Want to know a secret? Using the right tool for your furniture making or joinery is like saving your ass for a rainy day. Cutting plywood and thin wood with precision will mean a lot to your wood joinery projects. You’d always find a tenon saw in the workshop of every Carpenter who’s passionate about delivering first-class furniture and joinery works. But you’re worried you don’t have a ton of experience with simple hand tools. Relax! Everyone at a certain point was like you. We’ve got you covered on this. Check out our list of the best tenon saw for you but remember to thank us later for our attention to this matter.
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4 Best Tenon Saw Reviews
1.Spear & Jackson 9550B Traditional Brass Back Tenon Saw
If you’re looking for an all-purpose tenon saw, this is your go-to tenon saw. Thanks to its universal teeth that cut across and along the grain, joint cutting isis less of a beginners’ task. It has a high carbon steel blade and a comfortable handle that’s securely fixed by rivets. This feature outlines it as one of the best tenons saw you would find in the market. And guess what. The Spear & Jackson 9550B comes in brown and silver color. But there’s more. This tenon saw features a brass back that adds to its rigidity. You can trust its rigidity for cutting any wood-based materials. Here’s the catch. This tenon saw weighs only 1.44 pounds. You won’t feel pains in your hands anymore while trimming your workpieces’ edges to have a great finish. Additionally, it has a great finish and will make a fine choice if teeth are well sharpened. I bet you can’t wait to lay your hands on this best-selling tenon saw.
- It’s suitable for professionals and DIYers
- The saw is lightweight and easy to use
- Not pricey
- It comes with maximum rigidity that can handle most wooden pieces.
- Teeth are already sharpened.
- The handle is relatively small-sized
- Might need a few adjustments
2. Footprint 256 Brass Back Tenon Saw 12in
Are you obsessed with making anything out of the woods? Then, this is a must-have and should be added to your toolbox. It is by far the best tenon saw for cutting smaller sections of timbers and tenons. It is made in Sheffield, Britain. What more can you ask for if you have a balanced and solid tenon brass for your projects. This tenon saw has a 12 inches blade and 13 crosscut teeth per inch. It is cost-effective and will beat many premium British tenon saws hand down. As if that’s not enough, this tenon saw has two times bench handle with a nice weight and feels good in the hands. The built quality is superior to most tenon saw in the market and including the premium ones. This tenon saw needs you to clean it with a lacquer thinner upon arrival to protect it from rusting. Above all, it gives a nice even cut. For the records, this British tenon saw is durable and will serve you for years. Don’t miss out.
- It has a good blade that is resharpenable.
- It gives greater accuracy to the cut.
- The tenon saw is user-friendly and has a nice weight.
- Solid brass back for rigidity
- Teeth are set and sharpened.
- Not yet found
3. Spear & Jackson B9812
Imagine buying a tenon saw that does more than cutting a tenon. Yes, it does exist. This Spear & Jackson B9812 is a good quality tenon saw for cutting out a tenon and coving, dowelling, molding, and architraves. One must consider every vital operation in making quality-rich joinery, and this tenon saw is your lasting solution. Why? It has an effective and a fine cut that accompanies a clean and smooth cutting action. You know a good quality tenon saw has a lot to do with its handle. The good news is that this tenon saw has a high impact polystyrene handle that gives 100% comfortability. The composite handle provides a super grip and soft feel grip to users. Also, it delivers a finger guide that helps you achieve better accuracy and expertise in your projects. Here’s something fascinating. This tenon saw has a rigid blade that helps to minimize vibration and whips. Sounds good. Isn’t it?
- It has a nice comfortable handle.
- The tenon saw cuts evenly.
- It has a lovely weight and feels.
- A fast and clean cutting action
- Great for the DIY hobbyist
- It may wear out after a few operations.
- The 90° angle is not accurate
4. CROWN 195 12″ 305 mm Tenon Saw Brass Back
First, let’s get a drawback out of the way. This tenon saw is not 100% out of the box hand tool. It needs some tuning to work as expected. Based on the customers’ review, removing the coating with acetone and a quick sharpening set the tenon saw in order. Back to its features, this England made quality tenon saw is blade stiff with a brass back. Why’s that? Maximum pressure is needed to place the tenon saw for downward cutting, and this is where its solid brass back fits in. It has a high carbon steel blade with 13 teeth per inch. Here’s the best part. This tenon saw comes with a Fagus Sylvatica full handle that is secured in place with screws. You can remove the handle and adjust it to suit your taste. With a 17×6×1.2 inches, this little cutie eats wood finely. You will not even regret it. All in all, it’s a nice still heavy tenon saw for carpenters. You may want to confirm that yourself by buying this top-notch tenon saw, and trust me, you will make a big investment for your career.
