A large saw used in a sawmill, particularly the primary saw that first cuts logs into lumber.
From 'head' (main, primary) and 'saw' (cutting tool, from Old English 'sagu'). This industrial term developed with mechanical sawmill technology.
The headsaw operator in a 19th-century mill was practically an artist—they had to listen to the sound of the blade and make split-second adjustments to cut perfectly straight lines without modern laser guides.
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