The 6 Best Coping Saws - Coping Saw Reviews

Cut intricate curves with this essential woodworking tool. Here are our recommendations.

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The coping saw is a specialized tool that consists of a C-shaped frame and a thin, 60-inch-long blade. Whereas miter saws cut precise angles, coping saws cut curves through wood to create detailed trim and molding. While these tools are most commonly found in a woodworker’s shop, they’re also useful for cutting through other materials, including soft metals, plastic, and even some stone and masonry.

Not all coping saws are equal. They vary in quality and performance and range in price from under $20 to upward of $200. Below, we explain all the essential factors you need to consider when shopping for one of these tools and review some of the best coping saws.

The coping saw’s characteristic C-shaped frame creates tension on the blade without getting in the way of you or your workpiece while you cut. Most coping saw frames are made of steel or aluminum. While steel is stronger, an aluminum frame keeps the total weight of the saw lighter and is therefore easier to handle.

Coping saws vary in throat depth, which is the distance between the back of the saw blade and the inner edge of the frame. Most coping saws have a throat depth between five and six inches. The greater a coping saw’s throat depth, the thicker the wood you can cut with it.

Most coping saws use 6- to 6-1/2 inch long blades, though some use blades as small as three inches long. While longer blades cut more quickly and evenly through material, shorter-bladed coping saws are ideal for finer, more detailed work.

A coping saw’s blade has a pin on each side that fits into a small hole on either end of the tool’s frame. Once in place, you tighten the blade by rotating the saw’s handle or a thumb screw clockwise. The handle and thumb screw also give you control over the tension of the blade.

Higher end coping saws use cam and lever tensioning systems that create greater blade tension when you turn small wheels at either end of the blade. High blade tension is necessary to prevent the blade from twisting while executing tight curves, such as scroll and dovetail cuts.

Finally, most but not all coping saws feature a blade that rotates a full 360 degrees, which is essential for cutting curves in materials and changing directions while you cut. Unless you’ll only use a coping saw to make straight, top-to-bottom cuts through materials, you’ll want to make sure your preferred coping saw features a rotatable blade.

Coping saws come with blades, though the quality of these stock blades varies. As with most saws with interchangeable blades, aftermarket blades usually offer the best performance.

When hunting for a saw blade, you’ll want to pay attention to the tooth count, which ranges from five to 20 teeth per inch of blade. Blades with a lower tooth count cut quickly but roughly through material, while higher tooth count blades cut more cleanly (which is great for fine details) but remove material at a slower rate.

Coping saw blades typically wear out quickly, so stock up on spare blades before you start a project that involves heavy use of a coping saw.

Coping saw grips range from simple wooden handles to ergonomic molded handles with soft rubber. Wooden handles give you a good feel for how the blade is cutting through material, which is especially helpful when executing more intricate curved cuts.

A rubberized molded handle may not offer the same aesthetics or feedback as a wood handle, but this type of handle better conforms to your hand, giving you a firmer grip on the tool. This helps you cut through harder materials like metal, and it’s also more comfortable to rotate the blade with this type of grip.

I have used coping saws for a variety of tasks, including cutting through plumbing pipes and making curved cuts for finished woodworking projects, so I’m familiar with the qualities you should consider when shopping for one of these specialty saws.

Since I did not hands-on test the coping saws in this guide, I drew on my experience to conduct research, which involved comparing specs for each saw while also reviewing dozens of customer reviews on such sites as Amazon and Lowe’s. All of this informed my selections below.

Because coping saws are suitable for a variety of jobs, I included a range of options. My list includes several all-purpose coping saws that are suitable for making clean, precise cuts through metal, wood, and PVC pipe. We also included a high-end coping saw that’s ideal for executing more intricate cuts found in fine woodworking projects, such as dovetails and scrolls. Whatever you need a coping saw for, we have the right tool for you

This Jorgenson coping saw uses a frame made from a steel tube, which gives you the ability to maximize the blade’s tension without any risk of damaging the saw. It also handles large workpieces thanks to its 6-1/4-inch throat and long, 6-1/2-inch blade.

The handle is large with an ample rubberized grip to give you a firm hold on it while making curved cuts or rotating the blade. Change blades and adjust tension by simply loosening and tightening the handle. Zinc alloy mounts hold the blade securely in place while you rotate it to cut at any angle.

If your goal is to perform very fine detail work, you’ll want to choose a coping saw that’s smaller than this one, but for standard straight and curved cuts, this tool is hard to beat.

This basic coping saw works surprisingly well given its low cost. Adjust the blade tension from both ends using either the handle or thumb screw (though its maximum tension isn’t as high as you’ll find with other saws on our list). While the shallower throat depth limits the size of the stock you can cut with it, the blade position turns the full 360 degrees, so it’s easier to cut from various positions.

The wood handle offers a responsive grip that’s ideal when making intricate cuts, and it gives the saw a simple, classic look. The included blade has 15 teeth per inch, which isn’t ideal for the finest detail work, but it’s solid value with this sturdy, reliable saw.

We like the large, angular-shaped ergonomic handle that makes this Irwin saw more comfortable to hold when turning the blade or working from odd angles. While its large steel frame is a bit heavier than those of other coping saws, it also means the tool is sturdier than most.

Change the blade or adjust its angle by simply loosening and tightening the handle. That said, finding the perfect blade tension is a challenge, according to some who have purchased this saw.

With its five-inch throat and 6-1/2-inch-long blade, it’s capable of working with thicker materials. The coping saw also comes with a high-speed, steel blade that slices easily through soft woods and metals.

It doesn’t come cheap, but if your work demands a tool for seriously intricate curved cuts, then you’ll want to invest in this Knew Concepts coping saw. It’s the Cadillac of coping saws with an aluminum frame and cam-lever tensioning system for creating the optimal blade tension.

This saw weighs just nine ounces—practically as light as a feather in your hand. It has a 6-1/2-inch blade—perfect for cutting larger curves—but if you’re looking for something that’s best for smaller, tighter curved cuts, check out this saw’s smaller, five-inch and three-inch models.

This coping saw features a simple design and comes with a variety of blades for cutting different materials. Its steel frame holds a 5.1-inch-long blade, and while that blade length is shorter than most coping saws, the frame is deeper than average at 6.3 inches, so it’s a great tool to use on thicker materials.

Whereas most coping saws come with a blade or two, the Kakuri coping saw comes with five, including blades for cutting through wood, PVC, and soft metals. No tools are required for blade changes. Simply twist the handle to loosen and tighten the blade.

While this coping saw lacks the ergonomic grip and heavy-duty frame of others on our list, it’s one of the lightest we’ve seen at just 7.4 ounces.

If all you need a coping saw for is to make straight cuts through materials, this is a terrific option. The saw has a sturdy, heavy-duty, steel frame that withstands more aggressive cutting and a rubberized grip that makes it easy to control the saw as you’re cutting.

Change blades via a simple thumb dial built into the knob. The blade isn’t rotatable, so it’s not the best choice for woodworking projects that require cutting intricate curves, but its heat-treated carbon blades will make short work of a straight cuts through any number of materials, including acrylic, nails, bolts, aluminum, and PVC piping.

Tony Carrick is a full-time freelance writer who specializes in technology, home improvement, DIY, home security, and outdoor recreation. He’s tested and written about everything from home security systems to power tools to gas grills. His product guides, how-to articles, and feature stories can be found in such publications as Bob Vila, Angi, U.S. News and World Report, Field & Stream, Futurism, and Switchful. When Tony isn’t writing, he can be found working on his latest home improvement effort at his home in North Carolina.

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