S’aw right Nom ( see what I did there 
) the person I gave it to made me a wooden one, it goes well with me eye patch and parrot, ooo arrrrr it do Nom lad! 
There are basically 2 types of saw
A rip saw for cutting along the grain and a cross cut saw for cutting across the grain.
It rather sounds like your saw has insufficient “set” .
Thank you Tregonsee, sorry for delay in replying.
Well, I am hopeful this saga will now draw to a close. 
This afternoon I popped into B & Q to look for a new saw.
I was still confused by what was written on them, still didn’t know how to tell if my wood was soft or hard - how am I supposed to know that for heaven’s sake! Wood just looks like wood to me.
Anyhow, after a while, I thought it best to ask someone instead of buying another wrong one, so proceeded to waylay a bearded gentleman who was nearby scrutinising the hand tools.
I explained what happened with the previous one and he seemed to study me before replying “It’s not the saw - it’s you!” Flippin’ cheek!! He said the best thing to do was to grease the blade by rubbing a candle along it.
I thanked him, inwardly thinking what a fat lot of help he was, and turned away.
Meantime I went outside and was looking for some sort of clue to tell me whether the lengths of wood for sale were ‘hard’ or ‘soft.’
I spotted another chap and thought I would ask him if he knew.
This man started waving his arms about rather excitedly and said “I no speak English!”
Things weren’t going too well.
Eventually I took a length of wood, and went back to where the saws were and spotted a third 'victim."
I showed him my bit of wood and asked if the saw I had in my hand by then, would cut it - simple enough question to me.
He grinned - at least this one seemed more amiable.
He said couldn’t my husband have bought one for me, it might have been simpler. Cheeky monkey.
“But will this one do the job or won’t it?” I asked.
He said it would. Success. 
I told him if it didn’t . . I would come and find him, but he insisted it would be fine and gave me a very nice smile.
I am now back home, with my bit of wood and a nice new saw which I intend to try out tomorrow. Wish me luck.
What a palaver.
Oh, I forgot to tell you. They didn’t sell me wheel brace.
Look like I shall be using the one with the dodgy handle for a bit longer.
“so proceeded to waylay a bearded gentleman …”
Did you get his phone number???
Hi
Mups, hard wood is easy to identify.
It has tattoos on it.
I always prefer to use hand tools but I must say that when I did my decking, the electric saw thingy (jig saw?) really came into its own.
Pretty scary to start with (yes I had used it years ago) but it would have taken me days to saw through all the stuff by hand.
Mups, we want pictures
Of course.
Will PM you with it later.
You are about as much help as the foreign man I spoke to! 
I have much admiration for you Rachel. I could never do anything like that.
What are you making or repairing Mups?
I’m not doing anything really, dongles, it was all supposed to be such a simple idea.
I had got some long wooden strips about 2 x 1, and all I wanted to do was cut them up into loads of 6 - 8" lengths to use under my tubs and pots because I had run out of pot feet. I didn’t expect all this hassle.
I get so frustrated when something a child could do gets more and more complicated and turns into a saga like this. I bet you’d have done it in 10 minutes.
Anyway, let’s hope my new saw is OK this time and I can get on with it now.
Best of luck Mups
I’d probably have used bits of paving … bashed into smaller pieces with a club hammer. Wood will eventually rot.
Just saying
Yeah, I know, but I hadn’t got any spare slabs I could smash up, but had got some bits of wood.
I will have some slabs later in the year as I hope to get a bit of the patio relaid, but the wood’ll do for now.
Shame you don’t live nearer … you could have some of my stuff.
Five minutes including a tea break 
(Takes cover)
Hi Mups
I don’t often read threads as long as this but I did want to find out if you (eventualy) sorted out your little problem.
Bit late now and I think already mentioned by someone but for future reference ALL wood sold in B&Q and Homebase is SOFTWOOD.
There are four groups of softwoods but basically they are all commonly known as Conifers and characterised by needle like foliage which is usually evergreen.
The common names are Pine, Spruce, and Fir and you will likely see them in parks and of course in forests.
Almost all the B&Q and Homebase softwood comes from Scandinavia, again as mentioned above it’s rubbish (from a serious woodworkers point of view) but as it happens ideal for what you wanted.
Yes, untreated wood rots (treated wood rots too but at a slower rate) but again for your use it will be many years and your pots will likely have long gone by then
One final point which I don’t think anyone has mentioned but is very important is that hand sawing of any wood is made a 100 nay a 1000 times easier if it is HELD SECURELY it also much safer too.
So could I urge you to pop back to B&Q and find the nice bearded gentleman and ask him to show you simple, cheap, CRAMPS that you can use to hold your wood to a table or whatever. £10 should cover it. (A ‘bench hook’ would cheaper but B&Q won’t sell them) and you will find all your future little hand saw jobs faster, easier, and most important (since we don’t want to loose you) safer
Alternatively, just plonk the wood on a bench, chair, whatever, hold it down with your foot (if necessary) and saw it
Simples
FGS … men can do it … ie not rocket science innit
Thank you for your advice Losos.
I have a vice (no, not that sort :-)) in the shed, fixed to the bench, so if I feel vaguely efficient I use that.
Otherwise it’s mostly like Rachel said only usually an upturned tub, or hanging over the edge of whatever is nearest.
Wood you like me to come to your place with my chainsaw and cut some would for you, Mupsy?