Whenever I need to cut something, the first tool I turn to is a coping saw. Whether I need to cut an intricate design out of wood, cut a shape out of brass, or cut out a rough shape of foam I use my coping saw. I normally always keep a medium toothed blade on my coping saw, but I also have rough and a fine cut blades on hand if needed.
A coping saw works great for it’s intended use: wood! I probably use a coping saw most for cutting parts out of 1/8″ plywood. It works great for cutting curvy parts out of wood. I normally just leave a coping saw on my desk for cutting wood dowels, thin pieces of wood, and plywood.
I have used a coping saw a few times now to cut 2″ thick foam. Although it leaves a fairly rough edge, it works quite well. I normally just use it to cut out the rough shape of an object and then use a box blade to finish the shaping which yields good results.
A coping saw also works good for cutting brass. Whenever I have used a coping saw on brass it has worked better than I thought it would have. It doesn’t leave a super jagged and sharp edge on the brass, but I always use file to make it smooth anyway.
One other thing about the coping saw that is one of its best features is the depth in which you can cut. My coping saw has a 6″ throat. With this feature you can cut fairly large shapes.
The coping saw can handle materials from wood, foam, brass, and more! I would highly recommend next time you see a coping saw at the hardware store or a yardsale. Go ahead and pick one up! You won’t regret it.
