Getting an intricate cut out of wood cannot be accomplished by regular cross-cut saws. They are simply too big for such a task. You probably will need either a fret saw or coping saw to perform such an undertaking.
Both fret saw and coping saw essentially perform the same function of producing intricate cutting in woods that involves sharp curves. The main difference is that a fret saw is capable of a lot more delicate curves and can easily achieve tighter curves than a coping saw.
But there are times that all you need is a coping saw rather than a fret saw. Besides, you won’t get the capacity for the blade to rotate in the later like you would with the latter.
Coping saws are manufactured for usage mainly on wood and plastic. They nevertheless can cut through metal and ceramic, given the availability of blades that are specially designed for such.
The parts of this tool majorly comprise a frame, a blade, and a handle. While the frame gives it control and flexibility, the handle provides movement and pressure. Since the blade is thin and fragile, it is not meant for too much heavy-duty woodworking.
The tool is a must for all carpenters and should be a part of every DYer’s toolbox as well. To get the best brands may be a challenge, though.
That is why we have done the hard work for you. Here is a list of ten coping saws from which you can easily make your pick.
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10 Best Coping Saws
#1. Irwin 2014400 Pro-Touch Coping Saw
No products found.There is a very high likelihood that you must have heard of Irwin Tools if you are a handyman who loves to experiment with stuff at home. The reason is not far-fetched. This brand happens to be one of the most reliable manufacturers of hand tools in the United States.
The Irwin 2014400 6-1/2 inches Pro-Touch Coping Saw is one of the company’s go-to tools for carpenters and wannabes. And guess what? It lives up to it’s the brand name!
With a blade that moves in high speed during use, this saw cuts through wood and other materials with a high level of accuracy. The blade equally has a 17-pt tooth that helps to get rid of waste quickly in a few seconds.
The best feature of the tool is its ergonomic handle for a comfortable grip. This, for those who know, is typical of Irwin Tools. The idea is to ensure that your palms are given adequate protection if the tasks at hand are heavy duty.
Despite the sharpness of the blade and the nice build of the frames, the saw has a drawback. It does not come with a blade guard which is meant to prevent it from being weak or dented after months of regular friction. Nonetheless, this one remains a top drawer for everyone.
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#2. Olson Saw SF 63510 Coping Saw
No products found.You cannot but love this tool if you are a DIYer! Although somewhat on the pricey side, it will no doubt give you value for the money you are bringing out of your wallet. That is why this is second on our echelon.
Olson Saw SF63510 is well made with a sturdy frame that provides tight latch to both sides of the blade. You will find it easy to remove and attach the blade to it. Also, you can attach just about any coping saw blade to it.
What is a coping saw without a good blade? This one is not just decent for precision cutting; it equally comes with pin end that makes it possible for tensioning at both ends.
That is not all about the blade. It has a depth of cut of approximately 5 inches and this could make it useful for more intricate cutting depending on the task of the user. Additionally, the blade can be rotated 360 degrees, making north-east-west-south direction possible as well as push or pull motions.
However, it may be difficult to properly align the blade, as it may come twisted from the source. The good news is that you can get other blades to work with the frame.
The handle is made of hardwood and this would excite those that love congruence: wooden handle for cutting or trimming wood! It assures a firm grip but not non-slip. So, this could be a dislike for that are used to hand tools that come with non-slip handles.
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#3. Smithline SL 400 Professional Grade Coping Saw
No products found.Smithline SL 400 Professional Grade Coping Saw is built with a durable steel frame and quality blades. The frame is particularly designed to retain its tension while you are tightening the saw. Although made in China, the tool assures good enough performance.
The handle is arguably its best feature. Made of powerful rubber, the handle will provide a comfortable grip to whoever is handling the saw. It will interest you to know as well that the rubber handle guarantees nonslip and protection for the hand from getting blistered.
The blade that comes with it measures 6 inches in length and has a depth of cut of 4.5 inches. Despite this length, the blade will make your cutting a lot more flexible as it can rotate 360.
There are four additional blades and each of them is tempered. With the extra blades, you are sure of getting good delivery on both hard and softwood. Simply select the one that works for any texture of wood at your disposal.
