Which saw is Asian in origin, uses a pull stroke, and has both ripping and crosscutting blades in one saw?

• A. Pull Saw
• B. Back Saw
• C. Coping Saw
• D. Jig Saw

Answer: (A)

A pull saw is a traditional Japanese tool designed to cut on the pull stroke, and many models are double-edged with both ripping and crosscutting teeth on a single blade. Cutting on the pull stroke keeps the blade under tension, which allows a thinner blade, a finer kerf, and greater control for precise cuts. The blade can be set up with two different tooth patterns: rip teeth for cutting with the grain and crosscut teeth for cutting across the grain, so you can switch between ripping and crosscutting without changing blades. That combination—Asian origin, pull-action, and a single blade that handles both types of cuts—fits the description perfectly. The other tools don’t meet all three criteria: back saws are typically European and focused on fine crosscuts with a stiff spine, coping saws are for curved or internal shapes, and jig saws are powered and not the traditional Asian pull-cut tool.