9 Best Bow Saw Models To Make Cutting Easy. Wood bow saw

Best Bow Saw Models To Make Cutting Easy

Whether you’re pruning trees or cutting firewood, having the best bow saw you can find is essential. Our buyer’s guide reveals our picks!

As we move towards the autumn, it’s time to start planning for future pruning and firewood-cutting needs. Having the best bow saw on hand when that time comes is a necessity. And finding the right one may seem a bit difficult.

Today, we’ll talk about everything related to the bow saw, including the blade types, how to change the blade, and even the history of the saw itself. You’ll be prepared to get out there and find yours by the time we’re done.

And of course, I’ll share my recommendations of the cream of the crop to help you choose!

Best Bow Saw Reviews

Bond BS21 21-Inch Bow Saw

Type: Triangular Bow Saw

• Heavy.duty tubular steel frame
• Tempered double-cut steel blade
• Blade removes for replacement blades

For a very basic and functional triangular bow saw, I have to recommend this Bond bow saw. With a tight-angled triangular nose, it can easily get into tight spaces between branches on trees or shrubs. The steel frame is sturdy, and the steel blade is sharp and works well.

Bow Saw Basics. January 10, 2021

This is a very bare-bones model, however. Many people who use a triangular bow saw find that having a hand guard helps them to more easily hold onto the tool, and this lacks that guard. The handhold is overtop of the tensioning latch, and that may not be comfortable for everyone.

If you want something that’s basic, simple, and no-nonsense, this is your tool. It does its job and the price is extremely competitive.

BAHCO 21-Inch Pointed Nose Bow Saw

Type: Triangular Bow Saw with hand guard

• Small and handy bow saw for all around use
• Pointed nose makes the saw ideal for use in tight.
• Used for pruning and roofing work

This Bahco bow saw is designed to take on nearly any task you want to put it to. It’s designed for pruning or for roofing work.

A sturdy grip with a D-ring hand guard offers not only stability while using the saw, but safety so your hand doesn’t slide free. While the triangle’s tip is slightly wider than others in this category, that’s not a downfall, and it still works great in close quarters.

Of our choices today, I will easily say that this is the best saw for cutting tree branches. Swap out the dry wood blade for one meant for green wood, and it cuts through a wet branch with ease. Sturdily made, it’ll last for years and become one of the best bow saws in your toolbox.

Stansport Utility Camp Bow Saw

Type: Triangular Bow Saw

• Equipped with cross-cut blade
• Designed to cut through logs up to 12″ in diameter
• A necessity for any campers gear

This Stansport bow saw is designed for quick use as a camp saw for prepping firewood, but it works just as well in the garden. It will easily go through logs as much as a foot in diameter. Small branches don’t stand a chance against this sturdy, lightweight option.

While it comes equipped with a cross-cut blade, you’re welcome to swap out the blades for any other type you need. 30″ in length, it’s a good size for medium to large tasks.

BAHCO 24-Inch Ergo Bow Saw

Type: Standard Bow Saw with hand guard

I had planned on highlighting a bow saw with a hand guard and one without. However, after looking at the ones without hand guards, they aren’t on par with others. All of the major makers have switched to a hand guard model on their standard bow saws.

After much consideration, I came right back to this particular Bahco bow saw. It was surprisingly close, on the whole, as other manufacturers have very similar styling. But the guard on Black Decker’s bow saw was just a bit too meaty, and the one on Truper’s was just a bit thin.

Bahco made one that was just right, and while doing that they modified the tensioning latch. Instead of a latch, it’s a variable tension bolt that will give your blade a little wiggle if it’s necessary, or hold it taut when it’s not. That’s an added perk of this particular model not available on others.

24 inches in length, this will easily cut down your firewood with a dry wood blade, or can be used to remove branches or even cut down sapling trees if you know how. All things considered, I highly recommend this as one of the best bow saws you can get right now.

Stanley Garden FATMAX Bow Saw

Type: Standard Bow Saw with hand guard

• Large high-tension control knob easily locks in.
• Durable hand guard keeps your hand safe
• Comfort-molded grip reduces hand stress

One of the best things about the Stanley brand is that they love to guarantee their products for life. American-made, their products are durable and take a lot of abuse, and this bow saw is no different in that regard.

It tears through branches or brush with ease. The lightweight body makes it easy to use, and its comfort grip makes it comfortable to hold and reduces the chance of blistering. All told, it’s a sturdy and efficient offering from Stanley and well worth your consideration.

