Handle Positions

How a saw cuts is determined to some extent by how the handle is put on the saw and how the handle is held. Assume the saw is making a vertical cut with the teeth pointing down. With the handle pointing up, a pull stroke will be easier the farther you hold your hands toward the end of the handle. The push stroke will be harder. On the other hand, with the handle pointing down, the opposite occurs. In saws that have two holes on each end (generally bucking saws), changing the handle position from the lower to the upper hole will have the same effect as moving your hands several inches up the saw handle.

The difference in force necessary to make a saw stroke under different handle positions is due to the different downward forces applied to the saw. For example, with the handle up, a push stroke increases the downward force on the saw causing the teeth to sink deeper into the wood. The result is a deeper cut that requires more energy. On the pull stroke, a slight upward force is applied to the saw.