapes, depending on the purpose of the hacksaw. They can be made from different materials: wood, plastic, metal or rubberized.

There are 2 types of handles:

reversible (with the ability to easily change the canvas)
classical.Important! An awkwardly held hacksaw will slip in your hands, bend and move poorly through the source material, which can lead to injury.

The efficiency of work directly depends on how well and comfortably the hacksaw handle is made.

Material requirements

To ensure that the hacksaw can serve you for a long time, you should choose a model whose blade and handle are made of high-quality materials. Such a hand saw will of course cost more, but you are unlikely to achieve a quick and high-quality cut with a cheap option.

A stainless steel hacksaw will last for decades

The best hacksaws for metal

A hacksaw for metal has a thin blade with fine teeth; this tool is usually used with two hands. The narrow blade gets into places where a grinder cannot reach. The ability to rotate the blade and change its angle makes cutting easier.

Bison PRO-900 15815

★★★★★

editorial assessment

97%

buyers recommend this product

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The Russian manufacturer successfully competes with famous world brands, and this two-handed hacksaw is the best example of the fact that a high-quality tool can be inexpensive. The frame has large rubberized inserts in the grip areas of two hands. Due to the fact that the tensioner is located at the bottom, it does not interfere with operation. The blade is made with hardened teeth, sharpened on three sides.

Advantages:

Compartment for small parts;
Durability;
Resistance to maximum loads;
Comfortable when working.

Flaws:

High price for replacement blades.

The model will provide high speed cutting of various workpieces, even if these are materials with increased rigidity.

Total THT54106

4.9

★★★★★

editorial assessment

93%

buyers recommend this product

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The blade length of this hacksaw is 300 mm, its tension can be adjusted with a special screw. The reinforced steel frame guarantees the durability and reliability of the tool. The ergonomic handle does not slip in the palm, ensuring safe and comfortable work.

Advantages:

Possibility of installing the blade at an angle of 90°;
Convenient clamping screw;
Massive cast construction;
Anatomical handle.

Flaws:

No blade rotation.

This is a good home tool - reliable and durable.

Gross 77602

4.7

★★★★★

editorial assessment

86%

buyers recommend this product

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The hacksaw is equipped with rubberized hand grips and an ergonomic grip. The frame is plastic, three-component. The length of the canvas is 300 mm. The worker can fasten the equipment at two angles - depending on the material with which he will have to work. The kit includes a bimetallic blade - it can be easily changed if necessary. A special screw mechanism, reliable and strong, allows you to tighten the blade.

Advantages:

Fast and easy cutting;
Ergonomic frame;
Selecting the angle of installation of the blade;
Comfortable and strong grip.

Flaws:

The canvas dulls quickly.

Setting the optimal tension on the hacksaw allows you to make accurate cuts.

Vira 801010

4.5

★★★★★

editorial assessment

85%

buyers recommend this product

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The Vira has a robust, all-metal construction. Its main feature is its affordable price. The ergonomic handle provides a secure grip, which is very important during prolonged work. Blade length – 300 mm.

Advantages:

Light weight – 0.27 kg;
Ease of use;
Inexpensive consumables;
The canvas does not bend.

Flaws:

There are no rubber inserts on the handle.

This simple tool will be useful for specialists and home craftsmen. It is definitely worth the money, although it is not suitable for long-term use.

Kroft 202331

4.5

★★★★★

editorial assessment

82%

buyers recommend this product

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This miniature hacksaw with a blade length of 300 mm weighs only 45 grams due to its lightweight frame. It is comfortable to hold in your hand thanks to the well-designed handle.

Advantages:

Good steel sheet;
Compactness;
Wide profile of work;
The budget cost of the hacksaw itself and replacement files.

Flaws:

The plastic frame is unreliable.

This tool is designed for cutting small metal parts, but requires careful handling.

The best all-purpose hacksaws

The scope of application of this tool is very wide - universal hacksaws can work with a wide variety of materials.

Haupa 150 mm 200285

★★★★★

editorial assessment

98%

buyers recommend this product

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A tension saw has a pistol grip and can cut metal, plastic or wood. The blade length is 150 mm. The instrument weighs only 164 grams.

Advantages:

Good workmanship;
Replaceable cloth;
There is a saw tension screw;
Comfortable grip.

Flaws:

High price.

The hacksaw is suitable for various metalworking jobs, and its light weight and ergonomics allow you to cut for a long time without fatigue.

Bison “Molniya-7” 500 mm 1537-50 z01

4.9

★★★★★

editorial assessment

95%

buyers recommend this product

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A reliable and high-quality hacksaw is equipped with large straight teeth that are sharpened on both sides. The cut is precise even when cutting soft wood.

Advantages:

High-quality steel sheet;
Two-component comfortable handle;
Pulse hardening of teeth;
Durability.

Flaws:

The blade may bend during operation.

The instrument has hanging holes for easy storage. Otherwise, this is just a good-quality and multifunctional hacksaw that always gives high-quality results.

Bahco PrizeCut 350 mm

4.8

★★★★★

editorial assessment

89%

buyers recommend this product

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The hacksaw is designed for cutting plastic, wood, chipboard, aluminum and laminate. The length of the canvas is 350 mm. Narrow, hardened dagger teeth ensure high-quality cutting. The sharpness of the cutters is maintained for a long time, and even when working with plastic, a perfectly even cut is obtained. This compact tool can handle everything except steel materials.

Advantages:

Weight 215 grams;
Durability;
Clean cut;
Fine and strong teeth;
Reliable fastening of the canvas.

Flaws:

Not the most reliable handle.

This hacksaw is often used for finishing cuts in wood, but other materials can also be used.

