A crosscut saw is a saw that is specially designed for making crosscuts. Such cuts are made in woodworking, a type of cut made approximately at a right angle to the direction of the wood grain. When cutting a standing tree down, if the cut is made across the trunk, this is a crosscut, but the term also applies to cutting free lumber.

Crosscut saws have teeth that are designed to cut wood at such a right angle to the direction of the wood grain. The cutting edge of each tooth is angled back and has a beveled edge. This design allows each tooth to act like a knife edge and slice through the wood, in contrast to a rip saw, which tears along the grain.

On the vast majority of American saws, the teeth are designed to cut when the saw is being pushed through the wood. However, some saws, such as Japanese saws, are designed to cut on the pull stroke.

sawsWoodworking hand tools