The term circular saw today generally refers to a hand-held electric circular saw developed for cutting wood.

It may be used much less optimally for cutting other supplies by exchanging the type of blades.

Circular saws can be classified as either left or right-handed, based on which  side of  the motor the blade is on.

A left or right-handed saw may be purchased because the operator is either left or right-handed. This would determine which hand the operator utilizes when holding a saw.

Blades for timber are usually made with tungsten carbide tips. (TCT). High speed steel (HSS) blades are also readily available.

The saw base can be adjusted for depth of cut. Adjusting the depth of cut will help decrease what is known as kickback.

The saw base may also be adjusted to tilt up to 50 degrees in relation towards the blade.

The saw is usually created for the blade to mount directly towards the motor’s driveshaft (identified colloquially as a sidewinder), or be driven indirectly by a perpendicularly-mounted motor by way of worm gears, garnering considerably higher torque (Worm-drive saws).