View source for Two-man saw

{{Short description|Saw designed for use by two sawyers}}
[[File:Agriculture in Britain during the First World War Q30703.jpg|thumb|Two members of the Forestry Corps sawing the base of a tree in the United Kingdom, 1914]]
[[Image:Loggers with saw next to tree (3329045507).jpg|thumb|Two-man saw in Oregon]]
A '''two-man saw''' (known colloquially as a "'''misery whip'''"<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-04-01 |title=Misery Whips Still Here, Thank Goodness {{!}} Montana Senior News |url=https://www.montanaseniornews.com/misery-whips/ |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=www.montanaseniornews.com |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-02-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230222073723/https://www.montanaseniornews.com/misery-whips/ |url-status=live }}</ref>) is a [[saw]] designed for use by two sawyers. While some modern [[chainsaw]]s are so large that they require two persons to control, two-man [[crosscut saw]]s were primarily important when human power was used.<ref name=":0" /> Such a saw would typically be {{convert|4|to|12|ft|0|abbr=in|disp=flip}} long, and sometimes up to {{convert|16|ft|0|abbr=in|disp=flip}}, with a handle at each end. In some cases, such as when felling [[Giant sequoia|Giant Sequoias]], sawblades could be [[Brazing|brazed]] together end-to-end in order to create longer saws.  

The technique in using a two-man saw involved a sawyer standing at each end. Together the sawyers would alternate pulling the saw through the wood. If the [[Saw#Terminology|kerf]] began closing, causing the saw to bind, wedges would be inserted behind the sawblade in order to keep the kerf open. Cutting from underneath a suspended log, called "[[underbucking]]", might also have been used if binding became a big problem.

Many variations on the design were used, but they mainly fell into two types. Felling saws were used to fell the trees, and [[log bucking|bucking]] saws were used to cut felled trees into log lengths for the sawmill.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Warren |title=The Crosscut Saw – Mother Earth News |url=https://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/crosscut-saw-zmaz79sozraw/ |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=www.motherearthnews.com |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-08-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220821212931/https://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/crosscut-saw-zmaz79sozraw/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The two applications require slightly different designs: a felling saw has a narrower blade, allowing wedges to be more easily inserted, while a bucking saw has a wider blade, giving it more strength.

Two-man saws were designed to cut in both directions. Careful tooth design was necessary to clear the sawdust during the cut.

Two-man saws were known to the ancient Romans, but first became common in Europe in the mid-15th century. In America, crosscut saws were used as early as the mid-17th century, but felling saws only began to replace axes for felling trees in the late 19th century.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Robert |date=2022-10-19 |title=Two Person Saws: Crosscut or Two-Man Hand Saw Guide [2022] |url=https://www.sawinery.net/two-person-saws/ |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=Sawinery |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-02-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230222073358/https://www.sawinery.net/two-person-saws/ |url-status=live }}</ref> 

Some [[Japanese saw]]s are used by two persons, although they are of a different design.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sawyers |first=Harry |date=2007-09-06 |title=Japanese Handsaws |url=https://www.thisoldhouse.com/tools/21018351/japanese-handsaws |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=This Old House |language=en |archive-date=2023-02-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230222072109/https://www.thisoldhouse.com/tools/21018351/japanese-handsaws |url-status=live }}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Saw pit]]
* [[Whipsaw]]

== References ==
<references />

== External links ==
* ''[http://www.motherearthnews.com/library/1979_September_October/The_Crosscut_Saw The Crosscut Saw]'' from [[Mother Earth News]] (viewed 16 Apr 2005)
* ''[http://www.vannattabros.com/saw6.html Two Man Cross Cut Saw]'' from VanNatta Forestry and Logging (viewed 16 Apr 2005)
{{commons category|Two-man crosscut saws|position=right}}


{{Forestry tools}}
{{Woodworking}}
{{Lumberjack sports}}

[[Category:Saws]]
[[Category:Woodworking hand tools]]
[[Category:Logging]]

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