One big “but” with this coping saw is the fact that the handle can be a bit stronger as it sometimes deflects while doing more intricate cuttings. If you can overlook this con, then you have a good buy.
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#4. Sheffield 58203 Coping Saw
No products found.There is no part of the coping saw that is more important than the others. But the most impressive selling point of Sheffield 58203 Coping Saw happens to be its frame.
Made from solid carbon steel, the frame of this tool is so strong that it can withstand years of heavy-duty, and funny enough, even abuse. So, this is good news for every carpenter who has numerous tasks that would require constant help from a coping saw.
Though it is expected that the best saws come with 360 adjustable blades that make cutting flexible and precise, not all of them end up delivering on it. This tool does not only tick this box; it also guarantees that the blade and frame would not get dinged up no matter how often you use it.
For versatility, Sheffield 58203 Coping Saw comes with 4 blades. These include 1 coarse blade, 2 medium blades and 1 fine blade. Invariably, this means you are going to get your tasks done on hardwoods, plastics and thin woods with just this tool.
In addition, this tool takes a departure from the wooden handles that most coping saws are made with. On the contrary, it comes with an ergonomic grip handle that is made from rubber.
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#5. Robert Larson Coping Saw
No products found.The Robert Larson, which is modeled 540-2000, is arguably one of the top-quality coping saws on the market. Although the design is just like any other saw, its performance cannot really be compared to others and is one that will likely blow your mind.
One important fact about this tool, which will be of interest to prospective buyers, is that it is manufactured in Germany. There is, of course, a lot of trust for tools made in this country because they are usually built to last. This saw will definitely keep its promise of durability.
It features a solid metal frame that will survive years of consistent use, though the handle is made of polished wood. While some people prefer wooden handles to rubber or plastic ones, this material often fails to give protection to the hand nor prevent slip. It will, however, stand the test of time.
The good thing about the blade of the tool is that the tension can be easily adjusted, making it easy and fast to work with. Also, if the blade wears out, you can easily get it replaced as the tool to accept standard coping saw blades.
Since the saw frame displays this level of versatility, that the blades seem not to have the capacity to withstand heavy use become irrelevant. Besides, some users actually prefer to get a replacement for coping saw blades after a while just so they can get their desired level of precision.
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#6. BAHCO 301 6 1/2 inches Coping Saw
No products found.The BAHCO 301 is not exactly what you would call a top-drawer coping saws. But sometimes, all you need is a piece of tool that gets the job done, especially for simple tasks.
So if you are a DYer, this coping saw comes recommended. It has a regular frame that is made from solid carbon steel. Just so that the steel does not become corroded, the entire body is nickel-plated. Also, the nose of the handle that connects to the frame is plated with nickel.
The blade, which measures approximately 6.5 inches, has a tension of 0.209 inches. This is in line with the standard coping saws. But it is somewhat reassuring that this saw’s blade is forged from tempered and hardened carbon steel.
Another noteworthy feature is that the retaining pins have the capacity for making the blade rotate 360 degrees. Some people may see nothing special in that. But a good number of coping saws fail in this regard.
Although the handle gives comfort and screws in tightly to the frame, it appears to robust. This may constitute some problems for small-handed people.
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#7. Great Neck CP9 Coping Saw
No products found.It is easy to categorize Great Neck CP9 Coping Saw as one of the regular ones around. The frame looks simple. Blade, fastened to the frame, looks even simpler. But make no mistake because you are about to get real value for money if you end up going for it.
The frame, which is made from solid steel is nickel-plated all over. What this assures is that no matter the exposure to sun rays or water, it will not be affected by corrosion. It is also a frame that you can expect to stand the test of time.
Every carpenter appreciates if a coping saw is flexible and the blade is adjustable at least to 180 degrees. Well, this one assures of 360 degrees, a level that most manufacturers of this type of tool aims.
You definitely have got to like the fact that the package comes with three blades, with each designed for specific purposes. While the coarse blade is for creating rough cuts in woods, the medium blade is made for plastics and hardwood. On its part, the fine is designed for thin woods.
There are two things you may not like about this saw by Great Neck. One, the plastic handle doesn’t leave one with much to be desired. Two, it is not always easy to change the blades.
