Pulling the handsaw on crosscuts gives a smoother edge, and I'll never go back.

2 comments

2 Comments

Actually, the pull stroke lets the saw teeth score the wood fibers more cleanly on crosscuts. It's like you're guiding the cut instead of forcing it, which really matters with tricky grain. I noticed on pine, where the growth rings are soft, pulling prevents the saw from jumping and tearing out chunks. Once you get the hang of that slow, steady pull, the edge is just glassy.

benc237d ago

Your slow, steady pull might work, but a quick push gets the job done just as cleanly for me.