Japanese Handsaws
The handsaw has been a toolbox staple for as long as people have been building things, and it hasn’t really changed much. What is surprising is how different cultures have created different designs to facilitate this most basic need to cut things.
Our Western concept of sawing has always been to make the teeth of the saw cut while you push it through the material, and hey, it does work quite well! The Japanese, on the other hand, have always designed their saws to cut while you pull them. Today, almost all experienced carpenters and cabinetmakers have grown to love this method of attacking the wood, and so Japanese Pull-Stroke saws have seen increasing popularity on this side of the Pacific.
With names like Dozuki, Ryoba, and Kataha, these saws might seem a bit exotic, but they serve the same basic functions as western saws. |
