November 17, 2021

Tips on Crosscut Saws

It has been a year since I took the Forest Service crosscut saw class. In that class, and afterwards via email conversations I got a lot of valuable information from Zac, and before I forget it all, I thought I would scan the old emails and collect some of that information here.

Zac knows the volunteers in the Huachucas and Chiricahuas.

Saw buying

The Axe Hole is a place that sells better than average saws. Some Forest Service people even buy from them.

The other option is Ebay, but you will see a lot of junk and need to be seletive and discerning. Big names are Simmonds, Atkins, and Disston. Pennsylvania Saw company makes a decent and trail worthy D-handle saw. Look for a 42 inch blade on such a saw. His friend John Sumner says that a 42 or 48 inch D-handle tuttle tooth is ideal. He also recommends a crosscut with a perforated lance tooth like a Simonds 22 or 324 for cutting pines and fir. To cut both hard and soft woods, consider a Simonds 13 or 113. (Zac had a Simonds 513 in the class). John says a 5.5 foot saw is all you will ever need in the Arizona mountains. He says one log in 200 might benefit from a 6 foot saw.

Zac says the temper on the Simmonds 13/113 and 22/324 is much harder than most, making them hard to work on. Swaging rakers and setting teeth will be a challenge. Zac also likes Atkins and thinks model 52 is their top saw.

Kelly axes are always quality. Also Plumb and old Collins. A 3.5 pound head is as heavy as you want to swing and will drive wedges nicely.

Videos and links

I have many links elsewhere, especially on my page on saw filing.

Zac's links

Zac sent me a bunch of links related to crosscut saws. Here they are:

Random tips

As I understand it, the saws being sold on CCS.com are new manufacture. This means they are flat ground (i.e. not ground at all), and hence by no means as desirable as a vintage saw.

Pieces of firehose in 6 foot lengths can be purchased on Ebay for about $30.

Good information from ChiricahuaZac and Sumnergeo on CCS.com

Someday I would like to own a Simonds 513 felling saw. This is a crescent ground saw.

Silky saws are highly regarded, and rightly so.

Bahco blades (from Portugal) and highly regarded for use in bowsaws.

Feedback? Questions? Drop me a line!

Tom's Computer Info / tom@mmto.org