20" Miter Saw
20" Miter Saw
20" Miter Saw
20" Miter Saw

20" Miter Saw

$380.00

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Description Specs Hand Measurement Guide Testimonials

While everyone loves the big miter boxes, like the Miller Falls Langdon Acme series or Stanley 358 (as do I), there exists a dearth of information about the utility of the mid-size Stanley No. 150, an incredibly versatile, compact, and easily portable box that maximizes more toothline per ratio than the larger boxes.

I designed the new Bad Axe 20" Miter Saw to work hand in sleeve with this great old tool, though it's not limited to the Stanley No. 150—it will also work with the Millers Falls series and other Stanley boxes. Its compact design optimizes the utility of any saw's toothline, to include panel saws, and offers a precision method with which to make furniture-grade cuts that are spot-on every time.

To illustrate, I own the Millers Falls Langdon Acme Size 2 1/2 No. 75 with a 30” saw; this is the largest box from the Millers Falls Langdon Acme Series. Though the saw is over 30” long, I have maximum utility of only 20” of the toothline, because of the limitations of the elevator guide posts that bracket and carry the saw. In comparison, I’m using a Bad Axe 20” saw in the Stanley No. 150, but this configuration allows me to use 17” of the toothline, for an 85% efficiency.

This saw is light enough compared to vintage 20" miter saws that it doubles as a great tenon saw, particularly when filed hybrid-cut (leaving just as clean a crosscut as a toothline filed dedicated x-cut. Got a wide span to cut, like when you're making a bedframe stretcher five inches wide? Cutting by hand increases your throw up to 24", which dramatically cuts down your strokes while promoting accuracy.

Will I use the big boy for squaring up large 4x and above material? You bet, I love that great old tool, even though it takes up a fair amount of space in the shop. But the takeaway here is that while I love my Millers Falls for robust work, I don’t think one can beat the compact, yet far more efficient Stanley No. 150 for everyday fine to medium-sized requirements in stock up to 3” in width and height. 

Tip: For plate protection, use UHMW tape to prevent scratches from your miter box. 

  • 12 ppi (Pitch per Inch)
  • Filed Hybrid
  • Plate Thickness .025"
  • Kerf of .0325"
  • Depth of cut 4 5/8"

Plate & Filing: I file my miter saw's toothline at 12 ppi x-cut on a .025 plate, which, when combined with our method of hammer-setting and gently dressing the teeth, gives you a superbly finished cut. With up to 4.5" under the back and 20" in length, the Bad Axe miter saw offers up to 17" of cut throw, given that the Stanley No. 150 incorporates a metal sleeve to guide the cut rather than limiting the toothline to only 2/3rds of its capacity—as typically experienced with the elevator post guides germane to larger boxes. 

Handle: Modeled after traditional 1887 Disston-pattern closed handle. All Bad Axe handles are milled from full-heart quartersawn stock in Cherry, White Oak, Hard Maple and Walnut. Why quartersawn? Though it's the most expensive cut of wood, quartersawn stock mitigates wood movement with seasonal change, which can throw the plate out of true.

Bad Axe sources all handle stock from a family-owned business practicing sustainable lumber harvesting practices, and with whom we've done business from the very beginning. North American hardwoods: beautiful, sustainable, environmentally responsible.

Backs: Traditional folded sawback finished in black-oxide carbon steel, or titanium nitride carbon steel. Read more about this critical component for any backsaw, and why Bad Axe promotes the enduring traditional folded sawback over commonplace static-backed saws that disallow retensioning the toothline with heavy use.

Have you purchased enough brass-backed saws already to know that they just don't age that well? It's a great look, but it doesn't take long for tarnish to set in, and over time a brass-backed saw deforms with hard use, wreaking havoc on your toothline. But it's traditional, right? And conveys a traditional, warm look we all like to see. But form only goes so far before substance sets in. You very seldom see brass-backed saws longer than 12" or 14", because brass just isn't a strong enough an alloy for larger saws. Steel on the other hand presents superior strength and durability. So-we at Bad Axe made the hard choice to phase brass out of our product line, since it's difficult to work with (it has a 'springy' quality to it), doesn't form well, tarnishes, and at the end of the day, just doesn't measure up to carbon steel, which can take a variety of plating’s for aesthetic purposes.

Long a favored finish for high-end firearms, titanium nitride presents stellar corrosion and wear-resistance, Titanium-Nitride hits the sweet spot when it comes to form following function. The tone falls between the look you get between brass and bronze, so it certainly scratches that aesthetic itch you desire. And the cool thing about it? We can apply Titanium Nitride on our largest sawbacks, where the strength and durability of a steel-backed saw is paramount. So, what are you getting for the $75 upcharge? It's obviously not cheap-because it's not a cheap plating process for us to apply. But what you get is corrosion and wear resistance, along with that deep, brass/bronze look that retains its golden luster over time. Give it a shot--this is a drop-dead gorgeous plating that will retain its deep, rich look for the generations to come.

Check out our hand size chart and measuring graphic in order to get the best fit on your new saw.

Handle Size Length
Extra Small Less than 3 1/8"
Small 3 1/4" - 3 1/2"
Regular 3 5/8" - 3 7/8"
Large 4" - 4 1/4"
Extra Large More than 4-3/8"

  • “I have a lot more trim work to go, many more miter cuts. This setup is faster and easier than any motor option, and safer too. Just wanted to say, "Thanks Bad Axe, for making great saws and for turning me on to the Stanley 150. It is the perfect tool for mitering small pieces safely and accurately, especially with a great shooting board." — Tim Null, Valencia, CA

  • “I got the saws a few days ago . . . I just tried them out and have to say they are freaking unbelievable. I was laying some oak bullnose trim on the kickplates of my kitchen cabinets today and used the x-cut saw and the bench hook for that, and all I can say is wow - 4 or 5 strokes and I was through the wood. My 12-year-old actually cut most of the pieces including the miters. He was loving it. It was his first time using a hand saw. I didn't even break out the powered miter saw (man, was that refreshing). All I can say is THANK YOU!”— Rick Erickson, Fayetteville, GA,

  • “I just received my miter saw. I used it with my Stanley 150 to make the 22.5-degree miter cuts on the octagon poker table I am making. I finished the inside rails using the saw and miter gauge followed up by my Evans fall shooting board and LV BU jack plane. May I say how great this setup worked? Measure, cut with saw. Smooth and so quick. Shot the angle with a couple of swipes. Done! All joints fit perfectly. The only fine tuning necessary was a few for length.”