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Hand saw buying guide

Updated: 16 October 2026

The specification says 165 teeth, 176 teeth, or 89 teeth, as if that number were the pitch. It is not. This hand saw buying guide starts with the cut, then the blade length, then the pitch in the bullet, so a 350 mm toolbox saw is not sent to do a 550 mm panel saw’s work. Prices and stars for the twelve listings sit on the [wood saw comparison](/hub/power-saws/wood-saw). The Products Compared editorial team read those amazon.co.uk listings on 16 October 2026 and did not run a lab test. A qualifying purchase through our links can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

The specification says 165 teeth, 176 teeth, or 89 teeth, as if that number were the pitch. It is not.

Our top picks

Spear & Jackson Spear & Jackson Predator B9822

Best overall

Spear & Jackson Spear & Jackson Predator B9822
8.5/10about £10.79
View offer
OX OX Pro 350 mm

Preis-Tipp

OX OX Pro 350 mm
8.5/10about £7.43
View offer
Draper Draper Venom 82196

Alternative

Draper Draper Venom 82196
8.4/10about £9.29
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.What the cut is asking for
  2. 2.Tooth pitch without the bad row
  3. 3.Hardpoint, tenon, and the powered odd one out
  4. 4.What to check on the listing

What the cut is asking for

A handsaw in this set is for timber, sheet, trim, a dowel, or a branch. The job picks the length before the brand does. Homebuilding’s guide to saw types puts a panel saw around 500–550 mm for carcassing or sheet, and a tenon around 250–300 mm when a spine should keep a small cut square. A 22 inch plate, about 560 mm, is the stroke for a sleeper. A 350 mm saw lives in a toolbox. Shelf prices on 15 October 2026 run from about £5.30 to £34.49, and they are not a promise of today’s basket. If the edge will be seen, the first fix or second fix saw page stays with 11–15 TPI.

Tooth pitch without the bad row

Trust the bullet, not the number-of-teeth row. On these amazon.co.uk pages that row often counts teeth along the blade. A teeth row of 165, 176, or 89 is a count, not the pitch. Use the bullet. Coarse in this set is about 7–8 points or 8 TPI. The finer 350 mm saws are 11 TPI, 12 PPI, and 15 TPI. Points per inch and teeth per inch are not an identical conversion. The SURFOU and the Magicbox set do not state a pitch you can trust, so stroke is their page: Japanese pull saw or handsaw.
Spear & Jackson Spear & Jackson Predator B9822

Testsieger

Spear & Jackson Spear & Jackson Predator B9822
8.5/10about £10.79
View offer

Hardpoint, tenon, and the powered odd one out

Most of these push saws are hardpoint. Axminster’s guide says those teeth are not re-sharpened; when the edge is gone you replace the saw. Chipboard and MDF take the points off faster than clean softwood. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 is the frame for a rusty edge in the packet, within 30 days. The Rolson is the tenon: 250 mm, 9 TPI, £5.30. The BLACK+DECKER KS890ECN is the only powered saw, 400 W and 230 V at £34.49, with a short stroke of about 10 mm on the manufacturer page. The highlight says three blades and the included line says one. Confirm a BS 1363 plug yourself, and do not open the lead.

What to check on the listing

Before you order, read the pitch in the bullet, the length in millimetres, the included-components line, and any angle mark. A 4500 RPM row, an AAAA battery, or corded electric on a handsaw is a catalogue error. The Scorpion is the only saw here that is genuinely 230 V. Angle marks at 45° and 90° are a guide against a square, not a mitre box. The HAUTMEC bullet says a blade cover is included, and the included line says bare tool. HSE workplace limits for wood dust are 5 mg/m³ for softwood and 3 mg/m³ for hardwood over eight hours. The FFP3 note is written for power tools, not a few garden strokes. Structural timber, a damaged lead, and a tree you cannot control are jobs for someone qualified.

Common questions

How many teeth per inch do I need?
For hidden carcassing in this set, look at about 7–8 points or 8 PPI on a 550–560 mm plate. For a visible edge on a short section, look at 11–15 TPI on a 350 mm saw. The Rolson’s 9 TPI is a tenon pitch, not a second-fix panel pitch. Read the bullet. A teeth row of 165, 176, or 89 is not the pitch, and points per inch should not be converted into a second figure the listing does not print.
Is 350 mm enough for fence posts?
Usually no. A 350 mm toolbox saw can crosscut a small section on a bench, and reviewers have used short saws on a 2x4 with mixed results. A fence post or a sleeper wants a full stroke, which in this comparison means about 550–560 mm. If the post is still standing and you cannot control the fall, stop and call someone who cuts trees for a living.
What is a tenon saw for?
A tenon saw has a stiff spine and a short blade for small, square cuts: beading, a tenon shoulder, or one slot in a mitre box. The only tenon here is 250 mm at 9 TPI. It is the wrong tool for sheet material and for a mitre box wider than the blade. Homebuilding’s length band for a tenon is about 250–300 mm, which this saw only just meets.
Can I sharpen a hardpoint?
No. Axminster states that hardpoint teeth are not re-sharpened. When the points are gone, you replace the saw. That is also true of many pull-saw blades, so disposable is not only a Japanese trait. Forcing a blunt hardpoint through chipboard burns the edge and the timber. A saw that arrives already blunt is a return, not a sharpening job.
What if the saw arrives rusty?
You do not have to file it or soak it and hope. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 gives a short-term right to reject goods that are not of satisfactory quality, as described, within 30 days. A dull, rusty edge on arrival is the complaint already attached to one Draper 350 mm review in this set. Photograph the edge, and use the seller’s returns route rather than starting a cut you cannot trust.

Related pages

Best hand saw UK

Wood saw

First fix or second fix saw for a hidden or seen cut

How to use a hand saw without a stuck or wandering cut

Japanese pull saw or a western handsaw: the stroke

Sources

Public UK sources used for this comparison. Listing prices, stars, and review counts are the amazon.co.uk lines scraped on 15 October 2026.

  1. HSE, cutting and sanding wood (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  2. HSE, wood dust (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  3. HSE INDG291, providing and using work equipment safely (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  4. HSE L114, safe use of woodworking machinery (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  5. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 22 (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  6. Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016, regulation 35 (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  7. Axminster, hardpoint handsaws (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  8. BLACK+DECKER KS890ECN-GB (retrieved 16 October 2026)