A back saw is a saw that has a stiffening rib of steel or brass fixed to the edge of the blade opposite to the cutting edge. This makes the back saw particulary well-suited to jobs that demand good control and precise cutting. Such jobs include cutting dovetails, miters, or tenons in cabinetry and joinery. Backsaws usually have closely-spaced teeth, often with little or no set. Because the stiffener is thicker than the blade, backsaws are limited in the depth to which they can cut.

 

A typical back saw blade is 8 to 14 inches long with 11 to 14 teeth per inch (tpi).

 

The two commonest types of back saw are the tenon saw and the dovetail saw. Other types include the miter saw (or large back saw), razor saw, and the Japanese dozuki.