Sibrteh 24025 170 mm

4.7

★★★★★

editorial assessment

86%

buyers recommend this product

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The steel blade is easy to move and can be rotated 360°. This simple but multifunctional tool allows you to perform various tasks and act as a hand jigsaw. The canvas is easy to change, and a special mechanism regulates its tension.

Advantages:

Two-component handle;
5 canvases included;
Compact size and light weight – 250 grams;
Budget cost.

Flaws:

When working for a long time, your hand gets tired.

The Sibrtech hacksaw is suitable for cutting out shapes from wood, plastic or plywood.

Basic characteristics of a hacksaw for wood

Blade length (mm)

This is the first selection criterion. Without deciding on the length, it makes no sense to evaluate all other parameters of the hacksaw.

There is a generally accepted standard for choosing this indicator, which it is advisable to adhere to. The length of the blade should exceed the size of the largest lumber with which it is intended to work, approximately 2 times, no less.

Why? Firstly, the teeth of a hacksaw become clogged with sawdust during the sawing process. Doubling the length ensures that the blade in extreme positions will completely come out of the wood. As a result, it self-cleanses due to the falling of debris.

Secondly, the greater the amplitude of movement of the hands when working with a tool, the less they get tired. And this directly affects productivity. If a hacksaw is chosen for intensive use, sawing large volumes of wood is more than important.

If a wood hacksaw is purchased as a household hand tool, a blade of 300 is sufficient for all cases.
Major repairs, especially construction, also include sawing of dimensional samples (logs, boards, beams). For such purposes, you should choose a hacksaw with a blade in the range of 475 ± 25.

Steel type

There are many brands of metals. For hacksaws for wood, as a rule, this is 45 HRC. It's more difficult with teeth. They can be hardened (have a darker shade than the canvas) or without preliminary heat treatment.

Hardened teeth will not stand up to sharpening. In essence, this hacksaw, although more durable, is in a sense disposable. If, due to negligence or non-compliance with operating rules, the cutting edges of the tool are dulled, then it will not be possible to bring them into working condition. But for occasional work and small household chores related to sawing wood, it is the best option. Having chosen a hacksaw from a well-known manufacturer, you can rest assured that it will last for a long time.

Teeth that have not been hardened can be sharpened and straightened yourself. On the one hand, it is convenient and practical. But this requires experience in this matter. How many people can boast about it? It is hardly worth purchasing such a hacksaw as a tool for everyday use. But if we are talking about large-scale work with wood (the same construction), then this is the right choice. You will inevitably have to master the basics of sharpening and straightening, especially since it is not so difficult.

How to check the quality of steel and sharpening

You can check the quality of steel without a certificate. The hacksaw blade has a bending limit. Initially it is perfectly smooth. You need to carefully bend it (the permissible extreme position, when it is ready to break, the hand will “understand” itself), and then release it and check the geometry. A deviation of the area subject to deformation from the center line of more than 2 mm is an indicator of low quality steel. It’s better to overpay, but choose another hacksaw for wood.
The type of teeth can be determined visually. If they are of a traditional, triangular configuration, then the hacksaw must be straightened and sharpened. Trapezoidal cutting edges are hardened. They have already been mentioned above.

Teeth size

This characteristic of a hacksaw is displayed on the blade with TPI symbols. The dimension of the value is the number of teeth/inch.

As a rule, craftsmen are interested in 2 indicators of the efficiency of sawing wood - speed and accuracy of the cut. The fact is that these parameters are inversely related. The cleanliness of the cut is ensured by fine teeth, but at the same time the cutting speed of the material is reduced. And vice versa - a hacksaw with large cutting edges cuts at a higher speed, but its accuracy deteriorates.

TPI value recommendation

3 – 6. This hacksaw is suitable for rough work with wood. For example, trimming large branches on the site, sawing small logs, boards, and so on. That is, in cases where the presence of fringe on the edges is not critical, and cutting accuracy is not a determining requirement when working with wood.
7 – 9 or more. It is advisable to choose this type of hacksaw when you plan to work with sheet materials - chipboard, MDF, OSV, FC, and so on. Such a tool will provide a “delicate” cutting, after which there will be no fringe or torn edges.

Hacksaw handle type

Recommendation for selection:

Check if it is comfortable in your hand. The main difference between people's hands is their size. The solution is simple - take the hacksaw in your palm, clench your fingers and make several forward movements. A man will immediately understand whether this is “his” instrument or whether it is better to choose something else.
The handles of hacksaws for wood are classic (cast) and reversible. The first allows you to replace the canvas.

And this is where it gets more interesting. If you choose a hacksaw with a reversible handle, then it makes sense to purchase a product with a “disposable” blade that has hardened teeth. Even if the tool is handled carelessly, it can be “repaired.” You just need to clarify whether replacement sheets are on sale (at this particular retail outlet or another in this locality) and whether they are in short supply. When buying a hacksaw for small chores, it is enough to take 1 spare one. Considering the increased wear resistance of the teeth and their strength, such a “set” will last for many years.

Useful tips

There is a relationship between the size of the teeth and their location. The “step” of three adjacent cutting edges should be less than the cross-section of the wooden workpiece being cut. This is easy to calculate if a hacksaw is chosen for sawing boards or small bars, that is, for everyday work, which is most often encountered in everyday life.

The cutting method depends on the type of sharpening of the teeth. Longitudinal blades have a length of up to half a meter, a greater slope of the cutting edges to the side and their one-sided sharpening. Sawing with such a hacksaw is carried out only in the “away” direction. This tool is quite specific and should not be chosen as a household tool for everyday use.

Wood saws with a transverse blade are considered universal. Sawing is carried out during its movement both forward and backward. Such a tool is easy to identify by the double-sided sharpening of the cutting edges.