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First fix or second fix saw

Updated: 16 October 2026

You are choosing a coarse push saw for a joist nobody will see, or a finer tooth for skirting that will be painted. First fix or second fix saw is that split: hidden carcassing wants fewer teeth and a longer plate, and a visible edge wants a finer pitch on a short section. One saw does both badly if you cut both every week. Prices 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.

You are choosing a coarse push saw for a joist nobody will see, or a finer tooth for skirting that will be painted.

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 two phrases mean on site
  2. 2.The pitches in this set
  3. 3.When to buy the coarse saw
  4. 4.When the finer tooth is the one to own

What the two phrases mean on site

On a UK site, first fix is timber that disappears: joists, studs, and other carcassing. Productwise puts fewer teeth on that work because the torn edge will be covered. Second fix is what you still see, doors, tops, and skirting, where a clean edge is worth extra strokes. BuildWiz’s shop table, a guide and not this scrape, puts a first-fix panel around 500–550 mm at about 7–8 TPI. DIY Garden’s rule of thumb is about 7 TPI for first fix and about 11–14 TPI for visible sheet. The phrases describe the job, not a badge on the handle. An 8-point saw can crosscut a sleeper and still tear skirting. If you only do one of those jobs, buy for that job.

The pitches in this set

Eight points, and a teeth-row figure of 7, are the coarse camp. Eleven TPI, 12 PPI, and 15 TPI are the finer camp. Points per inch and teeth per inch are not an identical conversion. Use the unit on the listing. The long coarse saws are the Predator B9822, about 560 mm at 8 points and about £10.79, and the Draper 82196, 550 mm at 8 PPI and about £9.29. The listing title says 8 PPI even where another page says 7 TPI. The finer 350 mm saws are the HAUTMEC at 11 TPI, the Draper 80874 at 12 PPI, and the OX at 15 TPI. The Rolson, 9 TPI and 250 mm, is a tenon, not a second-fix panel saw. Prices are amazon.co.uk shelf figures from 15 October 2026.
Spear & Jackson Spear & Jackson Predator B9822

Testsieger

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

When to buy the coarse saw

A sleeper or a joist wants the full stroke of the B9822 or the Draper 82196. The B98FF belongs with them on the rough-timber bullets: the teeth row says 7, and the 2012 Spear & Jackson catalogue lists it as first fix at 7 points. That catalogue is not a current price. Amazon’s rank label says fine cut. Trust the bullets. The Barbarossa is 8 TPI on 350 mm, a short hidden bench cut, not a sleeper. Skip the coarse saw when the edge will show. Stance, once the saw is right, is on how to use a hand saw.

When the finer tooth is the one to own

Buy a 350 mm saw at 11 TPI or finer when the edge will be seen and you can support the section. Skirting, a laminate offcut, and a short piece of MDF sit with the HAUTMEC, the Draper 80874, or the OX. None of them replaces a 550 mm carcassing saw. The Rolson does not join them because 9 TPI sounds medium. It is a tenon for a shoulder or a narrow bead. If you do both jobs every week, you need two saws. A finer tooth is not a longer life: Axminster says hardpoint teeth are replaced, not filed. A dull arrival is a 30-day rejection under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

Common questions

What does first fix mean on a saw?
First fix means the cut will be hidden in carcassing, such as studs and joists. Productwise puts fewer teeth on that work so the saw clears wood quickly. Second fix means the edge stays visible, on skirting, doors, and tops, where a finer tooth is worth the slower stroke. The label describes the job. It does not tell you the blade length on its own.
Is 8 points the same as 8 TPI?
They are close shelf language, not an identical conversion. In this set, 8 points on the B9822 and 8 PPI on the Draper 82196 are the coarse camp, with a teeth row of 7 on the B98FF. Eleven TPI, 12 PPI, and 15 TPI are the finer camp.
Can I use a first-fix saw on skirting?
You can, and the edge will tear. An 8-point or 8 PPI plate is fast in a joist and rough on a moulding you meant to paint. Filling that face often takes longer than cutting it with an 11 TPI or finer 350 mm saw. Use the coarse saw when the cut will be covered.
Is the OX 15 TPI a second-fix saw?
It sits in the finer band for visible work: 15 TPI on a 350 mm plate, about £7.43. That suits a short, seen edge. It is a slow choice for a thick hidden joist, where a 550–560 mm saw at 8 points or 8 PPI takes a larger bite. The short plate is the limit, even when the tooth count suits trim.
Why is the B98FF ranked under fine cut saws?
The Amazon rank label says fine cut. The teeth row says 7, the bullets describe rough-sawn timber, and the 2012 Spear & Jackson catalogue lists the B98FF as a 22 inch first-fix saw at 7 points. That catalogue is not a current price. Trust the bullets and the teeth row. If the cut will be hidden, it belongs with the coarse 22 inch plates.
Do I need both saws?
You need both if you cut hidden carcassing and visible trim in the same week. One 8-point plate will tear the skirting, and one 15 TPI toolbox saw will be slow and short in a joist. If you only do one job, buy for that job. A 9 TPI tenon is a short square cut, not the second panel saw.

Related pages

Hand saw buying guide

Best hand saw UK

Japanese pull saw or handsaw

Wood saw

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

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)