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#8. Knew Concepts Woodworkers Aluminum Coping Saw
No products found.The design of the saw is wonderful and getting the job done satisfactorily trumps aesthetics at any time. To a large extent, the Knew Concepts 6-1/2 inches Woodworkers Aluminum Coping Saw meets this expectation.
As one would expect, the saw combines a frame to which a tensioned blade is attached. Unlike a typical saw with a metal frame, this one is held together by an aluminum frame with a nice design. The frame also has come in a bright red color that makes it easy to locate in your toolbox.
The sharpness of the blade is a wonder. Coupled with the control provided by frame, be rest assured that the blade will move through wood with unimaginable precision.
Apart from that, the blade is adjustable and can give 360 degrees rotation. Some manufacturers use this feature to sell their saws only for people to find the claim to be false. This particular tool from Knew Concept is just as advertised.
It is a wonder that this tool seems really pricey when compared with coping saws in the same category. Yes, it will give a high level of performance and consistency. But procuring it for the quoted amount may be a turn off for some people.
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#9. Stanley Hand Tool 15-106 6-3/4 inches FatMax Coping Saw
No products found.Making furniture with aesthetic designs often requires cutting intricate patterns through the wood. You need a top-notch coping saw to achieve this and this one from Stanley Hand Tool lives up to this attribute.
Grip handle for comfort. The handle is made from a meticulous combo of plastic and rubber. What you get from this in contrast to wood is nice to grip that would effort you with comfort.
With 6-4/3 inches frame depth, the control you get from the tool is maximum. Well, the tempered steel with which the blade is made also provides clean, controlled trimming of whatever type of wood you choose to work with.
While the handle looks attractive and ready for serious business, the frame looks bland. In addition, the blade appears to be too thin and could break if not carefully used. The good news, as stated earlier, is that with careful use it will do the job.
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#10. Eclipse Steel framed Coping Saw
No products found.This one cannot be compared to the quality you will get from the rest of the item reviews thus far. However, if the wood cutting and trimming jobs are small-time, it should get you good enough results.
This simple design is like that of regular coping saws. It comprises a strong steel frame and blade that is advertised as unbreakable. And really, the blade is quite strong and looks like it won’t suffer any damage after much use.
Moreover, the blade is well secured to the frame and gives the right performance while getting your shape out of woods. The tool is best used on woods, even though the makers give a nod to those that are looking at making intricate cuts through plastic and similar materials.
Can the blades be rotated? Unfortunately, not so. This appears to be a major downside because it is the least expected of a quality coping saw.
Another major downside us that the tension of the blade tension is somewhat below par. This perhaps is because of the difficulty that comes with trying to adjust the blade.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Rotation of the blade of a coping saw is very important. Can this one do that?
Yes. Nearly all coping saws are made with blades that can rotate in order to achieve easy cutting inside or outside the material one might be working on. Any brand that comes with blades that cannot be adjusted will likely not become a best seller.
Is the frame of this saw strong enough to hold tightness or tension?
This is one of the questions that one needs to ask before deciding to buy a coping saw. It is important that the blade of the saw should be able to retain tension. Otherwise, one may not get the right control needed to carve lines or get good curves in the woods.
What is the screw quality?
The ideal thing is for the screws to hold the blade and frame together without loosening. However, there are instances of screws or pins falling out of place after a few months of use. The quality of the screw is something to consider before buying a coping saw, especially for those that need it daily or every other day.
Where can I find replacement blades and will they always work?
Replacement blades can easily be bought from the same source as a coping saw. The most important thing is to be sure that you blades you are getting are of the same length as the frame. If that is affirmative, then they should work quite well.
Where is this made?
This question is considered necessary by many. But what you need to know is that not all coping saws that do not come from either USA or Europe are bad. You need to be careful, though. Getting first-hand reviews on saws from Taiwan or China, will, in fact, come in “handy” before making your decision.
Final Verdict
Using a coping saw looks fun to laymen but it really is not easy. Even if you are great at getting things done by yourself, it will take a bit of training to get a hang of the tool.
Irrespective of that, Pro or otherwise, you need the right, quality one that will also give value for money. This review has largely done much of the searching for you.
What you are left with is as simple as looking it up, learning more about the tool and making your choice.
Last update on 2023-09-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