GreatNeck BB24 Bow Saw

Type: Standard Bow Saw

• DEDICATED CUTTING TOOL: Clear brush and prune.
• ESSENTIAL OUTDOOR SAW: When a downed tree stands.
• WIDELY APPLICABLE: This 24 inch bow saw blade is.

Tubular steel frame, check! Easy blade changes, check! With this model, GreatNeck has provided an easy-to-use, basic bow saw option that most of us can appreciate.

The chamfered drive end allows you to quickly slot your blade in place, and the tension latch pulls it taut quickly for fast blade change capability. Bright orange in color, it’s easy to see no matter where you leave it. And for a good basic saw, you can’t go wrong with this.

Kenyon 41455 30″ Bow Saw

Type: Standard Bow Saw

This pro-grade bow saw from Kenyon is no frills, all action. You won’t find fancy tensioning knobs nor quick-change blades here, nor any knuckle protection.

What you do get is a tubular steel bow with a surprisingly effective blade attached to it. The teeth of the blade are self-cleaning, so you’ll be clearing out wood pulp with every push or pull. And while it doesn’t look like anything special, looks aren’t always what counts.

Agawa Canyon BOREAL21 Backwoods Kit

Type: Folding Bow Saw

• VERSATILE: Take the BOREAL21 folding bow saw.
• EASY: Opens in seconds. just unfold, snap into.
• LIGHT PACKABLE: Length (21”/53cm) Weight.

I’m not a huge fan of folding bow saws, but if you’re a backpacker or like to go out into the woods, it can be useful to have a collapsible tool in your backpack. This one comes packaged in a heavy-duty sheath which keeps it from opening when you don’t want it to.

Included in this kit are the folding saw with its anodized aluminum body, a standard dry wood peg blade, a heavy-duty peg and raker blade, and the sheath. That sheath also includes a shoulder strap if you don’t have pack room to spare, so you don’t have to leave it behind.

For folks who don’t need to cut firewood at the campsite, this is not the best option you could own. Opt for a fixed-frame model if you’ll be working out of your garage. But if you’re on the go and traveling, you’ll love the Backwoods kit.

GreatNeck 15550 Heavy Duty Bow Saw/Hacksaw

Type: Saw Hybrid

• 2 IN 1 TOOL: You can save money with our saws for.
• INCLUDES TWO BLADES: So that you are always.
• MANY APPLICATIONS: Not only is the frame versatile.

Finally, we reach this small but mighty little saw. This GreatNeck hybrid model is both bow saw and hacksaw in one unit. It includes blades for cutting both wood and metal.

Only 12 inches in size, it works well for small projects, basic pruning, or cutting down PVC or metal pipe. The tension latch is rubber-dipped to provide extra stability in your hand. While it’s no-frills, it’s full of functionality and may be a great option for someone looking for just a small saw for light DIY work.

History Of The Bow Saw

Traditionally used in woodworking, a bow saw is occasionally referred to as a swede saw or buck saw. This style of saw has been in use for centuries, with examples from ancient China and the beginning of the Roman Empire being some of the oldest found.

Modern bow saws are often made out of tubular metal rather than the wooden frame of the older styles, but they function almost identically to their predecessors. A square, triangular, or curved frame keeps a metal blade stretched taut and allows you to create a clean and even cut.

The arborist’s bow saw should not be confused with a British bow saw, sometimes also called a frame saw or framing saw. While a modern bow saw has its origins in the frame saw used by carpenters, the blades themselves are significantly different.

A British bow saw has variable tension, allowing you to tighten or loosen the blade by simply tightening or loosening the tension wire on the upper part of the saw. While this can be useful for woodworkers who’re trying to get into tight spaces, it’s not necessary for wood cutting.

Bow saws like what we’re discussing today also shouldn’t be mixed up with the chainsaw bow saw. A predecessor to the modern chainsaw as we know it today, this early chainsaw with a bow shape was used mostly in the pulpwood industry to cut logs into 4′ segments.

However, those early chainsaw bow saws are incredibly dangerous to use, and have mostly been eliminated in the industry. Forestry rules have made them all but illegal to use now, and modern chainsaws have many more failsafes and safety measures.

Why Do I Need A Bow Saw?

If you have trees on your property, or even large, thick-trunked shrubs, you are going to find yourself in need of a bow saw sooner or later. While these tools require muscle power rather than an electric cord to do their work, a chainsaw is sometimes overkill.

