How to Cut Wood Without a Saw | 9 Best Alternative Ways

how to cut wood without a saw

Last Updated on November 23, 2024 by John Patterson

I am a woodworker lover and I know how to cut wood without a saw.

In this article, I will be sharing my hands-on experience with a couple of the other best wood-cutters out there.

Since there are so many different saws you can find to cut wood, using the term saw seems a little redundant, because there are techniques other than sawing that are used to cut wood.

Woodcutting is an art which you need to have some skill for.

And not only talent you should have while doing it, but there must be some love and affection being incorporated into the process. A saw (the main tool for cutting down trees), but one might not have this on him.

But even, if he tries it as a practicing carpenter, can’t the man do his work without the saw? He can. Almost every carpenter I observed using several decent Mini Circular Saws for their DIY activity.

There are numerous other tools available to sever the wood. To do this we have knowledge of wood cutting with other power and hand tools Now, let me tell you about the tools and what they do. Well hold this thought, because I am about to unpack this.

How to cut wood at home: The 9 Best ways Explained

  1. Using a Sharp Knife
  2. Using a Decent Drill
  3. Using a Machete
  4. A Sharp Axe is an Excellent Tool to cut Wood
  5. You can use Chisels to cut wood
  6. Using Planes
  7. A Good Router can be used
  8. Using a Lathe
  9. Cutting Wood with a Hookaroon

How to cut wood without a saw: Wood Cutting Tools

#1. How to cut wood with a knife:

Cutting wood with a knife

A good, well-sharpened knife can help you fix the situation with those few pieces of wood that are above the length. The process is:

  • To begin with, file your knife to make it sharper.
  • This can be accomplished by using the slant method. Take the stick that needs cutting, keep it firmly and used the knife to cut in slant direction.
  • If necessary, cut the edges of the wood.
  • Alternatively, you can take small pieces from the cut point using a knife. Then break off the stick with your hand. Then take a sharp knife to trim the cut. This is the wood that we have prepared and it becomes ready for use now.

Using a knife, you are able to slice only thin bits of lumber. So, let’s look at how you could go about cutting dry wood with a buck knife.

#2. How to cut wood with a drill:

Cutting wood using a drill machine

For traditional furniture with a fairly thin width, carpenters favour a few kinds of wood.

The other an extremely long dimensions. In such cases, carpenters use a good quality drilling machine promptly and conveniently without the need for a saw.

  • Use a drilling machine to create some holes on the wood first. The openings should now be online.
  • Keep going until it actually softens the wood and then snaps it off along those perforations.
  • Then cut the edges of the wood using any device, i.e. hot knife or machete. And now your wood for furniture is prepared.

#3. Using a sharp machete:

Sharp Machete

Instead of a saw, carpenters use this items for cutting the thin raw wood.

You do not require a saw to cut raw thing wood. A machete, well sharpened, can work right.

  • Before attempting to cut wood into a specific shape, make sure that you select the point from where your cut must be started and mark the point clearly around the wood.
  • Use a knife and take small pieces diagonally on the line you designed with your machete. Do this on either side of the attic timber.
  • Do this until the wood snaps.
  • So to get them pointed, here are machete them in the edges.

The process can be repeated to obtain as much wood as. So do not rely on your sawing of timber on the said fixture.

A machete is as efficient as you can get if you want to slice the dry tree into two. Without further ado, let us check out the video below for more in-depth details:

#4. Cutting wood without a saw: Using a sharp axe

wood cutting axe

The best sharp axe with no saw in your stock can cut a thicker wood if possible.

It takes a long time, but it is better than how an axe. Without a doubt, this is among the finest tools for woodworking.

  • Make a visible line all the way around the wood, that marks where you plan to begin. Then, with a sharp axe cut small chunks a few inches from the line.
  • Continue to do this and then relate yourself to the other side of the line. Do the same.
  • Do this until the wood gets brittle to snap.
  • Once it breaks, use the tip of a sharp axe to trim 1-2 inches around the edges

In my opinion, these are easy ways to cut wood without a saw. What do you think?

#5. Using a chisel:

cutting wood with a chisel

A higher-order woodworking chisel for cutting wood can also replace the same saw. Choose the best that you can find among popular brands — tested in 2020. The procedure is given below:

  • Look for a chisel and sharpen it to the angle.” Know how to chisel wood.
  • Fasten the wood on a solid ground surface. Then, grip the chisel using both hands.
  • Holding the knife at a 16- to a 20-degree angle, bevel side up and flat side against the wood surface, carve downward.
  • Then take the hammer with one hand and hold the chisel with other. Put it onto the wood.
  • By hammering the chisel, you can lever out chipped wood.

Essential read: types of chisels and their uses.