- Nice and comfortable hardwood handle
- It comes with a heavy stiff brass back
- It’s a strong yet good-looking hand tool
- A great tenon saw for the money
- You can adjust the handle
- Difficult to get a cut started
- It requires some fetting before use
Final Verdict
Whether for rip cutting or crosscutting, the tenon saw is an important hand tool you need for your tenon cutting and joinery. This hand tool comes with a strong metal back and a sharp thin blade. It is everything you need to make your work perfect. But buying a good quality tenon saw amidst the multitude of tenon saws manufactured is no cakewalk. We’ve simplified the process for you by bringing the best tenon saw to your doorstep. Think I’m exaggerating? These offers are readily available at Amazon, and not just that, they’re given off at considerable prices. Are you ready to grab this lifetime opportunity now?
How to Choose The Best Tenon Saw?
There’s no one principle to buying a tenon saw, but you have to set your priorities right. While some woodworkers will look after the comfortability, some will direct their search to the rigidity of the tenon saw. But whatever your priority is, this guide out-list some factors to consider for you to lay your hands on the best tenon saw. Keep reading to find out!
Teeth per inch
Studies show that the number of teeth per inch on a tenon saw is directly equivalent to how finely the saw cut will be. Surprised? But that’s not all. The lower the number of teeth per inch on a tenon saw, the faster the cut. So what does this means? When buying a tenon saw, the kind of wood you’d be working around with will determine the teeth per inch. Let’s take a closer look at how this works. If you’re cutting softwood, a tenon saw with fewer teeth per inch will be most appropriate for you. Otherwise, there will be clogging before the excess waste produced from a tenon saw with a larger amount of teeth per inch. See the difference? Honestly, this should be your first point of call when buying a tenon saw. It goes a long way to determine the speed and accuracy of your work.
Shapeable or hardpoint
Do you want a tenon saw you can get to resharpen by yourself? Or probably you do not have a ton of experience when it comes to sharpening a tenon saw, and you will want a hard point tenon saw to cover your lack of a good sharpening skill. Does this sound like you? So what is this about? You should consider your sharpening skills and how often you’d use the tenon saw. If you do not have issues with sharpening a tenon saw by yourself, a shapeable tenon saw is right for you.
Type of cut
What type of cutting do you want for your woodwork? It would help if you considered this factor to buy the best tenon saw. If you want a cut made across the grain, you should opt for a crosscutting tenon saw. The shape of the teeth and the number of teeth determines the effectiveness of the two cutting styles. Have we got that straight?
Steel or brass back
For maximum rigidity, a tenon saw with a solid brass back is recommended for tough wood projects. On the list of the best tenon saw we’ve provided for you, you’d find a tenon saw equipped with a brass back. This is to show you how we’d love you to use a solid tenon saw that would get all the work done for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a tenon saw?
Unlike most hands saw, a tenon saw will have a reinforced solid back that provides enough rigidity. It has a short, thinner blade responsible for a deep, accurate, and fast cut in furniture joinery. Most importantly, it belongs to the family of backsaw and cannot be used on metals.
What is a tenon saw used for?
There are no two ways about it. A tenon saw is primarily used to cut tenons for joinery on soft and hardwoods. Thanks to the fine tooth, it gives an even and accurate cut to wood-based materials. Additionally, a tenon saw helps cut a tenon shoulder for furniture joints, and these joints may vary from various designs to shapes.
What does a tenon saw do?
A tenon saw is known to give accurate and straight cuts for joinery. It cuts across the wood-based material grain, thanks to the rip filed teeth of its blade. Professionals trust this tenon saw to cut angled areas of a milter joint and a dovetail joint.
How to sharpen a tenon saw?
Sharpening a tenon saw is relatively easy but demands high focus and stability. You will sharpen a tenon saw with a flat-file that is working fine. Pull the file several times over the teeth of your tenon saw until you get an equal teeth sharpness on the teeth. How you will know when a tenon saw is evenly sharpened is by running your fingers on it. But be careful when doing this to avoid been injured by the teeth. It’s that simple.
How to use a tenon saw safely?
Accidents may occur in the workshop if a tenon saw is not used correctly. And guess what. You can avoid accidents completely if you use a tenon saw in the right way. So what’s the point? The blade and the teeth of your tenon saw should be correctly set. Also, hold the piece been cut firmly, and if required, use a supporting bench to keep the piece in place.
How many teeth per inch does a tenon saw have?
A standard tenon saw is said to have between 10 and 15 teeth per inch with a 60° included angle. As earlier mentioned in the buyers’ guide, the number of teeth per inch determines the speed. Also, it plays an additional role in the fines of the cut. You should bear this in mind and not get confused about it.