You have probably seen whipsaws
before, but maybe you didn't know what they were. The definition of a whipsaw is is a
two-handled, two-man saw. Years ago
whipsawing was a common practice in most communities. One man would stand above a log that was
positioned over a pit. Another man would
stand in the pit and hold the other end of the saw. The two men would work together to saw the
log.
That was assuming that the tree was
already cut down. In order to cut the
tree, each man would stand on one side.
They would then use alternating pushing and pulling motions to slowly
saw through the tree. At the time, it
was a great way to get things done.
However, as with many old fashioned techniques, the whipsaw is certainly
no longer in fashion.
These days you might find the
occasional whipsaw in someone's barn, or even in a museum. If you want to be a serious sawyer, though, a
whipsaw won't do at all. There's no way
that you could cut enough lumber with a whipsaw to stay competitive in the
lumber business. That's why you need to
keep up with not just the history of saws, but also the latest technology.