84 
LOGGING 
The Blade. — In small- and medium-sized timber a 5^- to 6^- 
foot blade is used, while for the fir timber of the Pacific Coast 
the saws range in length from 7| to 10 feet, with a maximum length 
of 18 feet in the redwood region. The width varies with the pat- 
tern of the saw, and ranges from 4 to 8^ inches. 
A slightly curved saw blade is most frequently used because it 
affords a larger space for sawdust. This makes it run with less 
friction and the work is less fatiguing. Saws are made thinner 
at the back than at the cutting edge, in order further to re- 
duce friction. Saws for felling large Pacific Coast timber are more 
limber than those used for log-making, because the latter are 
Fig. 8. — Common Types of Cross-cut Saw Handles, a. Reversible saw 
handle used in the Pacific Coast Forests, h. Chmax pattern saw handle, 
c. Loop handle. 
operated by one man and a stiff saw is needed to prevent the blade 
from buckling on the forward stroke. Felling saws usually are 
17 gauge on the back and 13 gauge on the cutting edge, sometimes 
18 and 14 gauge respectively, while bucking saws for western use 
often are 18 gauge on the back and 13 gauge on the toothed edge.^ 
Handles. — The handles used on cross-cut saws are round, 
about 1^ inches in diameter, and range in length from 12 to 18 
inches. They are fastened either by clasps which fit into holes 
in the ends of the saw, or by loops which fit over the ends of the 
saw. The upper part of the loop is threaded and the handle 
^ The standard gauge used for the measurement of thickness in the United 
States is the Stubbs or Birmingham wire gauge. The value, expressed in 
fractional parts of an inch, for 18 gauge is 3/64 full; for 17 gauge 1/16 scant; 
for 14 gauge 5/64 full; and for 13 gauge 3/32 fuU. 
