The circular saw is widely credited to Sarah Tabitha Babbitt, a Shaker woman, who is believed to have invented the first circular saw for use in sawmills between 1810 and 1813. She came up with the idea to improve on the inefficient two-man whipsaw, which only cut wood on the forward stroke, by creating a circular blade that could cut continuously with rotary motion, thus wasting no movement and increasing efficiency. Although she did not patent her invention, the design quickly spread and significantly impacted woodworking and lumber cutting.
Other claims to the invention of the circular saw exist, including Samuel Miller who was awarded a British patent in 1777 related to circular saw technology, and Gervinus of Germany around 1780, but Tabitha Babbitt's contribution is notable for the practical design and application in sawmills.
In summary, Sarah Tabitha Babbitt is most often recognized as the inventor of the modern circular saw around 1810-1813 due to her innovative adaptation of a circular blade powered by a spinning mechanism, despite other claims to earlier patents and similar devices.