For me, having a quality bow saw is essential. I can skip the wood axes or log splitters for smaller work and trim down smaller wood for my fireplace. If you have a chiminea, this will also be a fantastic purchase for you — after all, chimineas require wood of a specific size.

But they’re not limited to cutting firewood. Bow saws are also the easiest way to prune small to medium-sized branches on shrubs or trees. If you have woody growth at all, these are extremely useful tools in the shed. Even grapevines or other nubby growth can be easily cut to size.

Felling small diameter trees can even be done with a bow saw, although it takes a little bit of skill and a lot of safety preparations. These lightweight, maneuverable saws can spare you the maintenance agony of a chainsaw and the swinging motions of larger axes.

They’re also incredibly safe to use compared to a lot of the power tools on the market. While a chainsaw will make quick work of cutting your wood, it can also be quite dangerous. Hand-operated triangular bow saws can also get into areas a modern power saw can’t!

Essential Features

There are a few component parts that make up a bow saw. Let’s go over those now so you know what to look for!

Bow Saw Frame

As mentioned above, the earliest bow saws were wood, and typically were tensioned much like a framing saw. However, most commercial bow saws available now have a tubular metal frame which was developed in the 1920’s.

There are two basic shapes to a modern bow saw – a triangular bow, and a standard bow.

A standard bow shape is much like the shape of an archery bow or a C. By comparison, a triangular bow saw slants down towards the forward end of the bow, and the arch is back by the grip area.

Triangular bow saws are very useful if you’re going to be removing woody growth on thick shrubbery or in tight joints on trees. The standard bow shape is better for cutting firewood. Both are effective saw shapes, they just have different uses.

Bow Saw Blades

There are two basic types of cutting edges on bow saw blades. One, the peg tooth, is intended for cutting through dry wood. Peg tooth blades are usually a single shape of tooth, meant to cut on both the forward and back stroke.

Peg and raker blades have two shapes of teeth on the blade. The standard pegs cut on both the forward and back stroke, but the raker helps pull wood shavings out of the cut. This makes it much easier to get through green, wet wood.

Some companies offer reversible blades. These have peg blades on one side and peg and raker blades on the other, and you simply remove the blade and flip it over to switch to a different type. This can be very handy if you’re going to a job site.

It’s important that with any of these blades, you get a blade guard that can snap over the edged surfaces of the blade. These can be quite sharp, and it’s safer when transporting or storing your blade to have the edge covered.

Tensioning Latch

While old-fashioned wooden models had a wire that maintained the blade’s tension, the modern metal versions use a screw on one end to secure the blade, and a tensioning latch on the other.

To replace most of the modern blades, you will loosen the tensioning latch, then unscrew the screw and remove the blade. Slide a new blade in to replace it, tighten the screw, hook the latch onto the blade, and lock it down. It’s extremely easy to do.

When the latch is engaged, it pulls the somewhat-flexible blade taut, keeping it securely in place and unlikely to bend during use.

Secure Grip

While older-style wooden bow saws typically used the frame as the grip, a modern metal one usually has some form of a grip on one side. Sometimes this is part of the tensioning system for the blade, as the handle helps lock the blade in place.

Usually, this style of grip provides a very sturdy surface to grasp onto while using the saw. It may also include a D-ring above the interior of the blade which keeps your hand from sliding off the grip surface.

Other variations include a pistol-grip style which wraps around the metal bow, providing a slightly-textured surface that helps you to keep it firmly in hand. And there are some which have virtually no grip at all, requiring you to hold the metal frame itself.

It’s not a bad idea to test out how you hold a bow saw and determine what’s best for you. I personally prefer the D-ring style, as it gives me a little extra leverage on the forward pushing stroke, but some feel the D-ring gets in the way of the cutting edge. The choice is up to you!

Whether you’re acting as your own arborist or simply heating the house, picking the best bow saw for your needs makes a difference. With luck, you’ve found what you need here!

Top 5 Bow Saws for Cutting Firewood Logs

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Cutting logs is a strenuous task, regardless of the tool you use. Whether you’re the type that enjoys cutting logs or not, it’s a job made easier using the right tool.

A great tool for the task of cutting logs (and the topic of this guide) is a bow saw. Saws, as you already know, are made for cutting various materials; ideally wood. Bow saws are a wise choice due to their design.

The frame curves around the blade, leaving plenty of room between the blade and the frame. You need this space in order to cut through large logs.

