I cut through hundreds of boards(2x4, 2x6, 1x3, plywood, treated) with ease, leaving a near perfectly smooth cut edge every time. The saw is very easy to start and guide a square edge with. When ripping, it is more difficult to guide. But it does ripcut.

The blade is very narrow, so it cuts not much wider than a pencil line. The blade is very sharp. Treat it as you would your sharpest meat cutting knife. It comes with a plastic cover for the edge and a cardboard sheath. It has a hole in the blade to hang on a peghook.

This saw features compact size, ease of use, accuracy of cut, and easy clean up. This will be my only handsaw. I love it!

24 of 24 found the following review helpful:

Excellent all purpose saw  Nov 12, 2000
By J. Paul Paris "Pauliep"
I was very skeptical about this saw, so much so, that I thought about not purchasing it. After using it, I wish I had purchased it long ago. This saw is one of the easiest to use, with an aggressive "bite" and comfortable handle. It is the first saw I turn to for general carpentry use, and is my favorite in my tool shack (garage). For those of you who do not use saws a lot, this is an excellent beginner saw as well as an excellent saw for pros.

With most saws, if you mess up the teeth on the blade, you would have to throw the saw away. I messed up the teeth on my blade by loaning the saw to my son (who promptly left the saw out in the rain, and having tried to saw through a nail), but was able to use it for another 6 months before I had to buy a replacement blade (#01-2312).

This saw is an excellent addition to any toolbox/shop.

20 of 20 found the following review helpful:

The perfect saw  Dec 29, 2003
By Gregory Glockner
Light, sharp, easy to use -- you can't run out of good things to say about this great saw. The thin blade cuts through wood, particleboard, PVC, whatever -- with virtually no effort. And the pull saw is very easy to control to get precise cuts with minimal effort. I like this saw so much I often find myself using it instead of my circular saw. A perfect tool.

16 of 16 found the following review helpful:

They're all 10 stars.  Nov 21, 2008
By Dick Johnson
Shark 10-2312 12-Inch Carpentry Saw - This started me on my addictive path to get every one of the Shark line of pull saws. From the first cut (not very straight, but that was my fault), I was sold. This is a work-horse saw. For anything other than trim, I pull this one out first.

These saws are: 1. sharp; 2. affordable; 3. easy to use (after a short learning curve).
These saws: 1. cut a thin kerf; 5. are very sharp; 6. allow you to do precision cutting.
And: they are very, very sharp (keep bandages with them - even though you've been warned - you'll have to find out for yourself).

I have moved ALL of my other hand saws to the back of the shop. These are a joy to use. I want to have each type (and have probably bought more than I have a need for). You will have to make a new miter box because these blades are too thin for any you have.

Some tips: 1. Don't pitch them in your toolbox or truck bed. These are precision tools and though they are quite strong, they are easily damaged. Use the blade guards that come with them. 2. Don't try to "muscle" them through a board. The old adage of "let the tool do the work" has never been truer. 3. Don't place the blade edge anywhere you don't want a mark left. I think I mentioned that they're very, very, very sharp.

(Since I don't know which review you might see first, I have left the same general review for each of these I own and added any specific thoughts for the individual saws.)

8 of 8 found the following review helpful:

The BEST hand saw  Sep 10, 2009
By A_G
This is the BEST handsaw I have ever used. My brother has owned one for about five years, and put it through more abuse than I care to mention. Despite years of use, neglect, and among other things, cutting roots in soil, his saw still cuts almost as well as a new one. I finally got one for myself, and it is a joy to use. A handsaw that actually cuts effortlessly? Yes, this saw is it. It takes less than 20 seconds to cross cut a 2x4, and that's if you're trying to cut a straight line. A rough cut takes less time. Wet pressure treated lumber isn't a problem either. Takes a bit more time, but still a breeze. With so many power tools these days, corded and cordless, hand tools are often overlooked. However, the convenience of a hand tool can't be dismissed. Instead of having to drag out a bulky, heavy, noisy power saw, you can use this awesome saw and make a few quick cuts in the same time it would take to get ready to make the cuts with a power tool. The blade is thin, high carbon steel with hardended SHARP teeth. Easy to change too! The handle is comfortable in the hand. With a thin kerf and teeth this sharp, the pull stroke cutting action allows more precise control. Just an excellent tool. Make sure to keep the blade gaurd on the teeth when not in use to protect them, and yourself. Made in Japan.

See all 26 customer reviews on Amazon.com