crosscut saw

tool

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Last updated

July 23, 2026

Quick Summary

A crosscut saw is a tool specifically designed for cutting across the grain of wood. This distinguishes it from a ripsaw, which is used for cutting with the grain. The teeth of a crosscut saw are knifelike and set to alternate sides. This design creates two parallel lines on each side of the cut, effectively breaking up the wood between them. This type of saw has a long history, with early versions dating back to the Bronze Age and improvements noted by Pliny the Elder in the 1st century CE regarding tooth setting to reduce friction and aid sawdust discharge.123

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saw
…the carpenter: the ripsaw, the crosscut saw, and the backsaw. The first two have roughly triangular blades about 50 cm (20 inches) long, 10 cm (4 inches) wide at the handle, and tapering to about 5 cm (2 inches) at the opposite end. Ripsaws are used for cutting wood with…
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…the carpenter: the ripsaw, the crosscut saw, and the backsaw. The first two have roughly triangular blades about 50 cm (20 inches) long, 10 cm (4 inches) wide at the handle, and tapering to about 5 cm (2 inches) at the opposite end. Ripsaws are used for cutting wood with…
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hand tool
Saw
…small carpenter’s saws to two-person crosscut saws and ripsaws used for making boards.
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…small carpenter’s saws to two-person crosscut saws and ripsaws used for making boards.
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