Spear & Jackson Skew Back Saw 24-inch
Score: 75/100
Suizan Ryoba
Score: 92/100Rankings
The Suizan Ryoba is a professional-grade Japanese pull saw featuring a 9.5-inch double-edge blade with 9 TPI for rip cuts and 15 TPI for cross cuts. It utilizes razor-sharp Japanese steel with a thin kerf to deliver clean, precise cuts with minimal effort, available in folding and fixed handle variants.
The Spear & Jackson 9515K is a 24-inch traditional skew back saw designed for coarse, fast cutting in rough sawn timber, garden posts, and roofing joists. It features a hardened high carbon steel blade with 7 PPI resharpenable teeth and a comfortable riveted wooden handle to minimize fatigue during heavy-duty work. It is ideal for professional builders and DIY users handling heavy rough work.
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
24 inchesbest | 9.5 inches | |
7 TPIbest | — | |
| ↓ lower better | 1.4 lbs | 0.44 lbsbest |
27.17 inchesbest | 23.62 inches | |
1 mmbest | 0.5 mm | |
— | 2.5 inchesbest |
Click an attribute name to sort · Green = best, red = worst (relative to this comparison)
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
Handle & Ergonomics(2) | ||
Handle Material | Wood | Cane-wrapped or Polypropylene |
Handle Type | Traditional Handle | Interchangeable |
Dimensions & Weight(2) | ||
Weight (lbs) | 1.4 lbs | 0.44 lbs |
Overall Length (inches) | 27.17 inches | 23.62 inches |
Performance & Usage(4) | ||
Intended Use | Rough sawn timber, garden posts, roofing joists | Woodworking |
Saw Type | Skew Back Saw | Japanese Pull Saw |
Cutting Action | Unidirectional | Pull |
Suitable Materials | Rough Timber, Chipboard, Plywood | Wood |
Blade Specifications(4) | ||
Blade Length (inches) | 24 inches | 9.5 inches |
Teeth Per Inch (TPI) (TPI) | 7 TPI | 9/15 TPI |
Blade Material | High carbon steel | Japanese Steel |
Blade Thickness (mm) | 1.00 mm | 0.5 mm |
Build & Durability(2) | ||
Blade Coating | Rough | null |
Replaceable Blade | false | true |
General(1) | ||
Warranty | Quality Guarantee | null |
Products in the top-left offer the best value (high score, low price).
Search results lack independent professional reviews or editorials. Manufacturer sources emphasize its reliability for rough sawn timber, praising the fast cut, balance, and resharpenable teeth as ideal for demanding trades like roofing or gardening.
No direct consumer reviews or feedback in results. Descriptions highlight practical praise for comfortable handle and clean cuts in timber/chipboard, with no recurring complaints noted.
“My personal favorite for all around hand sawing”
“Razor-sharp cuts immediately; smooth, clean edges on various woods”
Professional reviewers, including Jonathan Katz-Moses, praise the Suizan Ryoba as a personal favorite for all-around hand sawing due to its weight balance, sharp edge, and thin kerf. Experts highlight the efficiency of the pull-stroke design and the durability of the Japanese steel, though they note that users must adapt to the non-cutting forward motion.
Everyday consumers commonly praise the saw for its immediate sharpness, smooth cutting performance, and lightweight efficiency compared to Western saws. Users appreciate the versatility of the dual-edge blade and the value for Japanese quality. Recurring complaints focus on the difficulty of cleaning cane handles, the initial learning curve for the pull stroke, and occasional cosmetic cracks in the hand-wrapped handles.
