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Panel saw vs toolbox saw: 550 mm against 350 mm

Updated: 22 October 2026

You are choosing between a 22 inch saw that will rip a deck board and a 14 inch saw that will fit beside the skirting in a cupboard. Both are western push handsaws. They are not interchangeable, and a higher star rating does not close the gap. This page says when the long blade is the one to carry, when the short blade is, and the one condition under which you buy both. The GBP table stays on the [handsaw comparison](/hub/power-saws/handsaw). Figures are amazon.co.uk batch prices from 20 October 2026. Peter F. did not time the cuts. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You are choosing between a 22 inch saw that will rip a deck board and a 14 inch saw that will fit beside the skirting in a cupboard. Both are western push handsaws.

Our top picks

Spear & Jackson Spear & Jackson Predator B9822

Best overall

Spear & Jackson Spear & Jackson Predator B9822
8.3/10about £10.79
View offer
Bahco Bahco 2600-22-XT-HP panel saw

Rank 2

Bahco Bahco 2600-22-XT-HP panel saw
8.6/10about £13.85
View offer
Draper Draper Venom 80874 second-fix saw

Best value

Draper Draper Venom 80874 second-fix saw
7.4/10about £6.50
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.What the two lengths are for
  2. 2.When the panel saw is the one to pick
  3. 3.When the toolbox saw is the one to pick
  4. 4.One recommendation, with a condition

What the two lengths are for

BuildWiz puts general panel saws at about 500-550 mm for structural timber, and toolbox saws around 250-350 mm for visible trim. On this shelf the short saws are the finer ones. The long saws are the Predator at 8 ppi and 560 mm, and the Bahco at 550 mm with 9 TPI in the name. A teeth row of 22 is not the pitch. The short saws are the Draper at 350 mm (12 PPI on amazon, 11 TPI and 12 PPI on Draper's page) and the OX at 350 mm, 15 TPI in the title and 14 in the teeth row. The Hanpex at 330 mm is pipe and drywall, not a short panel saw. The handsaw buying guide separates pitch from the badge on the handle.

When the panel saw is the one to pick

Pick the 550 mm class when the cut is long, thick, or both. A fence board, a decking board, a post or a sheet on trestles rewards a blade that takes a long bite. Reviewers put the Predator on decking and logs. The Bahco's XT claim is a thicker plate that whips less, which is why it is the top pick for general 550 mm work, not because 4.6 beats 4.7. A rip along a long board becomes a sequence of short pushes. In wet timber a 15 TPI tooth clogs while 8 ppi keeps clearing. Skip the long saw inside a fitted cupboard. If the year ahead is mostly boards, buy the panel saw. If it is mostly architrave, do the opposite.
Spear & Jackson Spear & Jackson Predator B9822

Testsieger

Spear & Jackson Spear & Jackson Predator B9822
8.3/10about £10.79
View offer

When the toolbox saw is the one to pick

Pick 350 mm when the cut is visible and the space is tight. Skirting, architrave, a door lining and small packers are the Draper and OX jobs. The Draper is best value if you can live with snagging: the lowest price in the set, 4.5 from 832 reviews. Draper's page splits 11 TPI and 12 PPI, and the amazon bullets only print 12 PPI. The OX is the toolbox saw for MDF, plastic or acrylic if you accept 15 TPI in the title beside 14 in the teeth row. One review says the edge did not stay sharp, which matches Axminster on abrasive board. Who should skip each model is on the best handsaw page.

One recommendation, with a condition

If you can own only one of these saws, buy the panel length when your next ten cuts include a board, a post or a sheet, and buy the toolbox length when those ten cuts are trim someone will see. Neither choice fixes a bad stroke. That sequence is on how to use a handsaw. A joist or stair string still belongs with a carpenter.

Common questions

Can a 350 mm handsaw cut a 4x2?
Yes, as a cross-cut. A 100 x 50 mm section is within the depth of a 350 mm toolbox blade, and buyers use the Draper on fence panels and small timber. The cut takes more strokes than the same section on a 550 mm panel saw. Ripping along the length of that 4x2 is the awkward job for the short saw. Use the Predator or the Bahco when the cut runs the board, and keep 15 TPI off wet logs.
Do I need both a panel saw and a toolbox saw?
You need both only when you actually do both jobs. Site-style board work wants about 500-550 mm at 7-9 TPI. Visible skirting in a cupboard wants about 350 mm at a finer pitch. Buy the second saw after the first has failed a real cut, not because a bundle looked complete.
Which is better for skirting?
The toolbox saw is the better skirting saw in this set. A 350 mm Draper or OX turns in a corner and, at 11-15 TPI, leaves a finer face than the Predator's 8 ppi. The long saw will cut the length on a bench and then struggle where the wall and the floor meet. Check the OX title against its teeth row before you rely on 15 TPI, and expect snagging on the Draper.
Which long saw if I only buy one?
Choose the Bahco when you want the stiffer 550 mm plate and a tooth protector, at about £13.85. Choose the Predator when you want 8 points per inch, 2,085 reviews and about £10.79. Skip both if the only work is skirting in a cupboard. That job wants the 350 mm Draper or OX, with snagging or the 14-versus-15 pitch clash as the limit.
Is a 22 inch saw the same as 550 mm?
Near enough for shopping, not identical on the packets. The Bahco included name says 550 mm. The Predator row says 560 mm and the title says 22 inch. Both sit in BuildWiz's panel band. A 350 mm saw is the shorter class. The Hanpex 330 mm adjustable saw is pipe and drywall, not either of these.

Related pages

Hardpoint handsaw care

Handsaw

Best handsaw for boards, skirting and decking jobs

Handsaw buying guide: length, pitch and a blade you replace

How to use a handsaw without letting the cut wander

Sources

Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Listings captured 20 October 2026.

  1. BuildWiz: Hand saw guide (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  2. Homebuilding: Saw TPI (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  3. RS: Hand saws guide (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  4. Axminster: Hardpoint handsaws (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  5. HSE: PUWER overview (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  6. HSE: Woodworking ACOP L114 (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  7. Draper: Venom 80874 second-fix saw (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  8. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 9 (retrieved 20 October 2026)