The slit or notch produced by a saw or cutting tool, and by extension the width of material removed by that cut.
A kerf is the slit or notch produced by a saw or similar cutting tool. The term also refers to the width of material removed by the cut.
In stone, wood, and other carving materials, kerf width affects layout, dimensional accuracy, fitting, and the amount of material lost during cutting. Diamond blades, wire saws, and other cutting systems each produce a characteristic kerf.
Etymology
From Middle English, from Old English cyrf, related to ceorfan, “to carve or cut.”
Sculptor Notes
Kerf matters whenever a sculptor is cutting a block to dimension or assembling precisely fitted components. A layout that ignores blade width can easily produce undersized parts or cumulative error.
References
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kerf