What Is The Difference Between A Hacksaw And A Saw

What is a hacksaw?

In joinery, a hacksaw is a special type of hand saw designed for cutting wood, metal, aerated concrete, plastic and other materials. Scientists find references in the first such instruments back in ancient times in the civilizations of Egypt, Greece and Rome. During the centuries-old history, the hacksaw has undergone significant changes, however, it has not lost its relevance and is always stored in the set of basic tools of the home craftsman.

Cordless hacksaw

A special type of tool that has appeared relatively recently is the cordless reciprocating saw, which is also called an electric hacksaw. Such a device is useful when performing a large number of construction or garden work. The compact size allows the Electric Chopper to be used in confined spaces that would be difficult to handle with a conventional saw. Such a hacksaw should be selected, guided by the following characteristics:

  • Battery capacity, which directly affects battery life. Professional models can last about 5 hours. Before changing the battery.
  • Voltage affecting the power and number of movements made by the saw per unit of time.
  • The ability to connect additional batteries to increase performance.
What Is The Difference Between A Hacksaw And A Saw

Hacksaw device

Like any other carpentry and metalwork tool, a hacksaw has a certain structure that affects its performance. It consists of:

  • A working, hacksaw or saw blade. It is made of metal of various alloys, which together with the size affect the purpose of the tool. The second important parameter of the working blade is the number, shape and size of teeth. Thanks to them, the surface is divided into parts using the reciprocating movements of the master.
  • The working blade is attached and securely fixed to the handle or special frame. It fulfills the functions of fixation, protection and ease of use. When choosing a saw, it is imperative to take into account its ergonomics.

How does a hacksaw differ from a saw?

One of the main and commonly used types of dust is a hacksaw. Here are the second tools of this group, it differs in that:

  • This is a purely hand tool. The hacksaw saw is set in motion only by the reciprocating movements of the master’s hands. While other saws can be electric or gasoline.
  • When using a hacksaw, only return movements are used, while other saws can be circular.
  • In the usual configuration, such a tool has one handle for the master to work alone.
  • It has basically a straight cutting blade, whereas in analogs it can be a chain, tape or disc.
  • In hacksaws on the working edge, only teeth, and in the second varieties, an abrasive may be found.

Hacksaw. what is it, what device is needed for, what is the difference from a saw, the main types

One of the main tools for working with various materials in a home craftsman is a hacksaw. It has several varieties, which are used depending on the type of surface to be treated. It is important for each of them to be able to use correctly.

What is a hacksaw for??

Having dealt with the definition of what a hacksaw is, it is worth dwelling in more detail on the areas of its application:

  • This tool is widely used in horticulture for pruning trees and shrubs, cutting knots and rough parts of wood.
  • A hacksaw is used to cut wooden parts during construction and household repairs.
  • She cut figures out of plywood, make curved cuts or make through holes.
  • There are special varieties for sawing metal sheets and pipes, aerated concrete blocks.
  • Some modifications cut grooves, spikes and recessed holes.

How to use a hacksaw?

The principles of working with basic locksmith tools, which include a hand saw, are simple, but non-observance can lead to saw breakage or poor cut. The main rules for handling the tool:

  • The master takes a comfortable standing position with a firm emphasis on the legs. Arms at the elbow Must bend at a 90 ° angle.
  • Reliable fixation of the sawn surface. If possible, it is better to fix the material in a vice.
  • The hacksaw blade is firmly positioned strictly perpendicular to the surface. It is important to exclude all vibrations of the instrument in order to prevent damage to it.
  • Tools for metal are held with two hands, while for wood or aerated concrete. with one.

Types of hacksaws

The whole variety of hacksaws can be roughly divided into tools for:

  • Works with wood surfaces. This includes both the universal saw and the garden hacksaw, and some other special varieties.
  • Metal surface treatments. This group also has its own modifications for masters of different classes.

Aerated concrete works

By structure, the instrument is:

  • Standard single handle.
  • Modifications with a solid frame are found.
  • A specialized tool is a folding hacksaw, which is an attribute of the traveler’s tool kit.

How to sharpen a hacksaw?

After carrying out a certain amount of work with a hacksaw, the saw teeth are simply dull. The first signs of the need for sharpening include:

  • Heavy and uneven sawing.
  • Uneven cut.
  • The blade often gets stuck.
  • It is difficult to keep the given trajectory.

