The cut is made on the pulling stroke, and hence the kerf can be very narrow.

As soon as the saw is well within the trunk, the sawyers drive iron wedges into the kerf behind it, partly to keep the weight of the trunk from binding the saw, and partly to direct its fall.

Then the saw is pulled back and forth, and the wedges driven in farther and farther, until every stroke of the maul that drives them sends a shiver thru the whole tree.

Just as the tree is ready to go over, the saw handle at one end is unhooked and the saw pulled out at the other side.

"Timber!," the men cry out as a warning to any working near by, for the tree has begun to lean slightly.