I was surprised at the lack of information provided by similar buyer’s guides on the internet. Their recommendations are meaningful but misinformed. Most of them disregarded one of the most important aspects of a bow saw, especially for cutting firewood.

Anyway, that’s the purpose of this guide. I’ll show you what to look for in a bow saw and explain why it’s important. By the end of this post, you’ll know exactly what you need (and why you need it).

Listed directly below this paragraph are the four bows saw I recommend! All four are ideal for cutting logs. After you glance over the saws, continue reading to learn the main parts of a bow saw.

BrandSizeBuy

Bahco	24″	Amazon →
Agawa	24″	Amazon →
Fiskars	21″	Amazon →
Trooper	30″	Amazon →

The Parts of a Bow Saw

• Frame / Bow – The sturdy metal or composite frame that holds either side of the blade.
• Handle – The soft, rubber grip is where you hold the bow saw.
• Blade – The blade stretches from one side of the bow saw to the other. It’s the part that cuts the wood.
• Teeth – The teeth are the sharp, cutting edge of the blade.

How to Choose A Bow Saw For Cutting Firewood

In this section, I will explain what to look for in a quality log cutting bow saw. There are only a few things you need to pay attention to. After all, bow saws are fairly simple tools that perform one task; cut wood.

Size

One of the most important aspects of choosing the correct bow saw for cutting firewood logs is the size. The size listed on the bow saw refers to the length of the tool/blade. From the handle to the opposite side of the saw.

The length between the blade and the frame is just as important. Especially for cutting firewood. Firewood is often large, and you need enough distance between the blade and the frame in order to cut through the log!

If you take one thing away from this review, it’s this: make sure the distance between the blade and the frame is adequate for the size of logs you’re cutting.

Blade Type

Just as there are different types of saws, there are different types of blades. Some are meant for cutting hardwood while others are meant for cutting softwood.

A low TPI (Teeth Per Inch) cuts faster than a high TPI. However, the higher the TPI, the smoother the cut will be. High TPI blades are generally used for hardwood or for those who want a cleaner cut.

Lower TPI, between 5 – 7, are used for all types of wood, especially soft or green wood.

Also, there are bow saws that are used to cut other types of material. Things like metal or PVC. These saws will have blades that are completely different and won’t be effective at cutting wood. Be absolutely sure the bow saw you buy has a wood cutting blade!

Rest assured, all the blades and bow saws on this page are meant for cutting trees.

Price

The price is a factor that should always go into your decision. Fortunately, most of the bow saws in this buyer’s guide are reasonably priced.

In this guide, most of the saws cost around 30 or less. They’re sufficient for most situations, provided you take care of the blade. For those of you who might use a bow saw in the woods, while camping or hiking, I’ve added one just for you. It’s a bit pricey, however.

Best Bow Saws for Cutting Logs

Alright, now that you know what to look for in a quality bow saw, I’ll start the review! Listed below are four of the best bow saws for cutting firewood.

Bahco 24″ Bow Saw

The Bahco Bow Saw was created using the scientific ERGO technology for demanding applications and harsh conditions. It is composed of high-quality steel and is rust and corrosion-resistant due to a covering of high-impact enamel paint.

High blade tension (up to 120 KP) and straighter cutting are ensured by the unique tensioning system. The Bahco Bow Saw also comes with a dry wood peg tooth blade and a green wood raker tooth blade, making it ideal for any DIY project.

Furthermore, the ERGO handle with a knuckle guard is designed to provide optimum comfort with minimal effort.

About Bahco: The story of Bahco begins in 1862 when a guy from Sweden built Gohbo Stal, a high-quality steel company; much of the steel was used to make dependable fish hooks. His name was Goran Fredrik Goransson.

Goran used some of his steel to make Bahco saw blades twenty-four years later. To correlate the quality of his saw blades with the already well-known quality of his fish hooks, the saw blades were given a fish and hook trademark.

Bahco was responsible for a number of award-winning designs for tools ranging from screwdrivers to adjustable spanners during the following century.

Nowadays, the Bahco company manufactures a wide range of equipment for the home and garden, the outdoors, and the automobile industry.

This is my #1 recommended budget bow saw. Bahco has an outstanding name in the community for producing some of the finest saws.

Agawa Boreal 24

The Agawa Boreal 24 Bow Saw is a lightweight and portable saw that is ideal for camping, trekking, and hunting. It opens swiftly and simply, has no loose parts, and the blade tensioning system keeps the blade tight at all times.

