Popular Science Monthly 



and has the same shearing action. The 

 shape of the two types of teeth is 

 shown in F"igs. 4 and 5. The best modern 



The teeth of a rip-saw act like small chisels 

 to chop off the end grain of the wood 



saws arc made thinner at the joint than 

 at the heel (handle end) and the bhule 

 tapers from the cutting edge to the back. 

 This stiffens the saw where stiffness is 

 needed, and saws made in this way need 

 very little "set." 



The rip-saw is designed to work with 

 the greatest efficiency when cutting with 

 the grain of the wood. The shape of its 

 teeth is the result of exjjerience in 

 combining such features as the strength 

 of the tooth, the acuteness of the cutting 

 angle, and the ease with which it may 

 be sharpened. The steel in this .saw is 

 softer than that in many other wooil- 

 working tools, in order that it may be 

 more easily filed and set. This necessi- 

 tates fretjuent sharpening, particularly 

 when the tool is used on hard woods. 

 In general the rip-saw tooth has an 

 included angle of 60 degrees, with the 

 face at an angle of go degrees to the line 

 of the teeth and to the blade. (Fig. 4.) 

 This saw will not work successfully 



The cross-cut saw with its keen knife- 

 shaped teeth cuts slowly across the grain 



across the grain, as the teeth, having no 

 shearing angle, tear the wood-fibers 

 instead of cutting them, and leave a 



rough and jagged surface. It may be 

 used, however, in making a diagonal cut, 

 where it works much faster and nearly 

 as smoothly as the cross-cut. 



The cross-cut saw with its knife- 

 shapctl teeth, cuts slowly across the 

 grain, leaxing a smooth surface which 

 for nian\- purposes does not recjuire any 

 further finishing. 



In all fine cabinet work an allowance 

 should be made for chi.seling or planing 

 the cut surface, to remove saw marks. 

 When ripping a board, keep the saw cut 

 about I 16 in. away from the line, and 

 plane the edge true. To start a cut with 

 the rip-saw hold the saw firmly and 



The arrangement of the tools in the 

 cabinet back of the inner swing-door 



move the teeth lightly over the edge of 

 the board. Use the thumb of the left 

 hand as a guide. If the saw is kept 

 nearly parallel with the board it is not 

 absolutely necessary to start with a 

 back stroke. 



A light, slow stroke is much more 

 effective than a hard, quick one, which 

 tends to buckle the saw and cause it to 

 jam in the board. Sometimes, due to 

 shrinkage, the board has a tendency to 

 bind the saw in the "kerf," or cut. To 

 remedy this, insert a .screw-driver in the 

 "kerf" and rub a little heavy oil or 

 grease on the blade of the saw. 