Therefore, the wood is cut. As the below video highlights, there are some very fundamental methods for creating crisp dovetails:

#6. Cutting wood with planes:

wood cutting plane

You can plane wood with a decent plane without having a saw:

  • Put a fine edge on your plane for depth and side-to-side alignment.
  • Set the depth adjustment wheel according to how deep you want to cut into the wood.
  • It is important to plane the wood along its whole lenght and direction of the grain. It will ruin the surface of the wood if you do not care about the grain.
  • Plane one side of the wood to the other.

So you can just take a plane since the instruction is easy. Smoothing planing of the video — How to Use Smoothing Plane | How to Make a Smoother Planes

#7. Cutting wood using a router:

wood cutting router

One of the most versatile electric tools. The use of router for wood cutting is:

  • Set the router bit and gauge to the depth desired.
  • Press the trigger again to activate it against the wood. Then push it downward.
  • Draw the router Towards the cut.
  • Rue to fit down pressure when cutting Finfish on the router handle.
  • Employ other bits for cutting edges and adjust the gauge. Press down again, pull the trigger while moving the router from left to right and let go of pressure on handles.

Helpful Article: Wood Router Buying Guide.

#8. Using a lathe:

wood cutting lathe

Use a Quality Lathe-To Form A Useful Piece Of Furniture: It can also be done easily without the aid of a saw. The procedure is here:

  • The first thing you do is to mark the centre of the piece of wood and pop it between the centres of your lathe.
  • Step 1: This one is very simple — turn on your lathe at its lowest setting. Now see the chip beating cut from the wood.
  • Adjust the edge to be perpendicular to the rotation of the wood piece
  • Insert the tool into the stock so that it cuts out an equal volume of wood. So you can make a wood, its angular corner and also can do the cylindrical shape.
  • Following the cutting, crank up the lathe speed to polish that surface and slide it along the length of your timber.

Now all your work requires is a lathe to complete.

Check out the video below to find out more:

#9. Cutting Wood using a Hookaroon

Hookaroon uses

In addition to the rest of the nine wood-cutting tools I mentioned here, I have a Hookaroon which also serves as an axe for chopping wood. What I like most about Hookaron is that it has a gripping feature, so you can easily pick up the wood to drag it.

Even during the process of cutting, a good Pickaroon is at your service. Differences between Hookaroon and Pickaroon with pros and cons Please read here.

Frequently Asked Questions

#1. Can you cut balsa wood with scissors?

Answer: FOR EXAMPLE: Using a Dull blade is NOT a very clever thing to do. So, as a woodworking lover myself, I recommend you not ever use a pair of scissors for cutting the timber. Suggesting any cutting tool you absolutely need it to be a Stanley knife, a sharp knife or a decent razor blade if you want my opinion peeps.

#2. What do I use to cut wood?

Answer:  I operate some types of saws such as Jigsaw, circular saw, miter saw, table saw, reciprocating saw and door trimming saw.

#3. What saw to use to cut wood?

Answer: Premium Circular saw It also has the ability to get used to cutting short lengths, long length and well as inputs of angle. Circular saw – The best for wood, but with top blades you may even cut stone or metal. I really like its straight cut option.

#4. Can you use a jigsaw to cut wood?

Answer: Yes, you can. However, you have to accompany a good jigsaw with the right blade to cut the wood. Jigsaw employs 1/8-inch embedded nails to cut wood.

#5. Can you use a hacksaw on wood?

Answer: Hacksaw: A fairly quality Hacksaw is ideal to cut metals but it can be also used for cutting wood, plastics.

#6. Can I use a Rotorazer to cut wood?

Answer: Rotorazer is a 7 in 1 tool that allows you to make precise cuts with ease. This mini circular saw is also used by craftsmen, carpenters, interior designers and construction workers. Cutting wood, plastic, plywood, hardwood, drywall, laminated walls/ floors ceramic tiles sheet metal masonry grout marble PVC Pegboard travertine and steel.

Final Words

As you can see, using different forms of tools you easily be capable to cut a piece of wood.

You just need to know how to cut wood without a saw.

Here are included some processes of cutting wood with a few of the tools, which is as such that, you will be the beneficiary.

Now, enjoy your work!

And use each of these tools without a second thought for every job.

Related to you:
#1. Woodworking Clamps Buyers Guide
#2. Cutting hard Plastic Without Breaking It.

About the author

John Patterson

Hi there! My name is John Patterson, and I am a meticulous individual who takes great pleasure in selecting the perfect tools for a variety of needs. Whether it be woodworking, gardening, or any other task, I prioritize quality and usability above all else. Since 2010, I have dedicated myself to testing a wide range of tools for both DIY projects and professional endeavors. In 2015, I decided to share my expertise with the world. I initially began by assisting in forums and various Q&A sites such as Quora. However, I soon realized the need for a more comprehensive platform to share my knowledge and experiences. This led me to establish this blog, where I aim to assist individuals like yourself in making informed decisions when it comes to selecting the right tools for the job.

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