This TikTok DIY Cutting Tool Seems Efficient, But It's Dangerous - Do This Instead

If there's one thing you can rely on TikTok for, it's quasi-useful DIY solutions to problems and projects that, more than likely, already had a perfectly good solution available. For instance, a certain video on the platform that has gained a degree of prominence involves a homemade cutting tool made up of what appears to be a loose chainsaw blade wrapped around an angle grinder disc, which is then mounted to a handheld rotary mechanism.

In fairness, it seems to do a decent job of cutting into a small log. However, as multiple users in this video's comments point out, this homemade tool is definitely not safe to use. Since the chainsaw blade isn't really secured to anything, it could very easily come loose and go flying, possibly right into your fingers or worse. Even if it didn't, the mechanism has no hand guard, so it would only take a small slip for disaster to arise.

As neat as homemade tools can be, the importance of safety when using bladed implements cannot be overstated. If you're looking to cut a log, stick to a proper woodworking implement like an angle grinder or mini chainsaw, preferably something with an actual hand guard.

If you're looking to cut or shave down a little chunk of wood, there's no real reason to try to make some kind of cutting implement on your own, especially when there are so many different proper tools available. Particularly, those that were designed with proper safety guards and mechanisms instead of having spinning blades loosely wrapped around a whirling disc.

For instance, an angle grinder from a major hardware brand like Ryobi can be a great choice for precision woodworking. It's the same basic concept as that homemade tool, but with several key differences: you operate it with two hands for extra stability, and it has a hand guard to keep your digits safe. If you need to do more cutting than grinding, various brands make specialized angle grinder discs specifically with woodcarving in mind, using shaped blades for cutting and planing. You get the same rotational cutting power, but the disc itself does the cutting rather than a loose chainsaw blade.

Speaking of chainsaws, if you need something with a little more muscle, why not use a chainsaw blade's proper host, an actual chainsaw? Specifically, use a mini chainsaw with a variable speed switch and handguard, alongside the vital accessories you need to stay safe while woodworking, like gloves and goggles, of course. A smaller, lighter mini chainsaw is great for tight spaces and can be used with quite a bit of dexterity for both cutting and shaping wood. Plus, since it's actually meant to house that bladed chain, there's less risk of it flying off and hurting someone.