Japanese wood saws cut the material on the pull stroke. This means that the teeth are angled towards the person using the saw.

If half way along the blade, the teeth started to face forward, then it would cut equally on both the pull and the push stroke.
-- xenzag, Feb 15 2021

But it still wouldn't cut any faster.
-- RayfordSteele, Feb 15 2021


[Rayford] Yes, but on the plus side, it would be much harder to use
-- hippo, Feb 15 2021


Doesn't make any sense, unless it's a two-man saw.
-- FlyingToaster, Feb 15 2021


//don't you lose that advantage by pushing?// No - the forward facing teeth make an identical cut, but they only make their cut on the push stroke
-- xenzag, Feb 15 2021


Better to have the teeth facing forward on one side and backwards on the other. Then you just take the saw out of the slot at each end of the stroke and flip it. Assuming the removal, flip and re-insertion takes zero time, this will make your saw cut twice as fast.
-- pocmloc, Feb 15 2021


Or have each tooth of the saw mounted on a tiny, motorised pivot. Then when you have pushed the saw through the wood, each tooth would pivot to face in the opposite direction, ready for the 'pull' stroke. This way, you'll be able to cut in both directions.
-- hippo, Feb 15 2021


I think a one man cross-cut saw fits this description.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Feb 15 2021



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