Best Rip Saw Reviews in 2025: Top 5 Picks with Buying Guide

A rip saw is probably the only device you'll find on a carpenter's workstation, inside a gardener's tool bag, as well as every other home garage on the block.

The reason why rip saws became so popular is that they are straightforward hand tools with remarkable benefits.

From hardwood to laminate, and plywood to plastic, a rip saw is the first thing that comes to mind when any materials need some slashing.

DIY woodworking, professional carpentry, or simply chopping down firewood-ready blanks on a winter day calls for the best rip saw. And here's where you'll find it!

Our Recommended 5 Best Rip Saw For The Money

Rip saws might look simple, but they are the most helpful hand tools to ever exist. Nowadays it's getting increasingly hard to choose one from a wide range of options. The good news is, we've done the research. And now, we present the top 5 rip saws available for you!

1. Suizan Japanese 9.5-Inch Double Edge Hand Saw

Ripping wood with or against the grain is one of the very first woodworking basics. A hand saw is the only tool you need for it. This double-edged Japanese hand saw is a 2-in-1 tool that offers rip-cutting and crosscutting in a single, sharp blade.

First of all, this double-edged blade is of the Japanese pull saw type. Pull saws, compared to European push saws, weigh a lot lighter. They require less effort in cutting wood stock.

Once finished, the edges are cleaner than they would have been had you used a push saw. This is why Japanese rip saws are all the rage in modern-day woodworking.

It has 14 teeth per inch, which makes this Suizan Ryoba a premium fine-toothed rip saw. Moreover, its handle is enveloped with traditional Japanese rattan cane a durable material that helps you secure a good grip on the saw handle.

Other than the uniqueness of its cane handle, the Suizan rip cut saw is blessed with the power of two saw blades. For example, one edge of this saw supports the rip cut technique, whereas the other edge is styled for professional crosscutting. So, you're getting two at the price of one!

Highlighted Features

• An 8-inch, double-edged saw blade with rip-cutting and cross-cutting edges
• Produces a thin 0.03-inch cut
• Made of premium Japanese steel
• Cane-wrapped ergonomic handle for a comfortable grip

2. CRAFTSMAN 15-Inch RIP Cut Saw

If you have big chunks of wood to cut down and bring to shape, this stellar Svelte hand saw by Craftsman is your way to go. Its blade geometry is a joy to woodworking perfectionists, producing neat, straight cuts with an admirable finish.

This hand saw is perfect for most woodworking applications and gardening tasks. It is available in 15-inch to 20-inch sizes. Its fine-tooth geometry can offer you exceptional cutting power and speed. The handle profile is designed in a way that lets you use the saw in a square or a miter position.

Its ergonomic handle is made of two materials that not only feel comfortable but also give you leverage in perfecting each cut. Since the blade is 15 inches long, it's easier to cut larger pieces of wood with the saw. This all-purpose hand saw cuts weathered pallets, wood, laminate, plastic, and tubing.

Thus, the Craftsman rip cut hand saw is a great hand tool to keep in your workshop for versatile tasks around the garden, garage, and workshop.

Besides, this 8 TPI blade is a coarse-tooth blade; it can remove materials with its way faster than a fine-tooth blade with more teeth per inch.

Highlighted Features:

• This coarse, 8 TPI blade cuts faster and removes chips with greater efficiency
• Suitable for cutting laminate, pallets, wood, and plastic
• Its handle offers 45-degree and 90-degree cutting positions
• Induction-hardened wide blade for premium durability and sharpness

3. Suizan Japanese Dozuki Dovetail Pull Saw

This Dozuki dovetail saw by Suizan surprised us with how lightweight it feels, and how easy it is to pick up the right ripsaw techniques. With a century-old experience under their belt, Suizan is a brand you can trust for getting the best rip saw in the market!

What's unique about Dozuki is that this dovetail saw can make smooth, precise cuts, unlike any other saw. It also delivers a super narrow kerf a quality that is much desired for fine woodworking.

Even if you don't have prior experience in cutting wood, you can surely get a hang of its style with this top-notch Suizan dovetail. The pull-type saw blade is only 0.012 inches thick and runs 6 inches long.

This blade is placed on a supporting rib and handle with a screw. It helps you apply more pressure to the workpiece without the blade being thick and heavy. This way you can also change the blade when it becomes dull from use if you don't prefer to hone it.

