ryggsåg

Ryggsåg, straightforwardly translated as back saw, is a category of hand saws used for fine woodworking. The defining feature is a rigid back along the blade, usually a metal spine, which stiffens the blade to resist bending. This enables precise, straight cuts essential for joinery such as dovetails, housing joints, and mortises.

Construction and characteristics: A ryggsåg typically has a narrower blade than general-purpose saws, with teeth cut for cross-cut or fine cutting. The back adds weight and stiffness, reducing blade wobble during cutting. Handles vary from traditional horned shapes to modern closed grips, designed for controlled, accurate strokes.

Usage: The saw is used with careful, short strokes and light feed, guided by a cutting line and supported by a workbench or bench hook. Due to the stiff blade and fine teeth, ryggsåger can produce clean edges with minimal tear-out, making them suitable for delicate joinery where precise sawing is important.

Variants: The family includes dovetail saws (very fine teeth for joinery work) and carcass or tenon saws (longer blades with coarser teeth for general joinery). In Swedish and Norwegian, ryggsåg denotes this back-saw category; in English, terms such as back saw, dovetail saw, or carcass saw are commonly used.

Maintenance and history: Keep teeth sharp with appropriate filing, check the back for straightness, and store dry to prevent rust. Back saws have a long-standing role in European cabinetmaking and carpentry, valued for accuracy in hand-cut joinery.