The high clearance frame makes cutting through large diameter branches simple, and the ergonomic design makes it simple to use. With an anodized aluminum frame and a fiberglass reinforced nylon handle, the saw is also tough.

Perhaps the most notable feature is that it folds up. This, of course, makes it preferable for camping or hiking through the woods. over, storing it in less space is beneficial at home, too.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this guide, one of the most important aspects of using a bow saw for cutting firewood is the distance between the blade and the frame. Too small of a distance and you won’t be able to cut through large logs. This bow saw has plenty of distance.

The Boreal 24 will easily cut through logs 7 to 8 inches in diameter. There are smaller versions but, as they get smaller, so does the size of the logs they’re capable of cutting through.

This is my #1 recommended bow saw overall. However, it is a bit more expensive than the others. The price is well worth it, in my opinion. Especially if you plan to use it for many years to come.

Fiskars 21″ Bow Saw

About Fiskars: In 1649, Fiskars was founded in Finland. They believe that around 63% of all US people possess at least one item manufactured by their firm. Their orange scissors are possibly their most well-known product. To summarize, Fiskars is a forward-thinking corporation with a long history of making high-quality products.

As for their 21″ bow saw, it’s the smaller of the two bow saws in the Fiskars series and is ideal for cutting thicker branches and limbs on trees. It, like the other saws in this line, has a curved snout that allows it to cut in hard-to-reach or challenging places, such as heavily foliaged trees and hedges.

It makes use of ‘planar toothing,’ which allows the saw to cut while both pushing and pulling. Finally, it comes with a plastic shield to protect the blade while carrying.

You can find these in many department stores or online for a reasonable bargain. They’re well equipped for cutting firewood or trimming branches around the yard.

Truper 30″ Bow Saw

The Truper 30″ Bow Saw is the longest one in this review. It has a steel tube frame with a moderately comfortable grip.

The price is comparable to its competitors. Its best selling point is the cam-level tension system. A common issue for bow saws is that the tensioning system doesn’t keep the blade tight. This is arguably the only job a bow saw has – holding the blade tight. Truper’s bow saw does it well.

My opinion is that the blade isn’t fantastic. The reason is that it’s not very effective for hardwood, which is what most people burn in their stoves. Since this post is all about the best bow saw for cutting logs (ie, firewood), the blade should be fitting for cutting hardwood.

As for the Truper brand, you’ve likely seen their tools in department stores. They’re priced competitively and usually good enough to get the job done. The value you get is worth the price you pay. If you’re looking for something with a bit higher quality, you’ll have to pay more.

All around, it’s a decent choice but I recommend the Bahco bow saw if you’re looking for a budget option.

Tips For Making Your Bow Saw Blades Last Longer

Saw blades can become dull when left uncleaned. Dirt from the tree and sawdust coat the blade and when you let it sit in the garage all year, the blade quickly wears out, especially if it is wet.

This is why most saws work great the first time you use them but a year later, when you dust it off, it doesn’t work very well. So, what’s the solution?

Perhaps the best way to store your bow saw is to first wipe off the blade and then spray it with some WD40, which helps prevent rust. Store it in a dry location and you should be good to go. Featured photo by Roman_23203 @ Adobe Stock.

TLDR; Which Bow Saw is Best For Cutting Logs?

Selecting the best bow saw for cutting logs isn’t difficult once you know what you need. I recommend a long bow saw with plenty of distance between the blade and the frame. Having distance between the blade and frame is important for cutting through logs with a large diameter.

Another important aspect is the blade and how many teeth it has per inch (TPI/Teeth Per Inch). Lower TPI blades are best for free wood and cut faster while higher TPI blades cut slower and smoother, and are preferable for hardwood.

Out of all the bow saws reviewed in this guide, I recommend the Bahco 24″ Bow Saw or the Boreal Agawa 24″. Bahco’s saw is certainly cheaper but well suited for cutting logs. The Boreal Agawa 24 is the best of the best. It’s the most expensive for a reason. It’s made from high-quality materials and has a nice folding design.

One Comment

Your article was quite good. Some of the newer Electric Chainsaws come with amazingly strong batteries and will work significantly better than older ones. I like a smaller electric chainsaw when working on limbs up in a tree. As to splitting mauls… I have had a “Monster Maul” for about 50 years. Until about two years ago I used it to split up hundreds of trees for firewood. I have cut down many trees for neighbors and their friends. That Monster Maul weighs 16 pounds. Yes, it is a heavy… but I seldom need more the one strike to split wood. Although recently I had to split some elm and some hickory that was kicking my butt. I bought a 27 Ton gas-powered hydraulic log splitter and am now a big believer. Just a couple days ago I helped a neighbor/friend split a truckload of elm logs he had been given. Can’t imagine being able to do that with any axe or maul. I am 74 years old and do this for fun. Thanks again for your great posting.

