A compass saw is a type of

saw A saw is a tool consisting of a tough blade, wire, or chain with a hard toothed edge. It is used to cut through material, very often wood, though sometimes metal or stone. The cut is made by placing the toothed edge against the material and mov ...

used for making curved cuts known as

compass A compass is a device that shows the cardinal directions used for navigation and geographic orientation. It commonly consists of a magnetized needle or other element, such as a compass card or compass rose, which can pivot to align itself wit ...

es, particularly in confined spaces where a larger saw would not fit.

Characteristics

Compass saws have a narrow, tapered blade usually ending in a sharp point, typically with a tooth pitch of 2.5 to 3 mm (eight to ten teeth per inch), but down to 1.3 mm (up to 20 teeth per inch) for harder materials and as long as 5 mm (as few as five teeth per inch) for softer materials. They have a curved, light "

pistol grip On a firearm or other tools, a pistol grip is a distinctly protruded handle underneath the main mechanism, to be held by the user's hand at a more vertical (and thus more ergonomic) angle, similar to the how one would hold a conventional pis ...

" handle, designed for work in confined spaces and overhead. The blade of a compass saw may be fixed or retractable, and blades are typically interchangeable. Partially retracting the blade can prevent flexing and breaking when cutting harder materials. Compass saws are suitable for cutting softer woods, plastic, drywall, and non-ferrous metals. The pointed tip of the blade can be used to penetrate softer materials without the need for a

pilot hole In construction, a pilot hole is a small hole drilled into a piece of construction material. Its purpose may be: #to guide a larger drill to the appropriate location and ease the job of the larger drill #allow for the insertion of another hole-m ...

Comparison with other types of saws

Compared with other saws designed for cutting curves, such as

coping Coping refers to conscious strategies used to reduce unpleasant emotions. Coping strategies can be cognitions or behaviours and can be individual or social. Theories of coping Hundreds of coping strategies have been proposed in an attempt to ...

fretsaw The fretsaw is a bow saw used for intricate cutting work which often incorporates tight curves. Although the coping saw is often used for similar work, the fretsaw is capable of much tighter radii and more delicate work. It has a distinctive appe ...

s, compass saws have a larger blade and longer pitch (fewer teeth per inch). This allows them to cut faster, and to cut through thicker materials, but leaves a rougher finish. Compared with

drywall Drywall (also called plasterboard, dry lining, wallboard, sheet rock, gypsum board, buster board, custard board, and gypsum panel) is a panel made of calcium sulfate dihydrate (gypsum), with or without additives, typically extruded between thic ...

saws, compass saws typically have a longer blade – at – and shorter pitch (more teeth per inch).

Keyhole saw A lock is a mechanical or electronic fastening device that is released by a physical object (such as a key, keycard, fingerprint, RFID card, security token or coin), by supplying secret information (such as a number or letter permutation or pass ...

s, also called padsaws or jab saws, feature shorter, finer blades and (often) straight handles, and are suitable for cutting extremely tight curves.

References

Saws {{Tool-stub