The Suizan Dozuki, with 25 teeth per inch, is as fine as it can get. Its 0.016-inch kerf width is one of the narrowest in class. And the fact that it weighs only 0.34 pounds is a welcoming relief for the heavy hand saw users.

Highlighted Features:

• A 6-inch-long Dozuki with a 0.012-inch thickness
• A heavy-duty Japanese pull saw with a thin kerf
• A 25 TPI blade perfect for getting a smooth finish along the edges
• Suitable for tiger maple, teak, red oak, OSB, MDF, and hardwood

4. WilFiks 16" Pro Rip Hand Saw

Whether you're using a hand saw for cutting overhanging branches in your backyard or getting started with cabinet-making, this hand saw by WilFiks is your way to go. You can cut tenons, dovetails, and miters with the highest precision in the lowest amount of time!

The WilFiks Pro hand saw is all about precision and speed. This durable rip hand saw can cut through plywood, plastic pipe, wallboard, wood, and materials alike.

Its induction-hardened, razor-sharp teeth are durable enough to last up to 5 times longer than your average rip saw. And its anti-slip grip will never falter when you're cutting off the edges from the foundation of your wooden craft.

Even when you are sorting the 2×4s for firewood, the WilFiks Pro can help you get through the whole pile in a matter of minutes! You'll be surprised to see how fast a hand-driven tool can be if you are accustomed to using power tools only.

The 16-inch saw blade is long enough to handle a large piece of wood stock in a single cut. As a 9 TPI blade, the speed at which WilFiks Pro performs is revolutionary, to say the least. You can easily clean and sharpen its durable shears for long-term use.

Highlighted Features:

• A 5.5-inch wide anti-slip handle
• A coarse 16-inch steel blade with 9 teeth per inch
• Supports both pull and push sawing
• Durable, easy-to-sharp shears for home and professional use

5. Fiskars Crafts DIY Precision Rip Cut Hand Saw

With a triple-ground steel blade and exceptional handle, this Fiskars Crafts hand saw is nothing like you've ever seen before. It doesn't look like the traditional rip saw or Dozuki you're familiar with. In fact, it has a simplified design that gives you the comfort of using a kitchen knife.

This innovative rip saw comes well-protected inside a durable sheath. It features English metric measurements to make cutting easier for you.

Besides, the soft-grip ergonomic handle takes after that of a curved kitchen knife. So, you can be more confident while sawing wood and plastic. It's definitely not like slicing tomatoes, but at least you're comfortable with the process.

You can replace the blade once it gets dull. Sharpening a serrated blade is not as effective as sharpening a flat one.

Considering everything, a rip saw with a replaceable blade gives you more bang for your buck. And which better one to pick other than this one by Fiskars Crafts?

Its slim yet strong saw blade gives you the upper hand in rocking DIY projects with unmatched precision. It does the job of a full-time professional rip saw, while supporting the precise needs of DIY craft ideas.

Highlighted Features:

• A serrated 7-inch heavy-duty steel blade
• Can cut leather, softwood, and cardboard
• The blade is replaceable
• Suitable for delicate wood planks that require a fine finish

Comparison Chart of Top Rip Cut Saw

Rip Saw Buying Guide

A rip saw is something you can't pick out of the blue because the finesse of woodworking greatly depends on it. If your rip saw is fine-toothed instead of coarse, you can drag a 15-minute work to an hour.

On the contrary, finishing a delicate piece of a wood blank with a coarse hand saw can ruin it beyond repair shedding unsightly splinters of wood from all sides.

That said, it's time you knew the top features that make a rip saw reap your desired results in woodworking. From different types of rip saws to their optimal lengths and TPI, we tried to cover the most common saw basics to help you find the best rip saw there is. Keep on reading to find out what they are!

Blade Length

Be it a pull saw or a push saw, the length matters because it's directly tied with comfort. If you're going to do DIY woodworking instead of professional, we don't expect you to get hold of a thick Oak blank and make a fully-furnished kitchen cabinet out of it.

You can stick to a medium-length Ryoba or simple hand saws serrated at only one end.

However, professional woodworking calls for better blade materials, strength, and durability. And a single rip saw size hardly suffices.

Ryoba and Dozuki hand saws have a Japanese origin. They are made smaller in size. These rip saws cut remarkably along the blank's grain rendering a high-quality finish that's a pleasure to sand.

