What is a crosscut sawyer?
Andrew Mclaughlin
Updated on January 15, 2026
The Crosscut Sawyer is designed to provide the basic technical knowledge needed by Federal land management agency employees and partners to use crosscut saws safely and efficiently for bucking in moderately complex or "B-level" situations.
Why would you use a crosscut saw?
A crosscut saw (thwart saw) is any saw designed for cutting wood perpendicular to (across) the wood grain. Crosscut saws may be small or large, with small teeth close together for fine work like woodworking or large for coarse work like log bucking, and can be a hand tool or power tool.Why is it called a crosscut saw?
A crosscut saw is a specialized handsaw for manually cutting wood across the grain. Crosscut saws include a blade and a handle. The blade edge below the handle is the heel and the opposite end is the toe. The numerous cutting teeth between the heel and toe have alternating cutting edges.How do I identify an old crosscut saw?
Observe the TeethThe bottom part of your hand saw's blade is the teeth. It's a jagged edge that gives the tool a precise cut. When you pick up an antique crosscut saw, look closely at the jagged edge. Crosscut Saws have sharp teeth that look like a row of knives.