the.com/fretsaw
a blade so thin it carves curves where other saws would just give up
means A fretsaw is a hand tool with a very fine, narrow blade held under tension in a deep U-shaped frame, used for cutting intricate curves and delicate shapes in thin wood or metal.
from From "fret" plus "saw." The "fret" here is the same one found in ornamental woodwork — the lattice-like "fretwork" of interlacing curves and openings carved into furniture and screens. That "fret" likely comes from the Old French "freter," to bind or fasten with interlaced strips, and is probably unrelated to the "fret" meaning to worry (which traces to Old English "fretan," to devour). So a fretsaw is, quite literally, the fretwork saw — the blade thin enough to chase those interlaced patterns.
- blade width
- often under one millimeter thick
- deep frame
- reaches far into a board's interior
- pierce cuts
- thread blade through a drilled hole
- naming
- shares roots with ornate fretwork patterns
- versus coping
- finer teeth, deeper throat, tighter turns
hegner multimax — swiss precision fretsaw brand, made since 1947, gold standard for woodworkers
dewalt dw788 — industrial scroll saw with fretsaw capability, widely used in professional shops since 2000s
flying dutchman blades — premium fretsaw blade manufacturer from germany, preferred for intricate marquetry work