Dozuki Vs. Double Edge

Dozuki to a carpenter is what santoku is to a chef. Both of them are high-precision tools used for fine detailing. Dozuki is a fine-toothed saw that has more TPI than any other type of saw. On the other hand, a double-edged saw is basically an innovative version of a pull saw and a push saw.

You can cut along or across the grain just by flipping the saw blade. The Suizan Japanese Ryoba is our saw of choice for the double-edged variation. As for a Dozuki, Suizan makes an incredible fine-teeth saw for delicate carpentry.

Teeth Per Inch

The fewer teeth a saw has, the faster it can remove the wood that falls in the cutting line. WilFiks Pro is our go-to rip saw for a lot of cases. For example, this coarse-teeth hand saw comes in handy in not only woodworking but also trimming branches, gardening, pruning, and plumbing.  

On the other hand, for precise cutting, we recommend a 25 TPI blade with a thin kerf. These precision blades need to be frequently serviced with a saw set and taper files for a cutting-edge performance like the very first day.

Handle Design

First things first, grab a saw with padded rip handles. The reason behind that is simple you need control and comfort while using the rip saw, and a padded handle provides you both.

Then comes the designing bit. A well-designed handle is destined to last long and work seamlessly. You can check different construction techniques while choosing the right saw for you. One of these features is the triple screw 'handle-blade attachment', which will give you precise control.

Another can be the ergonomic shape, as it is comforting and efficient at the same time for a handle.

Some premium rip saw handles come with an attachment angle as well to ensure aerodynamic advantages. Try looking for a rip saw that has all the features, or at least most of them.

Strength

Truth be told, in order to get a rip saw that lasts long, you should choose one with a sturdy blade. A carbon steel blade with 9-10 PTS will be more than enough for this purpose.

And, a solid blade will come in handy against bending problems. With time, some saw blades start bending and deforming, but a sturdy carbon steel one won't let you face such difficulties.

Then there's the issue of rust one that can kill your blade slowly. Binding is also a common cause of blades faltering.

So, it's mandatory that you look for a blade that at least has 9/10 PTS strength. If you plan to do curvature, you might opt for skewed backs or curved edges.

They will be essential in more delicate operations like getting a rip cut. Other than that, just a solid, sturdy steel does the trick.

People Also Asked

1. Is It Possible to Use the Same Saw for Rip-Cutting And Cross-Cutting?

Answer: Double-edge hand saws have the ability to rip-cut and cross-cut alternatively. They are serrated in opposite directions to make it possible. Ripping wood is necessary when you are cutting along the length.

Cross-cutting wood is simply shearing the wood fiber perpendicular to its grain. The Suizan Japanese double-edged pull saw is a good option for both.

2. What is a Ryoba Japanese Pull Saw Good For?

Answer: A Ryoba style Japanese pull saw gives you two functions in one. The crosscutting edge is suitable for splitting wood along its width. And the rip-cutting side helps with thinning down the length.

Suizan makes some amazing Ryoba pull saws you can try out.

3. What TPI Rip Saw Is Great For Cutting Wood Fast?

Answer: If you want to cut wood fast, use a coarse-teeth hand saw. We're not saying fine-teeth rip saws can't do it, they definitely can, but not as fast as an 8 TPI rip saw. The fewer teeth a saw blade has, the faster it can cut through wood planks.

4. What is the Easiest Material to Cut With a Rip Saw?

Answer: If your rip saw is strong enough, it can cut through both soft and hardwood with a clean kerf. In fact, heavy-duty rip saws can cut plywood, chalkboard, drywall, laminate, and plastic with satisfying precision. Fine-toothed saw blades like the Fiskars Crafts one can even part leather with clean edges.

5. Can You Sharpen A Rip Saw?

Answer: Sharpening a rip saw requires a few specific tools. If you don't have them, you are better off with a hand saw with a replaceable blade. A saw set and taper files in different sizes are the basic requirements.

If the blade is rusty, you can scrape it off with sandpaper. The next step is jointing, which means filing the blade's teeth on a vise. It makes the teeth rest on the same plane, allowing you to make straight, neat cuts.

Final Words

Nothing beats the personalized feel and craftsmanship a hand tool brings to your woodworking. And rip saw being an integral part of your hobby or profession, we meticulously prepared today's top 5 rip saw reviews.

Whether you're looking forward to shaping up your lawn, pruning garden trees, or making furniture, a rip saw is something you are going to need every step of the way.

Besides, it's always great to keep this versatile tool at hand. We hope that you enjoyed our reviews and found the best rip saw that fits your purpose.

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