What is a drywall saw?

A drywall saw, also referred to as a plasterboard or jab saw, has a long pointed blade with a curved handle.

It looks very similar to a compass saw except that it has a shorter blade and usually has fewer teeth per inch. 

Application

Generally, drywall saws are designed for making relatively small cuts in drywall (usually cutting holes for light switch plates).

Trying to cut large sheets of drywall with this tool would be very difficult as the blade is not very wide. Cutting straight lines would also be hard for this same reason.

Material

As the name suggests, drywall saws are designed for use in drywall (also referred to as plasterboard)

Drywall is a type of board made from gypsum plaster and plywood and usually sandwiched between sheets of paper. It is most commonly used to make interior walls and ceilings.

If you do want to cut large sheets of drywall, or cut straight lines, it’s recommended that you use a Stanley knife, which has a wider and much stiffer blade.

Why are they also called jab saws?

A drywall saw is often referred to as a jab saw because it can be used to pierce or ‘jab’ the centre of a piece of material to begin a cut if your material has no edge to start

Characteristics

Blade

A drywall saw has a tapered blade usually characterised by a sharp knife-like point at the end. On most models, the blade cannot be removed from the handle. 

A drywall saw usually has a blade of 150mm (5.9″ approx.) in length.

Blade tip

The knife-like tip on the end of a drywall saw blade is used to jab into the material in order to start a cut as opposed to starting on the edge.

As a result, people often refer to drywall saws as jab saws.

Cutting stroke

Generally, the teeth on a drywall saw are not angled in any particular direction. As a result, most models will cut on both the push and the pull stroke.

For more information, see our section: Push stroke saws vs. pull stroke saws.

Teeth Per Inch (TPI)

Drywall saw blades usually have between 6 and 8 teeth per inch.

The teeth tend to be extremely sharp, with relatively deep gullets. This is so the blade can cut quickly and aggressively through material, 
removing more waste material with each stroke.

As a result, a drywall saw will allow you to make quick cuts, but because of its aggressive cutting action, it may be hard to achieve a neat finish. (As drywall is likely to be covered, a rough finish may not matter too much.)

Handle

Drywall saws usually have what’s known as a straight handle. This type of handle is usually found on saws used for making shorter, curved cuts.

The cylindrical handle can be turned freely in the user’s hand, making it easier to cut curved as well as straight lines