“I should say you meant the one used to saw fire-wood,” replied Thad.
“Precisely so; but all the saws in these boxes are wood-saws. Mr. Jepson has saws for sawing brass and iron; but the term ‘wood-saw,’ or ‘buck-saw,’ was not given to distinguish it from them. If I asked you to saw off the end of the board you have taken off the box, do you think you could do it with this saw, Thad?”
“I think I could: in fact, I have no doubt of it,” replied Thad confidently.
“Suppose you try it; but don’t saw through any of the nails.”
Dory assisted him to place the board in a proper position on the box. The amateur commenced operations, but the saw did not work as well as he expected. In spite of all his efforts, it would jump out of its place; and it would not cut at all well.
“I don’t think this saw has ever been filed,” said Thad, disgusted with the ill success of his efforts.
“The saw is sharp, well set, and in good order,” replied Mr. Brookbine. “Can any one of you tell me what kind of a saw this is?”
“It is a slitting-saw,” answered Dory and two or three others, who had been examining the saws taken from the other boxes.
“That’s what’s the matter,” laughed the carpenter. “It was not made to cut across the grain, and it will not do it very well. With this saw you work with the grain of the wood, and it is never used for any other purpose. You will all have a chance to try it in a day or two.—The next package, Dory.—Another saw,” added the instructor, as he took the tool in his hand. “Can any of you tell me what kind of a saw this is?”
“It is a cutting-off saw,” said Nat Long.