Universal Cut Z-Saw

• Blade depth: 2-3/8''
• Overall length: 23-1/2''
• 15 impulse-hardened teeth per inch
• kerf width of only 0.92mm
• Handles crosscuts, rips and diagonal cuts
• Wrapped bamboo handle

What's in the Box?

(1) Universal Cut Z-Saw

If you have read about Z-saws, then you already know about their strict quality-control. Every tooth is precisely CNC sharpened to exacting tolerances less than .001" and then hardened to Rockwell C68 and higher by magnetic induction. The great advantage is these saws are incredibly sharp and stay that way for a long time. Unlike hand-made saws, these are less expensive, so you get 95% of handmade-saw's quality for half or a third the price. A disadvantage of these saws is that the blades cannot be re-sharpened. Luckily, you can replace just the blade without replacing the whole saw, and a new blade costs the same as most competent re-sharpening services charge. The "universal" tooth design is supposed to be a hybrid of cross-cut and rip-cut teeth. My only complaint about this saw: it does not do rip cuts very fast. It DOES make rips cuts very smoothly. That may be preferable for those who want to make fine dovetails, but are not concerned with speed. So, here are the facts: it cuts beautifully straight, is easy to control and makes very smooth cuts either cross-grain or rip cuts with the grain. The only problem, and it is a small one, is that rip cuts are a trifle slower than a well-sharpened western style dovetail saw with rip-teeth. If you ever use a true rip-tooth japanese saw, you will see how incredibly FAST and smooth they cut. Because this is a hybrid "universal" tooth design, it sacrifices a little ripping speed. It still cuts very fast across the grain though! I use a saw just like this to cut fret-slots across the grain in the hardest ebony fingerboards. It crosscuts So fast, i have to use a depth-stop to insure it doesn't go to far. One or two light strokes does the job. Remember, these teeth have very little "set" so you can't "steer" a cut. You have to concentrate and hold it straight. After that, it's easy. The saw does all the work. No force is required. Just let it cut. If you are looking to enter a speed contest this is not the tool you want. But for anyone else who needs a great saw at a reasonable price, this a fine tool and a terrific bargain. Try one. I bet you'll use it more than any other saw you ever find that costs less than one-hundred dollars. The only saws I know that cut faster cost well over one hundred dollars, sometimes two-hundred or more. They don't cut any better, just faster in rip-cuts.

The set on this saw is very wide. As a result it's poor at ripping. Its also poor at crosscutting, leaves a very wide kerf and the sides of the cut are much rougher than they should be. I'm sorry I bought it. It didn't live up to the hype.