CUTTING TOOLS 13 



each tooth is bent outward from the body of the saw. 

 This bending is called set, and is designed to make 

 the saw cut, or kerf, wider than the thickness of the 

 saw, that the latter may pass easily through the wood 

 after the teeth have done their work. If it were not 

 for this set, the fibers would spring back against the 

 body of the saw after the teeth had passed and make 

 the work very laborious. When a saw is properly set 

 it should pass through the wood easily. 



LA 



End view Side view End view Side view 



FIG. 12. Teeth of Crosscut Saw FIG. 13. Teeth of Ripsaw 



The teeth of the ripsaw are also set, but, as will be 

 seen in the sketch, the bottoms are flat like a chisel 

 instead of pointed like those of the crosscut teeth. 



Beside the end views of the two kinds of teeth, 

 the side views, which are also different, are shown in 

 Figs. 12 and 13. 



We are inclined to think of the saw as a very com- 

 monplace article, yet a careful examination will prove 

 that the greatest care and skill are needed in its man- 

 ufacture. Observe that the body, which must be of 

 the best steel, tapers, being considerably wider at the 



