Cut Nails or Screws With a Woodworking Hand Saw

Imagine a situation:

You are working on your tree house. You need to cut a few nails shorter, but you realize that you forgot to take your metal saw.

You could go home to get the saw, but you don't feel like wasting time and money to go back home to get it.

You really want to cut those nails so you could move on to the next part of the house.

You do have a woodworking hand saw, but it would be stupid to use it to cut metal?!

Not at all.

In this Instructable, we look at a way to cut nails or screws with a woodworking saw and without damaging the teeth.

This Life Hack was taught to me by my dad. He saw it in 1960s when he was just a kid.

If you are Interested in the video version of this Instructable and the embedded video does not appear on your mobile device, here is an alternative link

Step 1: Take the Saw

Step 2: Find a Tool With a Sharp-ish Edge

Take a crowbar or a hammer (like a brick hammer or similar) or any other tool that could work.

It should not be too soft.

I used a file/rasp for demonstration purposes.

Step 3: Smack the Saw With a Tool of Your Choice

Smack the saw a few times from one end to another to create a tiny teeth.

Don't worry you will not damage the saw. The teeth will be so tiny, that you will hardly notice them.

Step 4: Use Other End of the Saw to Cut the Nail

Now you can cut the nail or a screw with a woodworking hand saw.

This saw will NOT replace your metal saw, but it will save you a trip back home in situations when you realize that you forgot to bring the metal saw to cut a few nails.

Comments

[SherylinRM]

I DEFINITELY like this one.

I have been woodworking since I was a child and never heard of this before :)

Thanks for this :)

[NoynonMayta]

wow

[alaw6119]

very cool thanks for sharing

[CraigF2]

here's one that's worked for me in a pinch before... if you're doing woodworking, there's a decent chance you have some sandpaper with you, wrap the sandpaper around the back edge of the saw (grit side out, obviously) Tape the sandpaper if you have any to hand, otherwise, just hold it in place with your offhand.

Use the sandpaper saw to cut thru the nail.

[sWillyPs]

Ok, but you still need to run back to the house because you've ruinied the use of the back of the saw as a straightedge.

[ianheavy]

That's a good point, my saw even has the handle shaped for drawing 90 degrees and 45 degrees. So I am glad I read the comments as I might have been tempted to do this. Perhaps always keep a length of hacksaw blade with some tpae around it as a temporary handle in your toolbag. Hardly any space taken up.

[kelvinwop]

I'll consider that when I hit the side of my ruler with a file, oh wait, its a saw.

[Skallywag707]

lol

[jeanniel1]

Hahahahaha! Great HACK! Esp when you don't have the hack saw on hand!

[cybercapri]

Excellent....

[ShakeTheFuture]

Cheers!

[buteman]

What about use the end of the saw blade instead of the back. It would be harder to saw with it but it wouldn't damage the straight edge.

[ShakeTheFuture]

Yes, I guess you could do it.

[Suraj Grewal]

simply genius.

[ShakeTheFuture]

Thank You!

[davidj31]

the silly comments about ruining the saw are not necessary. if you don't want to do this then don't. everyone in the world knows it won't work for uses it wasn't designed for after altering it.
I like it and will use it if needed.

[ShakeTheFuture]

Cheers!

[voixhumain]

that's a cool trick. im going to make it a bet at work. I don't think i'll have to buy lunch that day.

[ShakeTheFuture]

Good luck :)

[townsend1212]

Very nice.