Hand saw: how to hold it safely

Learn to grip, position and stroke a hand saw safely for a clean, straight cut.

HS-01Check the saw before you startLook along the blade for rust, bends or missing teeth. A hand saw (the kind with a wooden or plastic handle and no motor) should have teeth that all point the same way, towards the tip. A blunt or damaged saw is more dangerous than a sharp one, because you have to force it, and force is when it slips.

HS-02Hold the handle like a handshakeGrip the handle firmly with your index finger pointing forward along the top, roughly in line with the blade. This gives you control over direction without needing a tight, tiring grip. Beginners often grab the handle like a hammer, which makes the saw wander off line.

HS-03Clamp your work downSecure the piece you're cutting to a bench or workmate (a portable folding worktable with a clamping top) so it can't shift. Keep your free hand well away from the line of the blade at all times, ideally holding the material away from the cut, not near it. An unsecured piece is the main reason beginners' saws jump and skid.

HS-04Start the cut with a light backstrokeRest the saw teeth on your marked line, then pull it backwards once or twice with almost no downward pressure to create a small notch. Use your thumb knuckle as a guide against the blade to stop it skating sideways at the start. Trying to push forward first, before there's a notch, is the classic reason the saw jumps off the mark.

HS-05Saw with long, even strokesOnce the notch is started, use the full length of the blade with smooth, unhurried strokes, letting the saw's weight and teeth do the cutting rather than pressing down hard. Keep your arm moving straight back and forth in line with the cut, not side to side. Short, frantic strokes near the handle only wear you out and make a rougher cut.

HS-06Keep the blade upright, not tiltedWatch the saw from the side occasionally and keep the blade roughly vertical, following your marked line on both faces of the wood if you can see it. Tilting the saw is the most common beginner mistake, and it makes the cut wander off at an angle without you noticing until it's too late. If it starts to drift, ease off pressure and gently steer it back rather than forcing it straight.

HS-07Support the offcut as you finishAs you near the end of the cut, support the piece that's about to fall away, either with your free hand well clear of the blade or by having it rest on the bench. This stops the wood splintering or snapping off in the last few millimetres. Slow down for the final strokes rather than powering through.

HS-08Check you've done it rightA good cut looks straight along the marked line on both faces, with clean edges and no splintering or ragged tear-out. The two cut faces should sit flush together if you offer them back up. If the cut is visibly angled or the edge is torn rather than sliced, it usually means the blade tilted or you forced it rather than letting it run.

Save this as a project

Back to all guides