When the above “symptoms” appear, each craftsman must understand how to sharpen a hacksaw while maintaining the working tooth profile:

  • Clamp the tool securely in a vise or clamp.
  • Set the teeth. This procedure involves alternately bending each tooth in different directions by the same amount by about 1.5-2 mm with special tools.
  • A triangular file with a fine cut is selected.
  • The angle of sharpening of the teeth is determined by eye, which is approximately equal to 15-30 °.
  • Carry out the same number of file movements in the selected direction on one side. Repeat the process for the other side.
  • The teeth are aligned in height.

Tooth size and shape

The size of the teeth (pitch) of the hacksaw blade directly affects the performance and accuracy of the tool. The larger the teeth, the higher the working speed, but the accuracy and quality of the cut deteriorates. On the other hand, using a fine-toothed saw guarantees a clean and even cut, but the speed decreases.

Cutting accuracy is determined by the number of teeth per inch of blade length (TPI), that is, their density. Its value is marked on the side surface of the canvas (for example, 7×1 “or 7TPI). The higher the TPI, the smaller the step. So, 2TPI = 12 mm, and 12TPI = 2 mm.

When choosing a hacksaw for wood, it must be borne in mind that the minimum thickness of the workpiece must be greater than the pitch of three teeth.

When working with a hacksaw on wood, the appearance of sharpened teeth is essential. In this case, teeth are considered standard, sharpened on both sides and having the form of an acute-angled or isosceles triangle.

main parameters

The effectiveness of using a hacksaw for wood largely depends on its technical characteristics. The main ones are:

  • The material from which the saw blade is made;
  • The length of the blade and its shape;
  • Tooth size and shape;
  • Handle type.

When choosing a tool, you must pay attention to each element of the characteristics. Only in this case you will not have to regret the purchase.

For rip sawing

The rip-cut device is characterized by triangular slices with sharp oblique corners. Visually, they rather resemble small hooks sharpened on both sides. Due to this design, the hacksaw easily glides along the wood fibers and cuts the blade quite evenly, without knots and chipping.

Such equipment is optimal when it is required to cut the board along the direction of the wood grain. Usually, when sawing, large sawdust is formed, the volume of which directly depends on the size of the teeth: the higher they are, the faster the work will go.

Operating principle

First of all, it is correct to call a hacksaw NOT an independent tool, but a type of saw. The difference between a hacksaw and a saw, or rather, from the second types of this object, is that it is exclusively a hand tool. Cutting the material is carried out while making a reciprocating hacksaw.

Saws in general exist Not only hand-held, but also electric, and also powered by gasoline. Among them there are those whose blade rotates during operation (for example, in a circular saw).

Cutting edge

What is the difference between a hacksaw and a saw if you pay attention to this part of the tools? The difference is that the action of any hacksaw is carried out using teeth, which are made in different sizes and shapes. At the same time there are saws, which contain abrasive spraying instead of teeth. This, for example, is a stone saw in the form of a disk with small diamond particles on the cutting edge.

Without a hacksaw, it is impossible to imagine yourself as a professional joiner or carpenter, and in everyday life it is used quite often. The widespread use of this tool has contributed to the emergence of its various types, designed for certain operations.

To choose the right hacksaw, you should study its characteristics, imagine what exactly needs to be cut with it and how often it will be used.

Like any common tool designed to perform a large amount of work, a hacksaw for wood is classified according to several parameters.

Definition

A hacksaw is a hand tool used in joinery and plumbing to cut material.

Hacksaw

Saw. a tool, most often a metal blade with many cutting teeth on the working edge.

Saw

How is it different from a saw?

Many do not understand what is the difference between a regular saw and a hacksaw. In fact, a hacksaw is by no means an independent working tool, but a separate type of saw. Its features boil down to the fact that it can be used in a strictly manual way, the spray is made by means of intensive reciprocating movements.

Saws in general are not only hand-held, but also electric, and in addition, they operate on liquid fuel. gasoline. They can move back and forth, as well as rotate (for example, like circular saws).

A hacksaw features one handle, and saws often have multiple handles.

The tool blade is strictly straight, except for the plywood sawing tool with slightly rounded edges. In other options, dust can be represented by a disk moving in a circle, as well as a closed-type tape or an iridescent chain.

The action of any hacksaw is done using cutters, which can vary in size and shape. In other types of plates, spraying can be used instead, for example, small diamond particles along the edge of the cutting edge.

Length and shape of the blade

In the domestic market, you can find hacksaws for wood with a length of 250 to 650 mm in increments of 25 mm. This parameter is specified by GOST 2615-84 and depends on the distance between the teeth.

Otherwise, it will be uncomfortable to work with a hacksaw, since the short blade will jam inside the solid wood.

