The Best Bow Saws of 2024

A Buying Guide: The Best Bow Saws

If you are looking for a new saw in the market, you will have many options when it comes to the many types of saws available. While some are designed to cut metal, others are more specialized, making them perfect for tasks such as cutting young wood and trees in your yard.

If you have to choose one saw for your garden, it has to be this one. A bow saw is just like frame saws that have a thin blade that is held in tension by a frame. We have come up with various options, which happen to be the best bow saws.

All of these different bow saws have their key features and the choices listed will surely help you choose the best bow saw for you. However, because many of you may want to learn more about bow saws, we have put up a comprehensive purchasing guide for the finest bow saws.

What Are the Things To Think About Before Buying a Bow Saw?

When shopping for a bow saw, there are a few factors to keep in mind, just as with any other gardening tool.

Green-wood or seasoned wood

Different blades are better suited to soft young wood, while others are better suited to dead or seasoned limbs. Bow saws for green wood feature wider rake-like teeth to reduce clogging with softer fibers but saw blades for dry wood have sharper, sharper teeth for shearing through harder materials.

The length of the blade

Smaller activities, such as cutting tiny branches, pruning small trees and decorative shrubs, are better suited to short bow saws of approximately 17 inches in length. Longer bow saws are better for harder operations like tree felling and firewood production.

Handle

The handle must be pleasant to hold, give enough grip and assistance, and have a built-in hand shield to keep your hand. This will hold your hand in place as you saw it, even if you start sweating, and will protect your knuckles as you work.

Tension adjuster

The strength of bow saw blades varies with time, based on use, dampness, and warmth, making it unstable and potentially dangerous to operate. A tension adjuster can help you avoid problems like these by keeping the blade firmly attached to the bow. An automated tension adjustment is available on some bow saws.

Shape

Some bow saws, especially the smaller ones, have a triangular form rather than a bow. This makes navigating them into narrower spaces to cut trees or shrubs much easier.

What Characteristics Should You Look for When Purchasing a Bow Saw?

Portability

If you wish to transport your bow saw to different places for whatever reason, you should think about its mobility. One simple method to determine this is to weigh the bow saw; a 400-500 grams bow saw will be far more practical than 800 grams one. Aside from being lightweight, certain portable bow saws may also include collapsible designs, making them ideal for use on the move.

Frame

You won’t be able to effectively chop down branches without the frame of your bow saw, especially if they are fairly powerful. As a result, it is critical to check that your bow saw’s frame is robust and solid before purchasing one.

You may do so by looking at the materials utilized in the manufacture of your specific bow saw. Except for some lightweight aluminum-framed bow saws, virtually every other option has a tubular steel frame that guarantees your bow saw is robust.

Warranty

Like any other gardening item in your garage, you will want your bow saw to keep working even after a lengthy amount of time. As a result, double-checking your bow saw’s guarantee is always a good idea.

Apart from the standard 1-year guarantee given by most bow saws, there are other alternatives to incorporate a lifetime warranty for considerably better durability and peace of mind.

Color

Bow saws come in a range of shades, but one with a richly painted handle is worth looking for because it will be easier to locate on the grass or in the trees as you go, which is incredibly significant if you deal in thick forests. 

What Are the Safety Tips for Bow Saw?

Bow saws are extremely sharp and maybe quite hazardous when used improperly; therefore, always follow basic safety procedures, such as:

Carry it with caution

Saw blades come with a hard blade, wire, or chain with a toothed edge. So, always keep the saw in the metal frame’s middle, with the teeth facing down to the earth. Offer the handle end of the saw to someone else to pass it on to.

Wearing protective gear

Heavy-duty sealed shoes or work boots are also necessary, as are heavy-duty gloves and thick, robust long pants.

Remove the protective sheath and replace it

As soon as you have completed sawing, put the protective sheath over the blade.

Make sure the area is ready

Small children and pets should be kept out of the work area. Do not leave the saw on the ground where it might be tripped over or stood on. 

How To Use a Bow Saw

• Carefully cut the branch from the top-down, applying pressure to the push and pull movements and ensuring that you are located above the plant.
• Hold the blade vertically against the wood, working from waist height if feasible.
• Use your dominant hand to operate the saw while your non-dominant hand settles down the tree limb. Keep your palm on the wood, away from the blade, and tuck your thumb under the limb.
• The bow saw can snag or stick here, causing it to bend or skip. Be cautious on the first few cuts. Before adding further pressure, work carefully until the blade is well beneath the surface layers.
• Using the whole length of saw blades is more feasible when cutting without leaning your arm very far.
• On your push stroke, press down and then forward at a 40-degree tilt. This helps you to cut more quickly.

This video from Herve Del Norte will teach you all the basics about a bow saw, if you’d like to learn more: