Uploaded June 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
If you need a handsaw, you’ll either be pushing the blade forward like a freight train… or pulling it back like you’re rowing a boat.
Push saws, which are more common in the West, use compression. That means the blade has to be thick enough not to buckle as it’s pushed forward.But that thickness comes at a cost—it hogs out more sawdust with every cut, and it takes more muscle to drive it through the wood.
The Japanese flipped the script—literally.Their saws cut on the pull stroke, which puts the blade in tension, like a string on a bow.Tension holds things straight, which means the blade can be thinner, sharper, and more precise.
But there’s a catch. If you’re used to push saws, pulling feels unnatural at first.
This isn’t a battle of which saw is better.They’re just different. Push saws are rugged and can last a lifetime—because they’re designed to be resharpened.Pull saws are delicate and precise—but most of them use replaceable blades you’ll toss when they’re dull.
Both saws will get the job done.But if you’re just starting out, the pull saw might be the better fit—It’s just a matter of planting the blade on your mark… and pulling back.
For another saw tip...
Check out my other channel! → @makethingswithrob
Become a patron! → patreon.com/makethings ←
Huge thank you to my patrons that keep this thing going!
*MAKER TEAM*
Michelle B
Keith Current
William L McNally
Rich Lightfoot
Tutor the Barbarian
Aubrey G.
Nukebert
Sam W.
Aaron Knows DIY
G. Salazar
David B.
Marc B.
Make Things
#MakeThings #mtbitesize
If you need a handsaw, you’ll either be pushing the blade forward like a freight train… or pulling it back like you’re rowing a boat.
Push saws, which are more common in the West, use compression. That means the blade has to be thick enough not to buckle as it’s pushed forward.But that thickness comes at a cost—it hogs out more sawdust with every cut, and it takes more muscle to drive it through the wood.
The Japanese flipped the script—literally.Their saws cut on the pull stroke, which puts the blade in tension, like a string on a bow.Tension holds things straight, which means the blade can be thinner, sharper, and more precise.
But there’s a catch. If you’re used to push saws, pulling feels unnatural at first.
This isn’t a battle of which saw is better.They’re just different. Push saws are rugged and can last a lifetime—because they’re designed to be resharpened.Pull saws are delicate and precise—but most of them use replaceable blades you’ll toss when they’re dull.
Both saws will get the job done.But if you’re just starting out, the pull saw might be the better fit—It’s just a matter of planting the blade on your mark… and pulling back.
For another saw tip...
Check out my other channel! → @makethingswithrob
Become a patron! → patreon.com/makethings ←
Huge thank you to my patrons that keep this thing going!
*MAKER TEAM*
Michelle B
Keith Current
William L McNally
Rich Lightfoot
Tutor the Barbarian
Aubrey G.
Nukebert
Sam W.
Aaron Knows DIY
G. Salazar
David B.
Marc B.
Make Things
#MakeThings #mtbitesize