As a rule, hacksaws with a narrow blade are no more than 350 mm long and are equipped with a large number of small teeth. Universal tools are equipped with blades about 500 mm long with medium-sized teeth. Hacksaws with a wide blade are made with large teeth located at a great distance from each other (coarse pitch), their length can reach 650 mm.

Traditionally, a saw for wood looks like a triangle narrowed on one side. This tool can work with any type of wood. In addition, there are hacksaws adapted to work, for example, with tree branches or other objects located at some distance from the sawfly. They are rounded and lightweight.

Review of the best hacksaws for wood

On the market of tools hacksaws for wood Presented in a wide range. Among them there are products of both domestic and foreign production, which have proven themselves from the best side.

Saw “Zubr Expert ”is a universal tool that can be used for both longitudinal and transverse spraying of wood. The blade is 40 cm long and has hardened, set teeth in a special way, located with a pitch of 5 mm.

The Banco Laplander 396-LAP mini-saw is specially designed for field use. The narrow, sharpened blade features Sandvik XT-shaped teeth that spray the wood well both along and across the grain. The folded length of the hacksaw is 23 cm and it weighs only 200 g.

The blade of the Gross Piranha hacksaw is made of high-quality steel with a hardness of HRC 52. At the same time, the teeth, hardened to hardness HRC 66, have a triangular shape, laser sharpened and coated with Teflon, the use of which improves blade sliding and cut cleanliness.

When choosing a hacksaw, you must pay attention to its marking, study the parameters and, if something is not clear, check with the seller. After purchase, the instrument should be looked after, cleaned after use, stored in a dry place, sharpened and wired as needed. Only in this case will it last as long as possible.

A hacksaw is one of the main tools in the home craftsman’s arsenal. Such a tool is indispensable for sawing off branches in the garden, shortening fence boards, making blanks for garden furniture, and performing many more varied works. The correct choice of such a device plays a colossal role for safety, ease of operation and the quality of the cut formed, therefore, it is worth dwelling on all aspects of the purchase and operation of hacksaws in more detail.

Handle type

The type of handle and the material from which it is made largely determine the convenience of working with a hacksaw on wood. It is best to work with a saw that has a one-piece plastic handle with rubberized finger grips. A two-piece handle is less comfortable because it is not rigid enough.

There are also hacksaws with cross over handles. They, as a rule, are equipped with universal and bow saws, in which the blades can be changed during operation.

Review of the best hacksaws for wood

On the market of tools hacksaws for wood Presented in a wide range. Among them there are products of both domestic and foreign production, which have proven themselves from the best side.

Saw “Zubr Expert ”is a universal tool that can be used for both longitudinal and transverse spraying of wood. The blade is 40 cm long and has hardened, set teeth in a special way, located with a pitch of 5 mm.

The Banco Laplander 396-LAP mini-saw is specially designed for field use. The narrow, sharpened blade features Sandvik XT-shaped teeth that spray the wood well both along and across the grain. The folded length of the hacksaw is 23 cm and it weighs only 200 g.

The blade of the Gross Piranha hacksaw is made of high-quality steel with a hardness of HRC 52. At the same time, the teeth, hardened to hardness HRC 66, have a triangular shape, laser sharpened and coated with Teflon, the use of which improves blade sliding and cut cleanliness.

When choosing a hacksaw, you must pay attention to its marking, study the parameters and, if something is not clear, check with the seller. After purchase, the instrument should be looked after, cleaned after use, stored in a dry place, sharpened and wired as needed. Only in this case will it last as long as possible.

Advantages and disadvantages of the tool

It is customary to refer to the positive qualities of hacksaws:

  • Simplicity and relative safety of use.
  • Ability to cut any material that does NOT exceed blade metal in hardness.
  • Compactness, light weight, ease of use.
  • No special training is required to use the tool. The necessary skill comes literally in a few minutes of work.
  • A large number of varieties and models.
  • The ability to restore performance (sharpening, wiring) with your own hands.

The disadvantages of hacksaws should be considered:

  • The result of the work depends on the experience and skills of the master.
  • The need for periodic setting and sharpening of teeth.
  • The ability to cut materials depends on the quality of the metal of the hacksaw.
  • The canvas has to be protected from mechanical influences, in particular. from bending or breaking of the surface.
  • Metal is susceptible to corrosion, from which the tool must be protected.

How to choose the right hacksaw for wood

For each activity and timber Specific tools should be used. Precise cuts in chipboard are made with a TRI 7-9 hacksaw, and the TRI indicator below is suitable for large logs, where not aesthetics are important, but speed and convenience of work.