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I’m an avid outdoorsman with a passion for sharing my knowledge of forestry gadgets. Axes, saws, chainsaws, and more.

Top 5 Bow Saws for Cutting Firewood Logs

Timber Gadgets is reader-supported. We may earn a commission if you buy through the links on our site.

Cutting logs is a strenuous task, regardless of the tool you use. Whether you’re the type that enjoys cutting logs or not, it’s a job made easier using the right tool.

A great tool for the task of cutting logs (and the topic of this guide) is a bow saw. Saws, as you already know, are made for cutting various materials; ideally wood. Bow saws are a wise choice due to their design.

The frame curves around the blade, leaving plenty of room between the blade and the frame. You need this space in order to cut through large logs.

I was surprised at the lack of information provided by similar buyer’s guides on the internet. Their recommendations are meaningful but misinformed. Most of them disregarded one of the most important aspects of a bow saw, especially for cutting firewood.

Anyway, that’s the purpose of this guide. I’ll show you what to look for in a bow saw and explain why it’s important. By the end of this post, you’ll know exactly what you need (and why you need it).

Listed directly below this paragraph are the four bows saw I recommend! All four are ideal for cutting logs. After you glance over the saws, continue reading to learn the main parts of a bow saw.

BrandSizeBuy

Bahco	24″	Amazon →
Agawa	24″	Amazon →
Fiskars	21″	Amazon →
Trooper	30″	Amazon →

Top 5 Best Bow Saws for Cutting Logs in 2022

The Parts of a Bow Saw

• Frame / Bow – The sturdy metal or composite frame that holds either side of the blade.
• Handle – The soft, rubber grip is where you hold the bow saw.
• Blade – The blade stretches from one side of the bow saw to the other. It’s the part that cuts the wood.
• Teeth – The teeth are the sharp, cutting edge of the blade.

How to Choose A Bow Saw For Cutting Firewood

In this section, I will explain what to look for in a quality log cutting bow saw. There are only a few things you need to pay attention to. After all, bow saws are fairly simple tools that perform one task; cut wood.

Size

One of the most important aspects of choosing the correct bow saw for cutting firewood logs is the size. The size listed on the bow saw refers to the length of the tool/blade. From the handle to the opposite side of the saw.

The length between the blade and the frame is just as important. Especially for cutting firewood. Firewood is often large, and you need enough distance between the blade and the frame in order to cut through the log!

If you take one thing away from this review, it’s this: make sure the distance between the blade and the frame is adequate for the size of logs you’re cutting.

Blade Type

Just as there are different types of saws, there are different types of blades. Some are meant for cutting hardwood while others are meant for cutting softwood.

A low TPI (Teeth Per Inch) cuts faster than a high TPI. However, the higher the TPI, the smoother the cut will be. High TPI blades are generally used for hardwood or for those who want a cleaner cut.

Lower TPI, between 5 – 7, are used for all types of wood, especially soft or green wood.

Also, there are bow saws that are used to cut other types of material. Things like metal or PVC. These saws will have blades that are completely different and won’t be effective at cutting wood. Be absolutely sure the bow saw you buy has a wood cutting blade!

Rest assured, all the blades and bow saws on this page are meant for cutting trees.

Price

The price is a factor that should always go into your decision. Fortunately, most of the bow saws in this buyer’s guide are reasonably priced.

In this guide, most of the saws cost around 30 or less. They’re sufficient for most situations, provided you take care of the blade. For those of you who might use a bow saw in the woods, while camping or hiking, I’ve added one just for you. It’s a bit pricey, however.

Best Bow Saws for Cutting Logs

Alright, now that you know what to look for in a quality bow saw, I’ll start the review! Listed below are four of the best bow saws for cutting firewood.

Bahco 24″ Bow Saw

The Bahco Bow Saw was created using the scientific ERGO technology for demanding applications and harsh conditions. It is composed of high-quality steel and is rust and corrosion-resistant due to a covering of high-impact enamel paint.

High blade tension (up to 120 KP) and straighter cutting are ensured by the unique tensioning system. The Bahco Bow Saw also comes with a dry wood peg tooth blade and a green wood raker tooth blade, making it ideal for any DIY project.

