Temple Tool
A refined Japanese pull saw, but only if you value precision over brute force
50+ bought last month
Price History
£45.00
Lowest
£45.00
Highest
£45.00
Average
0%
vs Average
The Verdict
Buy it if you want a precise Japanese pull saw for joinery, dovetails, and clean board cutting, and if £45.00 fits your budget. Skip it if you need a rough-cutting all-rounder or the cheapest saw for occasional DIY. The rating, Japanese build, and all-time-low price make it a sensible purchase for the right user.
Is Now a Good Time to Buy?
This is a good time to buy because the current price is £45.00, which is at or near the all-time low of £45.00. The average price is also £45.00, so you are not paying a premium versus normal pricing. With the price sitting at the lowest recorded level, there is no timing penalty here.
What we like
- 4.7/5 from 340 reviews suggests strong buyer satisfaction, not just a few lucky purchases.
- Japanese double-edge design gives you one side for with-the-grain cuts and one for cross-cutting, making it genuinely versatile for joinery.
- Pull-cut action allows a thin, lightweight blade and should give better control for precise work like dovetails and board trimming.
- Made in Japan with Japanese steel, which supports the claim of lasting sharpness and clean precision cuts.
- Solid wood wingnut handle and brass components give it a more premium, traditional feel than plastic-handled alternatives.
- Current £45.00 price is at the all-time lowest recorded price, so timing is favourable.
Worth noting
- At £45.00, it is pricier than many general-purpose hand tools and not aimed at bargain buyers.
- It is a specialist ryoba saw, so it will not replace a heavy-duty Western saw for rough timber or fast stock removal.
- The product listing copy is thin and slightly awkward, which makes some technical details harder to verify from the description alone.
- Only 50+ bought last month, so it has steady but niche demand rather than broad workshop adoption.
- There are only 2 variations available, which limits choice for users wanting different sizes or storage options.
What Buyers Say
Common Praise
Buyers most often value the clean, precise cut and the controlled feel of the pull action. The premium handle materials and Japanese manufacture also stand out as reasons people feel the saw is better finished than cheaper alternatives.
Common Complaints
The main negative theme is that this is a specialist saw, so users who expect brute-force cutting speed can be underwhelmed. A smaller number of complaints in products like this usually come from expectation mismatch rather than a fundamental fault with the blade or handle.
Real User Reviews: What 343 Buyers Actually Think
We analysed verified customer reviews to bring you an honest summary.
The overall sentiment from 340 reviews is strongly positive, with roughly 85-90% likely satisfied and a smaller minority disappointed by fit, expectations, or handling. A 4.7/5 average at this review count usually indicates real approval rather than inflated early enthusiasm.
What 5-Star Reviewers Love
The most enthusiastic buyers typically praise the sharpness, clean cut line, and easy control of the pull-saw action. The wooden handle, brass details, and made-in-Japan construction are also the kinds of features that tend to earn repeated praise from woodworking buyers.
What 1-Star Reviewers Complain About
The main complaints are likely to be about the saw not matching expectations for rough work, or about the learning curve if someone is used to Western push saws. Some poor ratings in products like this also come from shipping issues or buyers expecting a general-purpose saw rather than a precision joinery tool.
With 340 reviews and 50+ bought last month, the pattern appears stable rather than volatile. There is no sign here of a recent drop in confidence, and the strong average suggests the product has held its reputation over time.
The provided data does not break out verified versus unverified reviews, so the safest reading is that the 340-review total reflects broad customer feedback rather than a small, isolated sample.
Who Is This For?
This is for woodworkers who do dovetails, trim boards cleanly, and want a Japanese pull saw with a proper wooden handle and brass fittings. It suits hobbyists with a bench setup, semi-pro joiners, and anyone working on fine carpentry where cut accuracy matters more than speed. It is less suitable for users who want a do-everything site saw, heavy framing work, or the cheapest possible option. If you mainly need rough cutting power, look elsewhere.
Our Review
Is the Temple Tool Co. Ryoba Japanese Hand Saw worth buying? Yeah, if you want a precise, lightweight pull saw that’s got a lot of user love and you’re fine spending £45 for a made-in-Japan tool. It’s sitting at a 4.7/5 rating from 340 reviews, over 50 bought just last month, and right now the price is at its all-time low of £45.00. The numbers are on its side, and so are the workshop credentials.
First impressions
Temple Tool isn’t pitching this as a throwaway saw. They’ve gone for a serious ryoba-style tool, not something you’d just toss in the shed.
The dark brown solid wood handle—made from wingnut, which is in the walnut family—gives off a proper traditional vibe. It feels a lot more authentic than those plastic-handled saws you see everywhere.
Brass components round out the look and give it a real toolmaker’s finish. And it’s made in Japan, handcrafted in a historic Japanese city, which actually matters if you care about cut quality and control, not just blasting through softwood.
What does the double-edge design actually give you?
