Crosscut saw questions

mqualls82 · #1 04/03/12, 01:37 PM

I'm looking at getting a one or two man crosscut saw. It comes in a soft or

hard wood teeth pattern. I'm thinking if I bought the hardwood style it would

cut both types of wood. Any one have any practical experience with one?

Crosscut Saw Company

KMA1 · #2 04/03/12, 02:10 PM

I can't say I have had significant practical experience, but I know some guys who do a lot of work in a National Forest Wilderness Area where they are required to use hand tools rather than power. They had a number or saws and used them all, but told me they preferred the perforated lance tooth pattern. But they use both on hard and soft woods. And this they strongly recommended: find older saws, because they are far superior to anything on the market today for a comparable price. Think simonds, Atkins and Distin, but htere are others as well.

dirtman · #3 04/04/12, 05:27 PM

I haven't used any newly made saws, but my father had a old one we used and it was alot of work. Be aware that like any other saw they must be sharpened fairly often to work well and the set must be maintained.

vicker · #4 04/04/12, 07:51 PM

The hardwood saw will clog and drag in soft wood. The softwood will have a hard time cutting hardwood.

texican · #5 04/05/12, 12:21 AM

I've picked up both varieties, in several lengths, from relatives and thrift/junk stores.

Company my father worked for, wanted his crews to use crosscut saws to cut trees out of the road, after storms... After going out to see what was taking one crew so long getting back to the shop, he saw them laboring thru several large trees with the saw. Told the boss about a days lost production (thousands of dollars)... next day, all his roustabouts had brand new Stihl chainsaws. The crosscut came home with him.

I used a six foot two person crosscut (for softwoods) while working in the Gila Wilderness, in NM. The saws were sharpened by pros, and were great to work with... remember a huge four foot log across the trail... took us several hours to cut a six foot wedge out of it, so the trail would be open.

IF you get a saw, or saws, go ahead and download the USFS Crosscut manual, and get the right files, hammers, sets, and gauges, so you can sharpen your own.... they turn into misery whips if they get dull... I found all the specialty sharpening parts at the same junk store, for less than $5. Cost a pretty penny if you have to buy em from someone that knows what they are.

mqualls82 · #6 04/05/12, 07:39 AM

Thanks for the input.

PATCsawyer · #7 04/07/12, 08:04 PM

How a crosscut saws performs depends on how it's filed and set. I've cut plenty of hardwood with a softwood saw and vice versa. Best bet is to buy and antique and get your tools on Ebay. You'd have to spend some real $$$ to get a new saw as good as an old one (Pre 1950). Typically new saws are crap, as they can't be made with the same metallurgy and attention to detail and still sell for 150.00.