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. 
AR || eee 
End view Side view End view Side view 
Fic. 12. Teeth of Crosscut Saw Fic. 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 