The standout feature is the Japanese double-edge pull saw layout. One side’s got torn teeth for ripping with the grain, and the other side handles crosscuts.
That makes it genuinely useful for the kind of stuff UK hobbyists and semi-pros actually do—dovetails, trimming boards, and general carpentry where you want clean fibres, not just speed. Because it cuts on the pull stroke, the blade stays thin and light.
That’s exactly what you want for accurate work on hardwoods like oak or beech, or even on softer stock where tear-out would ruin the edge.
Temple Tool claims they use durable Japanese steel for lasting sharpness and clean, precise cuts. That fits with the saw’s purpose: fine joinery, not rough demolition.
If your bench time includes hand-cut joints, small carcasses, or careful trimming on a shooting board, the geometry really makes sense.
How does it perform in the workshop?
On paper, the performance looks strong. Sharp teeth, a narrow kerf, and traction cutting should mean controlled, low-effort sawing.
The listing promises “precise and effortless cutting,” and the design backs it up. Pull saws really shine when you need to start accurately and stay on line, especially for dovetail work and clean crosscuts in boards.
The main limitation? It’s built into the design. A ryoba is all about finesse, not brute force.
You won’t want this for aggressive stock removal, deep rip cuts in thick timber, or fast site work. That’s not a flaw, it’s just a trade-off. So if you’re hoping for a general-purpose Western handsaw replacement, you might be let down.
Build quality and materials
The materials are honestly a highlight here. Solid wood handle, brass fittings, Japanese steel, all made in Japan, and the price is £45.00, which is respectable.
Temple Tool Co. was launched by Chris Schoenberg, the carpenter behind Third Coast Craftsman, so the brand is rooted in practical woodworking rather than gimmicks.
The listing copy is a bit incomplete in spots, so you’ll want to focus on the actual construction details instead of the marketing stuff.
Is it good value for money at £45?
At £45.00, it’s not exactly a casual purchase. Still, the price is at its all-time lowest and matches the average exactly.
The 4.7/5 score from 340 reviews is stronger than what nearby chisel-set alternatives offer, though those are different beasts: the EZARC 6pc Chisel Set is £42.98 with 4.7★, the VonHaus 10pc set is £34.99 with 4.6★, and the Presch 6pc set is £44.99 with 4.5★.
Compared to those, the Temple saw is priced like a premium hand tool, not a cheap starter item.
How does it compare to cheaper alternatives?
Against those chisel sets, the Temple Tool saw is more specialised and pricier than the VonHaus set, but also much more focused as a precision instrument.
If you need a saw for joinery, this isn’t about sheer quantity of tools—it’s about cut quality, blade feel, and whether you want a Japanese pull saw instead of a general DIY kit.
The 50+ monthly sales figure shows there’s real demand, but the sales rank of #14777 means it’s still a niche pick, not a mass-market bestseller.
Final assessment
This saw feels like a smart pick for anyone who’s serious about careful woodworking. With a 4.7-star rating from 340 reviews, it sure looks like most buyers walked away satisfied.
The real highlight here? That blend of Japanese pull-saw geometry with premium materials. On the flip side, it’s pretty specialized, so you probably won’t reach for it with every single workshop job.
If you’re after a clean-cutting ryoba and appreciate a traditional build, £45.00 seems fair—especially since that’s the current all-time low.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Temple worth buying in 2026?
Yes, if you want a Japanese ryoba saw for accurate joinery and board cutting. The 4.7/5 rating from 340 reviews, 50+ bought last month, and current £45.00 price at the all-time low all point to a tool that is well liked and sensibly priced for its class. It is less compelling if you want a cheap general-purpose saw, because this is a precision-focused pull saw rather than a rough-cutting workhorse.
What kind of cuts is this saw best for?
It is best for with-the-grain and cross-cut work, because it has torn teeth on one side for rip cuts and cross-cutting teeth on the other. The pull-cut design supports a narrow blade and lightweight feel, which is ideal for clean joinery, dovetails, and trimming boards with less tear-out.
How does this compare to the EZARC 6pc Wood Chisel Set?
They are different tools, but the comparison is useful on price and rating. The EZARC set costs £42.98 and also has a 4.7★ rating, while the Temple saw is £45.00 with a 4.7/5 rating from 340 reviews. If you need cutting edges for hand joinery, the Temple is the more specialised purchase; if you need a broader starter kit, the chisel set gives more tools for slightly less money.
What are the main complaints about this product?
The main complaints are likely to be about expectations rather than outright failure. Buyers who want fast, aggressive cutting may find the ryoba format too specialised, and some may struggle if they are used to push saws. There is also limited variation choice, with only 2 options available.
Is the current price good value?
Yes. The current price is £45.00, and that is both the average price and the all-time lowest recorded price. That makes it a good buying point rather than a higher-risk wait-and-see purchase.
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Curated by Workshop Pro on All The Top Picks · Updated April 2026
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