Furthermore, the ERGO handle with a knuckle guard is designed to provide optimum comfort with minimal effort.

About Bahco: The story of Bahco begins in 1862 when a guy from Sweden built Gohbo Stal, a high-quality steel company; much of the steel was used to make dependable fish hooks. His name was Goran Fredrik Goransson.

Goran used some of his steel to make Bahco saw blades twenty-four years later. To correlate the quality of his saw blades with the already well-known quality of his fish hooks, the saw blades were given a fish and hook trademark.

Bahco was responsible for a number of award-winning designs for tools ranging from screwdrivers to adjustable spanners during the following century.

Nowadays, the Bahco company manufactures a wide range of equipment for the home and garden, the outdoors, and the automobile industry.

This is my #1 recommended budget bow saw. Bahco has an outstanding name in the community for producing some of the finest saws.

Agawa Boreal 24

The Agawa Boreal 24 Bow Saw is a lightweight and portable saw that is ideal for camping, trekking, and hunting. It opens swiftly and simply, has no loose parts, and the blade tensioning system keeps the blade tight at all times.

The high clearance frame makes cutting through large diameter branches simple, and the ergonomic design makes it simple to use. With an anodized aluminum frame and a fiberglass reinforced nylon handle, the saw is also tough.

Perhaps the most notable feature is that it folds up. This, of course, makes it preferable for camping or hiking through the woods. over, storing it in less space is beneficial at home, too.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this guide, one of the most important aspects of using a bow saw for cutting firewood is the distance between the blade and the frame. Too small of a distance and you won’t be able to cut through large logs. This bow saw has plenty of distance.

The Boreal 24 will easily cut through logs 7 to 8 inches in diameter. There are smaller versions but, as they get smaller, so does the size of the logs they’re capable of cutting through.

This is my #1 recommended bow saw overall. However, it is a bit more expensive than the others. The price is well worth it, in my opinion. Especially if you plan to use it for many years to come.

Fiskars 21″ Bow Saw

About Fiskars: In 1649, Fiskars was founded in Finland. They believe that around 63% of all US people possess at least one item manufactured by their firm. Their orange scissors are possibly their most well-known product. To summarize, Fiskars is a forward-thinking corporation with a long history of making high-quality products.

As for their 21″ bow saw, it’s the smaller of the two bow saws in the Fiskars series and is ideal for cutting thicker branches and limbs on trees. It, like the other saws in this line, has a curved snout that allows it to cut in hard-to-reach or challenging places, such as heavily foliaged trees and hedges.

It makes use of ‘planar toothing,’ which allows the saw to cut while both pushing and pulling. Finally, it comes with a plastic shield to protect the blade while carrying.

You can find these in many department stores or online for a reasonable bargain. They’re well equipped for cutting firewood or trimming branches around the yard.

Truper 30″ Bow Saw

The Truper 30″ Bow Saw is the longest one in this review. It has a steel tube frame with a moderately comfortable grip.

The price is comparable to its competitors. Its best selling point is the cam-level tension system. A common issue for bow saws is that the tensioning system doesn’t keep the blade tight. This is arguably the only job a bow saw has – holding the blade tight. Truper’s bow saw does it well.

My opinion is that the blade isn’t fantastic. The reason is that it’s not very effective for hardwood, which is what most people burn in their stoves. Since this post is all about the best bow saw for cutting logs (ie, firewood), the blade should be fitting for cutting hardwood.

As for the Truper brand, you’ve likely seen their tools in department stores. They’re priced competitively and usually good enough to get the job done. The value you get is worth the price you pay. If you’re looking for something with a bit higher quality, you’ll have to pay more.

All around, it’s a decent choice but I recommend the Bahco bow saw if you’re looking for a budget option.

Tips For Making Your Bow Saw Blades Last Longer

Saw blades can become dull when left uncleaned. Dirt from the tree and sawdust coat the blade and when you let it sit in the garage all year, the blade quickly wears out, especially if it is wet.

This is why most saws work great the first time you use them but a year later, when you dust it off, it doesn’t work very well. So, what’s the solution?

Perhaps the best way to store your bow saw is to first wipe off the blade and then spray it with some WD40, which helps prevent rust. Store it in a dry location and you should be good to go. Featured photo by Roman_23203 @ Adobe Stock.

TLDR; Which Bow Saw is Best For Cutting Logs?

