Saw facts for kids

A handsaw in use

A saw is a special tool that helps you cut different materials. You can use saws to cut wood, metal, plastic, and even stone!

There are many types of saws. Some are hand tools, meaning you use your own muscle power to make them work, like the saw in the picture. Other saws use engines or electricity and can be very powerful. For example, a chainsaw is a powerful saw used to cut down trees.

Using a saw can be noisy, and it's super important to be careful. Saws have very sharp teeth that can be dangerous. Always make sure a grown-up is helping or watching when you use a saw. Small pieces of the material being cut can fly off, so it's a good idea to wear safety glasses to protect your eyes.

Hand Saws: Cutting with Your Own Power

Hand saws are tools that you power yourself, using your arm to move the blade back and forth. They are great for many projects where you don't need a lot of power.

Push Saws: Cutting on the Forward Stroke

Many hand saws are made to cut when you push them forward. This is called the "push stroke." As you push, the teeth bite into the material and remove small pieces.

Pull Saws: Cutting on the Backward Stroke

Teeth of a Japanese saw

The Japanese saw (鋸, nokogiri) is a type of saw often used in woodworking. Unlike many Western saws, these saws usually cut when you pull them backward, on the "pull stroke." This design can make them very precise.

Power Saws: Using Engines and Electricity

Power saws use different kinds of energy to cut materials. Some run on electricity from a wall outlet, while others use batteries. There are also powerful saws that use Internal combustion engines (like in cars), or even steam or water power!

Chainsaws: For Big Cutting Jobs

A chainsaw is a strong saw designed to cut down trees or trim large branches. It gets its name from the row of sharp teeth attached to a flexible chain that spins around. Chainsaws cut very quickly, but the cut can sometimes be a bit rough, leaving small splinters.

Circular Saws: Round Blades for Straight Cuts

Circular saws use a round blade, usually about 7 to 10 inches across. They are very powerful and can cut through both soft and hard wood. You can change the round blades on a circular saw to cut different things, like steel, wood, or even masonry (like bricks or concrete).

Jig Saws: Perfect for Curves

Jig saws move their blade up and down to cut through materials. The blade's up-and-down movement is usually less than one inch. Jig saws are excellent for making curved cuts, which is hard to do with other saws. Like circular saws, jig saws use many different blades, so you can choose the right one for different materials or to make very smooth cuts.

Images for kids

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  Roman sawblades from Vindonissa around 3rd to 5th century AD

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  Saw grinding in Sheffield, 1860

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  Rip sawing around 1425 with a frame or sash saw

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  Circular wood-cutting saw at Maine State Museum in Augusta, Maine

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  This circular saw cut wood for a kitchen stove, displayed at the Cole Land Transportation Museum in Bangor, Maine.

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  A reconstruction of the hydraulic saw by Leonardo da Vinci at the Museo nazionale della scienza e della tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci, Milan.

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  A man recording the sound of a saw for sound effects in the 1930s.

See also

In Spanish: Sierra (herramienta) para niños