Well the most versatile Japanese saw is double-edged, called a “ryoba.” One edge is for crosscutting, and the other is for ripping. They’re hard to sharpen (requiring a special very flat file; most people send them out), so one with a replaceable blade is probably best.
Here’s a reasonably-priced one from Rockler that looks like my first saw.
There are other models for rough-cutting lumber, making joints, sawing dowels flush to surfaces, etc. You can pick those up as needed.
Remember it cuts on the pull stroke. You don’t have to grip it hard, and I often just pinch the handle between thumb and forefinger. Relax your arm and don’t bear down. I often cut a small notch with a snap knife to give the saw a place to start. You can use a small block of wood to keep the blade perpendicular. The saw should be stay at a constant angle to the surface, and maybe shallower than you’re used to. The teeth are long, sharp and delicate, so don’t bang it on things.
I agree with Koko’s suggestion of a Ryoba. They are a very handy saw to have even if you have power tools. I wouldn’t worry so much about brand names, even the cheap ones are nice. I don’t think you can go wrong with any of them so long as they are made in Japan. Z-Saw is nice, so is Bakuma. Silky is also worth mentioning. They are mainly known for their outdoor saws, like for pruning or cutting firewood, but they also make carpentry or construction oriented saws too. They have a couple different types of Ryoba they call the ‘Hibiki’; they also have the ‘Woodboy’ and the ‘Master’ single-edged saws, etc.
like alot of what’s said I’ll start a little differently
getting started with tools - shop cordless and pick a battery platform. I think the OP did this saying something about going Dewalt.
shop on line - forget the box stores untill last I find I get my best deals on line anyway. so start there.
consider reconditioned tools even for your first use. IF DIY - is professional buy new in box
Then if home use or work work DIY - start with a cordless drill and impact driver as mentioned before - or perhaps consider a cordless drill and a cordless screw driver. Not an impact drvier but drives screws a little gentler. depends on what you plan to do. If large construction like a deck - get the impact driver first.
If car mechanics is the idea then perhaps start with a 3/8 ratchet (dewalt doesn’t have one out yet) and maybe still consider the impact driver. I use my impact driver with 1/4 adapter with 1/4 drive or even 3.8 drive sockets around the car alot. I don’t let it hammer on them however. And then I would look for a compact impact wrench - I like the new Dewalt 921 but Milwaukee and a few others make something simlar.
I think the usefulness of an OMT really depends on what you are doing. I was gifted my first OMT. It was a Dremel branded corded model–not my choice, but that’s what it was. It sat in its case for about two years without me needing to use it even once. Then I moved, and the new place needed a lot of fixing up. I had several doors to replace, a lot of trim work, two bathrooms and a kitchen that both needed major renovations, and a bunch of other misc. jobs. I suddenly had uses for that corded Dremel OMT…and it was super handy. The moment I realized its usefulness I went and bought a Dewalt so I could ditch the cord. Since then I have used it a great deal for home repair and renovation. I’ve used it to scrape off old caulk and sealant. Cut nails that could not be pulled, make detail cuts on trim when fitting doors, flush-cutting, drywall work, cutting paneling without affecting the drywall beneath, detail sanding, scraping out old tile grout, and more. I consider them very useful and I wouldn’t want to be without one now. That said, I would consider a drill/driver and some flavor of saw to be important to have first.
An OMT is a fantastic support tool for many jobs, but it’s not the main actor. For example, when I replaced the old doors in my home I used a circular saw to trim the bottom each door to length. I cut the bottoms of the frames to length by hand with a Japanese pull saw. I used a sliding miter saw to cut all the new trim, and a drill-driver to fasten everything into place. Those tools did the heavy lifting. The OMT was just used here and there–when I had to cut a nail which I couldn’t pull, or when I had to trim a little something for clearance in a corner. The OMT was super helpful, but if that was the only tool I had I couldn’t have gotten the job done. I would recommend an OMT to anyone doing home repair or general contracting sort of work, but they are rarely essential the way a drill is.
yeah unless your first project is like a tile work and you want to cut baseboards or you are doing outdoor trim and you don’t want to replace full strips or some other purpose OMT need.
Or and this is what I use mine for most - is detail pad sanding. I think it’s sanded more wood than it’s ever cut.
And had pricing not been on par and I not had a gift card I’d have probably bought corded vs cordless. Just like my RO sanders are not cordless and probably won’t be.
