I found this impressive guide on using crosscut saws while doing a little bit of research on trail maintenance and construction techniques in preparation for my summer job at Shenandoah National Park. It's really more like a book than simply a guide and has everything from the history of crosscut saws to planning escape routes when making a cut. I imagine that most backpackers volunteer for trail construction at one point in their life, so I recommend you check it out.

The crosscut saw did not come into common use in Europe until the mid-15th century. These early saws were rectangular with handles that fitted into sockets forged into each end of the blade. Early saws had a plain tooth (also called peg tooth) design. Over the next 400 years, numerous saw patterns developed. Many countries and regions had their own "national" patterns. Saws started to appear with a curve both on the back as well as on the toothed edge. But as late as 1900 in Europe, the plain and the "M tooth" pattern were the most common.

Imported saws were used in Colonial America, and by the mid-1800s they were being manufactured in this country. However, it wasn't until about the 1880s that saws were used for felling timber. During the golden age of crosscut saws, from 1880 to 1930, numerous saw and handle styles, tooth patterns, types of steel, and methods of grinding were developed (figure 1).

There is also quite a bit of information on how to fell trees which is applicable even if you do not use a crosscut saw. How to choose directions, different cuts etc...

In trail work, the purpose of felling is often to obtain construction material. You need to visualize the tree on the ground to make sure you can remove the logs you need for the project. Can a team of horses get to the site? Can the logs be winched out? Also, consider the visual effect of tree removal. Will the stump or slash be visible from the trail or structure? Is this acceptable?

Trees felled across the slope will be less likely to break, all other factors being equal. Trees felled downhill are in the air longer and pick up more speed. Uphill felling should be avoided, especially on steep slopes. The tree strikes the ground quickly, often bounces and kicks back over the stump. This is dangerous.

If a tree is not leaning more than 5 degrees from vertical and other factors are favorable (limb weight and distribution are even, winds are light, and so forth) a faller can generally drop the tree in any desired direction with proper placement of undercuts and wedges. Big trees with uneven limb distribution or noticeable lean can seldom be felled against the natural lean, even with wedges.