Experts recommend relying on the following aspects in choosing:

  • A hacksaw with a large tooth is suitable for carpenters, but for carpenters it is better to focus on fine-toothed products;
  • A saber hacksaw is excellent for cutting branches on a tree due to its convenient shape;
  • In the absence of skills in sharpening and setting teeth, it is better to choose hardened products, but only if the work will not be carried out very often;
  • The one-piece design of the handle increases rigidity, while the ergonomic curves and rubberized insert increase both efficiency and convenience of work.

When buying a hacksaw, they pay attention to whether the teeth are sharpened. Otherwise, you will either have to spend your time and effort to prepare the tool for work, or pay extra for the services of a master.

Therefore, the answer to the question of how to choose the right hacksaw will be a comparison of practicality, durability and cost.

What is and what is it for?

A hand saw is a saw blade, the working part of which is equipped with a notch of teeth. On one side there is a handle, holding for which they perform reciprocating movements. At the same time, the teeth come into contact with the material being processed and saw it in a given direction. A hacksaw is primarily intended for use with wood, although there are special varieties for cutting metals, plastics and other materials.

The purpose of the hacksaw is to cut (saw) materials. It cannot perform any additional functions, but it copes with basic tasks perfectly. The cutting process is the same for all materials, although the quality of the blade is different in each case. The tool is convenient for working in the field, has a compact size and low weight, which allows you to take it with you on hikes or trips.

Classification by design

Structurally, hacksaws for wood are:

Narrow hacksaws cut workpieces, the thickness of which does not exceed 10 cm. They are also used for dusting the branches of the garden, cutting out curved parts and other work. Structurally, these saws are a narrow blade with triangular teeth, connected to the L-shaped handle.

A standard hacksaw blade (GOST 2615-84) can have any kind of teeth. Often they are completed with sets of interchangeable blades designed for a wide variety of carpentry and joinery work.

When processing hardwoods, hacksaw blades can bend strongly. Saws are spared from this drawback, the blades of which are equipped with a backing, acting as an additional stiffener. However, its presence does not allow you to spray deeper than the width of the blade itself.

A hacksaw with a reward looks like a plane. It has two handles and is used when it is necessary to make grooves or tenons. over, the depth of THESE elements can be different.

A bow saw is a blade stretched over a base made in the form of a large arc. It is connected to the handle by means of a threaded or tension connection, which allows using different types of blades during operation. In turn, this makes it possible to single-handedly cut workpieces with complex mowing lines sawing.

On the market you can also find folding hacksaws for wood. They are very light and small in size when folded, which makes it possible for outdoor enthusiasts to take them with them on a hike or fishing. This saw has a short, pointed blade with small teeth.

Bow saw for wood

The bow saw blade can be changed, which is very practical. And the fastening mechanism will last for more than one decade. They are rightfully considered an acceptable replacement for a jigsaw in terms of cut accuracy and the ability to set the angle of work.

Highly demanded in horticulture as well as in household bow saws.

There are four subtypes: transverse; sweeping; spike; externally.

For horizontal cutting of wood up to 0.8 m, swing saws are used. Vertical (transverse) cuts with clear sides are made at any desired angle. Fillet tools are made of flexible steel, allowing you to engage in figured cutting. Simple details are easy to create with a tenon.

Izhstal 030108-050

Production of the plant in Izhevsk. Blade length. 50 cm, tooth pitch 6.5 mm. A distinctive feature is the lack of wiring, which is perceived by some as a disadvantage. However, experts prefer to create their own cutting edge geometry. The price of a hacksaw is low, which was an additional prerequisite for high demand.

Length and shape of the blade

In the domestic market, you can find hacksaws for wood with a length of 250 to 650 mm in increments of 25 mm. This parameter is specified by GOST 2615-84 and depends on the distance between the teeth.

Note! It is necessary to choose dust, guided by the rule: “The length of the blade should be 2 times the thickness (diameter) of the blanks”.

Otherwise, it will be uncomfortable to work with a hacksaw, since the short blade will jam inside the solid wood.

As a rule, hacksaws with a narrow blade are no more than 350 mm long and are equipped with a large number of small teeth. Universal tools are equipped with blades about 500 mm long with medium-sized teeth. Hacksaws with a wide blade are made with large teeth located at a great distance from each other (coarse pitch), their length can reach 650 mm.

Traditionally, a saw for wood looks like a triangle narrowed on one side. This tool can work with any type of wood. In addition, there are hacksaws adapted to work, for example, with tree branches or other objects located at some distance from the sawfly. They are rounded and lightweight.