DeWalt 5 in. Flush Cut Pull Saw

A good flush cut often lives or dies by the first pull stroke. This compact flush‑cut pull saw has become one of those tools I keep within arm’s reach precisely because it makes that first stroke easy to start and the last stroke clean to finish. It’s a short, double‑sided, flexible‑blade saw designed to cut on the pull, and it’s built for one job above all: make precise cuts flush to a surface without scarring what you’re trying to preserve.

Build and Design

• Blade: 5 inches long, thin and very flexible, with fine 23‑point teeth for a narrow kerf and clean surface finish.
• Geometry: Double‑sided blade, so you can bias the teeth away from the work and choose the side that best clears an obstruction.
• Handle: A light composite handle with a comfortable soft grip. The whole tool weighs under half a pound, which translates to excellent control and less fatigue.

Fit and finish are tidy. The blade has just enough spring to hug a surface without buckling, and the handle indexes naturally in the hand with a neutral wrist angle—useful when you’re working low, on the flat, or upside down.

One notable design choice: the teeth stop short of the blade’s tip by a sliver. The nose is smooth. I’ll come back to why that matters.

Cutting Performance

On trim work, plugs, and dowels, the saw shines. I trimmed oak dowels flush in face frames and left virtually no scratch pattern on adjacent finish—just a faint sheen that disappeared with a quick pass of 320‑grit. The pull‑stroke cut produces a straight track and resists wandering, especially helpful when you’re cutting a plug flush and there’s not much to register the saw against.

Door casings and jambs are another sweet spot. Undercutting for new flooring is predictable: flex the blade so it rides the subfloor or a sacrificial spacer, and let the pull stroke do the work. The 23‑point tooth geometry is on the finer side, which means a slower feed rate than a coarse carpenter’s saw but a significantly cleaner shoulder. If you’ve ever chased tear‑out at the bottom of a casing, you’ll appreciate this.

The short blade length is a trade-off. In tight corners and inside cabinets it’s fantastic—you can get the handle and blade where a longer ryoba won’t go. On thicker stock or long reach cuts, you’re limited to shorter strokes, so plan on a few more pulls. I used it to flush‑cut shims, nip back quarter round, and square up notches where an oscillating tool would have been overkill; the saw felt in its element.

Control, Accuracy, and Surface Protection

Two things make this saw easy to control:

1) The pull stroke. You’re loading the blade in tension, so it stays straight even as you flex it onto a surface. That’s big for accuracy.
2) The flexible, tooth geometry. It’s fine enough to start without a kerf line and to make micro‑adjustments mid‑cut without jumping.

For truly flush work—think trimming a dowel on a finished panel—I like to put a layer of blue tape on the finish and, if needed, slip a playing card under the saw as a sacrificial skid. The blade lays flat and follows the plane of the surface. Because the teeth are fine and (as designed for flush saws) don’t have an aggressive set, they’re less likely to scratch a finish as long as you maintain light pressure and keep the blade clean.

The Double‑Sided Advantage

The double‑sided blade isn’t just a marketing bullet. It adds real utility in cramped situations:

• Inside corners: choose the side that keeps teeth away from an adjacent, finished surface.
• Left/right bias: if a cabinet wall or floor transition blocks your handle, flip the saw and keep cutting without contorting your wrist.
• Grain direction: switch sides to keep the teeth pulling “downhill” with the grain to minimize lift and splintering.

It’s a small saw, but being able to change cut direction without changing tools matters when you’re wedged under a sink or inside a built‑in.

Where It Struggles

No hand tool is perfect, and this one has two notable limitations.

• Teeth don’t reach the very tip. The last eighth‑inch or so of the blade is smooth. In most situations, that makes no difference and may even help prevent accidental scratches when you’re starting a cut on a finished surface. But if you’re trying to cut into a recess where you need the teeth to engage right up to a stop—say, trimming casing flush against a higher adjoining floor—you’ll hit a hard limit before the cut is complete. You can usually solve this with a chisel or a fine Japanese keyhole saw for the final nib, but it’s a real constraint to be aware of.

• Short, fine blade equals slower in thicker stock. The fine 23‑point teeth produce beautiful cuts, but they’re not fast. On thicker hardwoods, expect to slow down and let the saw do the work. If speed on long cuts is your priority, a longer ryoba or an oscillating multi‑tool will be faster.

I’ll add a third caution: this is a wood saw. It’s not designed for nails, screws, or even the occasional brad hiding in old trim. Hitting metal will shorten its life quickly.

Ergonomics and Fatigue

Comfort is excellent for a compact pull saw. The handle’s soft grip is not squishy, just grippy, and the angle keeps your knuckles clear when you’re cutting flush to a surface. Because the saw is so light, you can use fingertip pressure for delicate cuts and still get a straight pull. I’ve used it for an hour at a stretch trimming plugs and shims without hot spots or hand fatigue.

Durability and Maintenance

The fine teeth hold an edge well on pine, poplar, and most hardwood trim. Keep it dry, wipe the blade after use, and it’ll stay sharp and rust‑free. A wipe of paste wax on the blade reduces friction and makes a noticeable difference in how cleanly it tracks. If you do gum it up with construction adhesive or spray foam residue, mineral spirits on a rag will clean it without fuss.

On my unit, the blade appears fixed rather than a quick‑swap design. That’s not unusual in compact flush saws at this price point. It means treating the teeth with respect is worth it—avoid metal, don’t pry with the blade, and store it with a guard or in a sleeve.

Who It’s For

• Finish carpenters and remodelers who need controlled, scratch‑free flush cuts on finished surfaces.
• Woodworkers trimming dowels, plugs, and tenons flush with panels or frames.
• DIYers tackling flooring transitions, cabinet mods, and trim repairs where power tools are awkward or risky.

If you primarily do heavy demolition or need to make long, deep cuts quickly, you’d be better served by a longer saw or an oscillating tool. But for precision flush work in tight spaces, this saw earns its spot.

Tips for Best Results

• Start light. Let the first few pull strokes establish the kerf before increasing pressure.
• Protect the surface. A layer of painter’s tape or a thin card under the blade keeps finishes pristine.
• Use the flex. Bow the blade slightly to register it flat against the surface you want to flush to; it acts like a built‑in guide.
• Choose the side. Flip the double‑sided blade to keep teeth away from sensitive edges or to work with the grain.
• Finish smart. If the smooth blade nose prevents that last sliver of cut, score with a sharp knife and finish with a chisel or a fine keyhole saw.

The Bottom Line

This flush‑cut pull saw delivers what I want from a compact, fine‑tooth hand tool: clean, controlled cuts right against a finished surface, excellent maneuverability in tight spots, and a handle that disappears in the hand. The short blade and fine teeth make it slower on thicker stock, and the smooth nose can be a real limitation in certain inside‑corner cuts. But for the core work of trimming dowels, plugs, shims, and casings without collateral damage, it’s dependable and precise.

Recommendation: I recommend this saw for anyone who values clean, flush results in finish work and needs a compact tool that can get into tight places. Its flexible blade, pull‑stroke control, and double‑sided design make it a reliable daily driver for fine trimming tasks. Just be aware of the non‑toothed tip and plan a workaround for those rare cuts where you need teeth right to the end.