Crosscut saw

In woodworking, a cut made at (or near) a right angle to the direction of the grain of the workpiece is known as a crosscut. When cutting a standing tree down, if the cut is made across the trunk, this is a crosscut--but the term also applies to cutting free lumber.

A crosscut saw is a saw that is specially designed for making crosscuts. Crosscut saws have teeth that are designed to cut wood at (or very nearly at) a right angle to the direction of the grain. The cutting edge of each tooth is angled back and has a beveled edge. This design allows each tooth to act like a knife edge and slice through the wood (as opposed to a rip saw).

On the vast majority of American saws, the teeth are designed to cut when the saw is being pushed through the wood. However, some saws (such as Japanese saws) are designed to cut on the pull stroke.

See also: Crosscut saw, Japanese saw, Rip saw