# What is the notch for on a hand saw?



## TS3660 (Mar 4, 2008)

I have a few old hand saws that have a notch on the top of the blade at the front end. I've seen this on other old saws too. What the heck is it for?


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## mdntrdr (Dec 22, 2009)

I have never found a definitive answer to that. :no:

I will be intrested in replys also.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

It's called a "nib". It came on some older handsaws and served no real purpose. It was thought it was just for decoration. Most newer saws don't have it.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Good Question*

I found this:
http://www.disstonianinstitute.com/faq.html 

I thought it was a notch rather than a bump, which makes no sense to me.
Notches I can find all sorts of reasons for:
Locate the notch on a nail and set your pencil in a saw tooth to trace various size circles, the notch supports the saw in a wooden case to keep in from shifting when be carried, the notch is a place to string tie a canvass or leather cover, saw makers tool stamp for identifying the maker? 
It's too plain to be a "decoration" and in scare times of old, things were not added to tools unless they had a purpose in my opinion. 

 bill


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## TS3660 (Mar 4, 2008)

Thanks woodnthings. After reading the info on that site, it is now as clear as mud as to what that danged thing is for.


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## jlhaslip (Jan 16, 2010)

Could it have been used to open Beers???


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## The Engineer (Mar 16, 2010)

My dad, who was a carpenter and hardwood floor finisher for about 70 years told me that little notch was for marking where he was going to make his cut if he didn't have a pencil handy. I know he used it for that often because I watched him use it. He would lay his square on a board, position it with his folding rule, then pick up his saw and drag that little notch along the square making a line. Then he would lay the square aside, flip the saw over and make his cut. Maybe that's just another found use, but that's what I grew up thinking. It made sense to me; you wouldn't want to slide your saw teeth along the steel square.


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## mspair (Feb 20, 2011)

*Notch on Hand Saw*

Hi..If you are talking about a notch maker on the top of the blade, it's to make a notch to make starting a cut on wood. My dad was a old cabinet maker and told me that was what it is far. He would be 109 if still alive and his saws with that on them were hand me downs from his father who died in 1911.
Hope this is what your talking about. Bill Landers


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## Hammer1 (Aug 1, 2010)

The nib is to prevent the blade from getting stuck when starting a plunge cut, which used to be the way you did it when all you had was a handsaw. With a tapered saw back, the saw can wedge itself in as the tip cuts through to the other side. It can get stuck so tightly with the teeth and the angle of the back that it's very difficult to remove, and it's real easy to stick it with only a short stroke. The nib prevents this from happening until there is enough clearance so the saw doesn't wedge itself in. You still have to take short strokes until there is plenty of kerf but experienced handsaw users would know that.


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