DeWalt 15 in. Tooth Saw with Aluminum Handle

A compact hand saw that punches above its weight

I reached for this DeWalt 15-inch hand saw on a week when cords and batteries were more hassle than help: trimming a couple of studs for a closet opening, shortening MDF shelves, and making on-the-fly cuts in the driveway where a circular saw would’ve been overkill. It quickly became the tool I kept at arm’s reach. For a short, 1.3‑pound saw, it cuts faster and cleaner than I expected, and the balance makes it easy to guide on a line without thinking too hard about it.

Build and first impressions

The design is straightforward: a 15-inch blade with three-sided teeth, an aluminum handle, and a low-friction coating DeWalt calls ToughCoat. The handle is rigid and surprisingly light for metal. There’s no flex when you bear down, and the geometry gives good knuckle clearance on 2x stock. Out of the box, the tooth line is dead straight and the set is even, which matters if you care about tracking and finish.

A few quick specs for context:
- Blade: 15 inches long, about 5.1 inches tall at the heel
- Teeth: 11 TPI, impulse/induction hardened
- Handle: aluminum, about 6.5 inches
- Weight: 1.3 lb
- Warranty: limited lifetime, 90-day return window

At 11 TPI, this is on the finer side for a general-purpose panel saw. Combined with the triple-ground tooth geometry, it behaves like a hybrid: fast enough on framing lumber, but capable of a neater finish on sheet goods than a coarse 7–9 TPI saw.

Cutting performance

DeWalt’s three-sided tooth profile isn’t marketing fluff. The saw starts easily with light pressure, and once it bites, each stroke clears chips efficiently. On kiln-dried SPF studs, I was through a 2x4 with a steady rhythm quickly and without the balking I associate with duller, stamped teeth. The ToughCoat makes a difference in wet or resinous stock; the blade doesn’t grab as the kerf closes a bit.

• Crosscuts in 2x spruce/pine: fast, controllable, and accurate. With light strokes to start and a relaxed arm, the saw tracks the line without wandering.
• MDF and melamine-faced particleboard: better than expected. Tear-out on the top face is modest for a non-backsaw. If you score the cut line or run tape, you can keep the edge fairly clean for utility shelving and carcass work.
• Hardwood (poplar and red oak up to 1 inch): still quite manageable. It slows down in dense oak, but the teeth stay engaged and don’t polish smooth like softer tempering can.
• PVC and ABS pipe: clean, burrs are minimal.

Ripping along the grain is the one area where the 11 TPI shows its limits. It will do short rips in 1x stock fine, but long rips in 2x lumber are a slog compared with a coarser rip saw. That’s not a knock—it’s simply not this saw’s brief.

Accuracy and control

Shorter saws can be twitchy. This one isn’t. The blade is stiff enough that it resists buckling when you accidentally push instead of pull, and the toothline feels true. I found it easy to hold square cuts by referencing the face of the stock and letting the saw’s weight do its job. With practiced hands, you can slice just outside a pencil line and leave barely a whisper of cleanup for a block plane.

For finer work—like trimming a door shim or notching a shelf—you can choke up toward the heel without the teeth grabbing. The saw starts smoothly with two-finger pull strokes, which is great for close-in cuts where a full stroke isn’t possible.

Ergonomics

The aluminum handle is the most distinctive piece. It’s slim, rigid, and lighter than a traditional molded plastic handle. Comfort-wise, I had no hotspots during longer sessions, and the edges are rounded enough that it doesn’t bite into my palm. That said, bare aluminum can feel slick when your hands are dusty or sweaty. A light glove or a thin wrap of athletic tape on the grip transforms it from good to excellent in grippy feel, especially in hot weather.

Because the saw is only 15 inches, it’s easy to keep in a tool bag or hanging off a cart. For small jobs, that convenience alone means it gets used more often than a full-length panel saw.

Durability and maintenance

The teeth are induction hardened, which is why they feel sharp well past the first few days. The tradeoff: they’re not practical to resharpen with a file. In my use, the edge held up across framing lumber, MDF, and a handful of hardwood cuts without noticeable slowdown. Eventually, like all impulse-hardened saws, you’ll replace the blade rather than tune it with a file. At this price class, that’s expected.

The ToughCoat holds up decently. Resin and MDF dust will gum up any coating over time; a wipe with mineral spirits cleans it back to slick. You’ll see cosmetic scuffs on the aluminum handle early, but they don’t affect function.

Where it shines

• Quick on-site crosscuts when a circular saw is too much
• Trim-to-fit tasks on shelves, closet buildouts, and light cabinetry carcasses
• Punch list work in occupied spaces where noise matters
• Working off a ladder or tight corners where a long saw gets in its own way
• Starter saw for those who want a cleaner cut than a coarse framing saw but don’t need a dedicated fine-tooth backsaw

Where it stumbles

• Long rip cuts in thick or dense stock are slow. If ripping is on the menu, a coarser 7–8 TPI saw or a power option is better.
• The handle, while rigid and light, can feel slick without gloves in hot conditions.
• Like most impulse-hardened blades, you can’t realistically resharpen it. Plan on replacement when it finally dulls.
• At 15 inches, the stroke length limits efficiency on wide sheet goods; you’ll spend more time than with a 20–26 inch panel saw.

Value and alternatives

Given the cut quality and speed, it fills the “always within reach” role better than many budget hand saws. If you already have a long, coarse panel saw for rough work and a fine backsaw for joinery, this sits nicely in the middle for utility cuts with a cleaner finish. If you’re building decks or ripping treated lumber regularly, you might prefer a longer, coarser-toothed saw. For cabinet-grade crosscuts exclusively, a fine Japanese pull saw will leave a cleaner face but at the expense of robustness and versatility on construction lumber.

The limited lifetime warranty and a 90-day return window are reassuring for a hand tool you’ll toss in a bag and use hard. There aren’t moving parts to fail; it’s mostly about tooth longevity and how much you like the handle.

Tips for best results

• Start with three light pull strokes to define a kerf, then move to full, relaxed strokes. Let the teeth do the work.
• For veneered plywood or melamine, score the cut line and support the work to minimize breakout.
• Wipe the blade after cutting resinous woods; the coating stays slick longer if kept clean.
• Use a shallow cutting angle on end grain; raising the handle slightly smooths the cut and reduces chatter.

Bottom line

This DeWalt 15-inch hand saw is a compact, fast-cutting, and accurate generalist. The triple-ground teeth bite eagerly, the low-friction blade keeps momentum in stubborn material, and the aluminum handle keeps weight down without feeling flimsy. It’s not a rip specialist and it’s not a furniture joinery saw—but for everyday crosscuts, small layout tweaks, and site tasks where a power saw is impractical, it earns its keep.

Recommendation: I recommend it as a go-to utility hand saw for carpenters, remodelers, and DIYers who want a portable, sharp, and controlled cutter for framing lumber, sheet goods, and plastics. If you need to do frequent, long rip cuts in thick stock or you insist on resharpenable teeth, look elsewhere. For the rest of us, its speed, finish quality, and carry-anywhere size make it a smart addition to the kit.