Ryoba 650 Pull Saw

Two saws in one blade: fine crosscut teeth on one edge, aggressive rip teeth on the other, both impulse-hardened in Sanjo, Japan. Because it cuts on the pull stroke, the blade can be far thinner than any western saw — a half-millimetre kerf and a surface that barely needs planing.

When the teeth finally dull, a replacement blade costs less than a sharpening service.