Thomas Flinn

Thomas Flinn Co. is a Sheffield, England manufacturer operating since 1868. The company produces the Pax and Gent lines of hand saws, recognized for hardened impulse-tempered teeth and traditional crafted handles.

A Gent saw is a small back saw with a stiffened spine that prevents blade flex during cutting. It is most commonly used for fine joinery work such as cutting dovetails, tenons, and precise box joints where accuracy matters more than cutting speed.

Impulse tempering is a heat-treating process applied to individual teeth that hardens them well beyond the hardness possible with traditional hand sharpening. The result is teeth that stay sharp much longer but cannot be re-sharpened by hand — the saw must be replaced or returned to the manufacturer when the edge dulls.

The hardened impulse-tempered teeth on most Pax Gent saws are not intended for at-home resharpening with standard saw files. These hardened-tooth saws are designed to be replaced rather than resharpened, which is standard practice for precision-ground modern hand saws.

Crosscut saws have teeth filed at an angle to sever wood fibers across the grain, producing clean cuts on the face of a board. Rip saws have teeth filed nearly straight across to chisel out material along the grain, making them faster for cutting with the grain but coarser in finish.

Yes. Beyond the Thomas Flinn collection, Infinity Tools stocks a wide range of hand tools and cutting accessories. Browse the full tools collection for additional hand-saw and joinery options.

All products sold by Infinity Tools are backed by a quality commitment. Review the details of coverage and the process for claims on the quality guarantee page.

Thomas Flinn saws are an excellent entry into quality hand-tool woodworking because they arrive sharp, hold their edge well, and cut cleanly without requiring the setup that vintage saws often demand. Beginners get accurate, satisfying results immediately.

Hand saws should be stored hanging on a wall or in a saw till that keeps the teeth from contacting other tools. A blade guard or a simple strip of wood clamped over the tooth line protects the edge during storage and transport.

Fine-tooth Gent saws perform best in close-grained hardwoods such as maple, cherry, walnut, and beech, where their tooth geometry produces a crisp, tearout-free kerf. They also work well in softwoods for joinery cuts where precision is required.