Power tools handle most of the heavy cutting in a modern woodworking shop. But when you only need to make a few precise cuts, setting up a table saw or another machine can take longer than making the cut with a hand saw.
That's one reason Japanese saws have become so useful in the shop. Their thin blades, sharp teeth, and pull-stroke cutting action make them well suited to accurate joinery and other detailed work. And with several different styles available, there's a Japanese saw for everything from cutting dovetails and tenons to trimming a dowel flush with a finished surface.
The trick is understanding how these saws differ and how their pull-cutting action changes the way you use them.
What Makes a Japanese Saw Different?
At first glance, a Japanese saw looks quite different from a traditional Western handsaw. The blade is typically much thinner, and the long, straight handle gives the tool a distinctly different feel.
Traditional handles are made from lightweight wood and wrapped in cane. Combined with the thin blade, this gives the saw a light, nimble feel in your hand.
But the biggest difference isn't the handle or even the thickness of the blade. It's the direction the saw cuts.
Japanese Saws Cut on the Pull Stroke
The teeth of a Japanese saw point back toward the handle. That means the saw does its cutting as you pull the blade toward you, rather than as you push it away.
There's a practical advantage to this arrangement. During the cutting stroke, pulling puts the thin blade under tension. A Western-style push saw places its blade under compression during the cutting stroke. Because a Japanese saw is tensioned as it cuts, the blade can be made very thin.
A thinner blade creates a narrow kerf and requires less material to be removed. The pull stroke can also make it easier to guide the blade accurately once you become accustomed to the technique.
Woodsmith Tip: If you're accustomed to Western saws, the hardest habit to break is trying to force the saw. Use light pressure and let the teeth do the cutting.
Japanese Saw Teeth
Japanese crosscut teeth use a different geometry than typical Western crosscut teeth. The teeth have three beveled edges, with a steep third bevel near the tip that creates a knife-like cutting edge.
Rip teeth are more similar to their Western counterparts. Japanese saws may also use different tooth geometry depending on whether they're intended for hardwood or softwood.
The important point for a woodworker is to match the teeth to the cut. Crosscut teeth work across the grain, while rip teeth are designed for cutting with it.
Replaceable Blades Make Japanese Saws Easy to Maintain
Many factory-made Japanese saws use replaceable blades rather than blades intended to be resharpened by the user.
That's particularly handy while you're learning. A thin Japanese saw blade can be damaged if you twist it in the kerf or force it during the return stroke. If that happens, a replaceable-blade design lets you install a new blade instead of replacing the entire saw. Some designs even allow the blade angle to be adjusted.
Four Types of Japanese Saws for Woodworking
There are many specialized Japanese saws, but four styles cover an impressive range of furniture and joinery work: the dozuki, ryoba, kugihiki, and azebiki.
Dozuki: A Precision Joinery Saw
If you're buying your first Japanese saw primarily for fine joinery, a dozuki is a good place to start.
The dozuki has a rigid spine running along the back of its thin blade, similar in principle to a Western backsaw. The spine supports the blade, making it easier to control and a little more forgiving while you're developing your pull-saw technique.
Most dozuki saws have crosscut teeth because one of their traditional jobs is cutting tenon shoulders. But the fine teeth can also be used for precise joinery work such as dovetails.
How to Cut with a Dozuki
Start by laying out the cut clearly. Place the heel of the saw on the waste side of the line and use your thumb against the blade as a guide.
Begin with a slow pull. Don't apply heavy downward pressure. Allow the teeth to establish the kerf naturally. As the cut develops, you can gradually use a longer stroke.
Pointing your index finger along the saw can also help you track a straight line.
Ryoba: The Versatile Two-Sided Japanese Saw
If you want one Japanese saw capable of handling a broad range of work, take a close look at the ryoba.
Ryoba means "double," referring to its two cutting edges. Typically, one side of the blade has rip teeth and the other has crosscut teeth. That essentially gives you two saws in one.
Ryoba saws come in several sizes. Larger models are used for heavier construction, while smaller versions are better suited to cabinetmaking and furniture work. For general woodworking, the article recommends a blade in the 7" to 9" range.
One drawback is worth noting. On a deep cut, the teeth along the unused side can enter the kerf and scratch the workpiece.
How to Use a Ryoba
For most joinery, you can use a ryoba with one hand. Begin by slowly pulling the heel across the cut line. As the kerf develops, gradually lengthen the stroke.
For longer cuts, a two-handed grip can reduce fatigue and provide additional control. Pointing the index finger forward can help keep the blade tracking straight.
Kugihiki: The Flush-Cutting Saw
The kugihiki is a more specialized Japanese saw, but it's an exceptionally useful one.
Its strength is flush cutting. Use it to trim a dowel, plug, or through-tenon flush with the surrounding surface.
Unlike most saws, the crosscut teeth aren't set outward from the blade. This allows the blade to lie against the surface while cutting without the teeth digging into and scratching the surrounding wood.
How to Make a Flush Cut
A kugihiki blade can be extremely thin, so don't force it during the return stroke. Instead of pressing the blade flat against the workpiece with your other hand, gently flex the blade so it naturally lies against the surface.
Then use controlled pull strokes to make the cut.
Azebiki: Starting Cuts in the Middle of a Board
The azebiki solves a problem that most handsaws can't: starting a cut away from the edge of a workpiece.
It has curved cutting edges with both rip and crosscut teeth. The curved blade allows the saw to establish a kerf in the middle of a board, making it useful for cutting mortises, grooves, and sliding dovetails. The curved shape also helps clear sawdust from the kerf.
How to Start an Interior Cut
Begin with a clearly scribed layout line. Make a series of light cuts while gently rocking the saw to establish the kerf.
Once the cut is established, increase the pressure slightly and continue the rocking motion to deepen it. Clamping a straight board beside the layout line can serve as a guide and help keep the blade vertical.
Which Japanese Saw Should You Buy First?
For precision joinery, I'd start with a dozuki. Its rigid spine supports the thin blade and makes it one of the easier Japanese saws to learn.
For general-purpose woodworking, the ryoba is hard to beat. Having rip teeth on one side and crosscut teeth on the other makes it useful for an unusually broad range of jobs.
The kugihiki and azebiki make more sense as additions once you encounter jobs that take advantage of their specialized designs.
Let the Saw Do the Work
Switching from a Western push saw to a Japanese pull saw takes a little practice. The most important lesson is also the simplest: Don't force the blade.
Start the kerf with light pull strokes, keep the blade aligned with your layout line, and allow the sharp teeth to do the cutting. Be especially gentle during the return stroke, when the thin blade is more vulnerable to buckling.
Once that pull-stroke technique becomes natural, a Japanese saw can be one of the fastest ways to make an accurate cut without setting up a machine.
Build Your Hand-Tool Skills
Japanese saws are only one way hand tools can add precision and control to your woodworking. Explore our guide to 5 Essential Hand Tools for Better Woodworking to learn how card scrapers, shoulder planes, chisels, hand saws, and block planes can complement the power tools already in your shop.
EXPLORE 5 ESSENTIAL HAND TOOLS → Get More From Your Hand Tools
