# Hand saw tooth patterns



## Jimbo7 (Mar 19, 2014)

Anyone have an opinion on the best tooth pattern for both crosscuts and rips on large hand saws?


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## WhoMe (Jul 9, 2009)

Uh.. I'm thinking sharp and triangular…..

Seriously though, Check out this Handsaw Thread. Brit has made a couple sharpening videos that many have raved about and I think at least two on that thread have made their own saws. I have been seeing more on a hybrid filed saw though.

I'm sure you will find a good amount of info and advice there.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

+1 for Brits forum.


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## DocBailey (Dec 9, 2011)

Jimbo7

I think others might chime in if you clarify your question.

Are you asking how many TPI or (PPI) a crosscut or rip saw should have?
(if so, the short answer is another question: how thick is the stock you're cutting?)

Or are you asking for filing specs: rake, fleam, slope?


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

If I understand the question, There really isn't a combination hand saw. A saw filed for crosscut is sharpened sort of like a knife blade. A saw filed rip is more like a chisel. The crosscut slices through the grain and the rip chisels it off.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

By "large hand saws", do you mean the type for cutting trees? The normal size for a hand saw is 26" cutting length.


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## JRedgate (Apr 11, 2014)

Paul Sellers made a video on this and sounds like it is exactly what you are looking for. In this video, he explains saw sharpening in a very straight forward way and then shows how to set up a tenon saw to cut both rip and crosscut.

"How to sharpen a woodworking handsaw" with Paul Sellers


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