Abstract: A clamping device (3) for the saw blade (4) of a hand-operated compass sawing machine has a centering sleeve (7) for the clamped end (5) of the saw blade (4) and a clamping sleeve (10) rotatably mounted on the centering sleeve (7). During the rotation of the clamping sleeve (10) by means of a torsion spring (11), the clamping sleeve (10) is brought, via inclined planes, into the clamping position for the saw blade (4). To improve handling, and especially to make the adjusting member (27, 20) independent of the sawing stroke, a connection bush (27) with a gripping member (28), which connection bush is mounted axially nondisplaceably in the housing (1), is provided as an adjusting member.