When using a hand-held saw, which action is more important: the pushing or the pulling?

If the teeth angle forward, they cut on the push only, period. If the teeth angle backward, they cut on the pull, like some asian trim saws. If it cuts on the push AND pull the teeth will be straight down with a lot of set to the teeth, like a crosscut. No matter whether it's a hacksaw, band saw, rip saw,crosscut saw. Scroll saw, coping saw or any other saw, those three things determine push or pull, even on a chainsaw.

it depends on what type of saw you are using . different tools for different jobs like a hacksaw we would use for cutting steel has different teeth to a saw i might use for woodwork which can have angled teeth that slice on the push and rip on the pull . then there are timber saws which have staggered teeth.

So it really depends on what saw you are using for what job and how well you use it.

for your questions sake on my carpentry saw the pull is more effective as it rips i could effectively pull > remove saw > posistion back into groove> and continue until i cut through the entire piece. Although i would never want to when i can push hehe

i could do it the other way round to but i would be faster Repetitively using the retraction motion

Thank you both for your answers, they were very helpful.