Selecting the best bow saw for cutting logs isn’t difficult once you know what you need. I recommend a long bow saw with plenty of distance between the blade and the frame. Having distance between the blade and frame is important for cutting through logs with a large diameter.

Another important aspect is the blade and how many teeth it has per inch (TPI/Teeth Per Inch). Lower TPI blades are best for free wood and cut faster while higher TPI blades cut slower and smoother, and are preferable for hardwood.

Out of all the bow saws reviewed in this guide, I recommend the Bahco 24″ Bow Saw or the Boreal Agawa 24″. Bahco’s saw is certainly cheaper but well suited for cutting logs. The Boreal Agawa 24 is the best of the best. It’s the most expensive for a reason. It’s made from high-quality materials and has a nice folding design.

One Comment

Your article was quite good. Some of the newer Electric Chainsaws come with amazingly strong batteries and will work significantly better than older ones. I like a smaller electric chainsaw when working on limbs up in a tree. As to splitting mauls… I have had a “Monster Maul” for about 50 years. Until about two years ago I used it to split up hundreds of trees for firewood. I have cut down many trees for neighbors and their friends. That Monster Maul weighs 16 pounds. Yes, it is a heavy… but I seldom need more the one strike to split wood. Although recently I had to split some elm and some hickory that was kicking my butt. I bought a 27 Ton gas-powered hydraulic log splitter and am now a big believer. Just a couple days ago I helped a neighbor/friend split a truckload of elm logs he had been given. Can’t imagine being able to do that with any axe or maul. I am 74 years old and do this for fun. Thanks again for your great posting.

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I’m an avid outdoorsman with a passion for sharing my knowledge of forestry gadgets. Axes, saws, chainsaws, and more.

What Are Bow Saws Used For?

My bow saw has a red handle and a 20″ blade. I take good care of it and store it inside, oiling the blade from time to time to prevent rust. I also have a pole saw, and between the two, I can take good care of branches on the trees that surround the garden, both low and high.

Chain saws are convenient and do the cutting quickly and with little effort on my part except to be Smart enough to stay out of the moving blade’s way. But it feels a little like cheating to me. I remember, as a young kid using my father’s bow saw to clean away low branches on crab Apple trees that were all over our property. Since then, I have always had a bow saw, and probably always will, as it just seems more proper and authentic.

Bow Saws in History

It’s not known when bow saws were first used, but evidence apparently exists that they were used in ancient China, as well as about 800 years ago in the west. Early versions of bow saws had an h-shaped wooden frame with a blade running from one end of the vertical h-shape to the end of the opposite vertical h-shape in the frame. These models were referred to as “buck” saws.

These buck saws are still made today, and you can also often pick up one at an antique store or find one in an old farm barn. The handle was a wooden grip, and there was a line to adjust the tension on the blade to keep it taught. The h-frames would be made of a hardwood like birch or hickory, each of which we have written of in past articles, including reference to their Janka Scale rating.

There is something about these old-style buck saws that appeals to the purist. Hand-powered, aesthetically pleasing to look at and hold in your hand. It has an authentic feel to use in trimming branches or cutting up logs into fireplace length for a fire to keep the house warm. They hearken back to a time before power tools, lithium-ion batteries, and the noise that goes with all of that.

Bow Saws Today

Today’s bow saw models have metal “bows” shaped like a hunting bow, with the blades taking the place of the bow string, if you will. They come in a variety of sizes, with blades running between 30 – 36 inches for the larger ones, an average of 20″ for the common ones (like mine), and as short as 12″ on the smaller end.

On the handle end of the bow is a lever that releases and then draws taught the blade, making swapping blades out for new ones an easy task. If a bow saw is properly maintained and stored, though, the blade should last well.

A new bow saw will run from 12 up to 60, depending on the size and the brand. By comparison, we found buck saws for as much as 200, depending on both the size and the wood used to make the h-frame. Bow saws can come, also with a blade cover, and it’s not a bad idea, especially if you have kids around the shop, house, or barn.

Bow Saw Blades

Bow saws have a cutting stroke, meaning they will cut on both the pull and the push strokes as you work your way through the wood. With teeth angled in both directions, they are very effective in making cuts in both directions. The teeth are jagged and with a low tooth-per-inch count. Blades can be removed easily for sharpening if you want to prolong the life of the saw.

Depending on the length of the bow saw blade, replacement blades can be as low as 6. With the release lever on the handle, it’s easy and quick to remove the old blade and replace it with a new one, and in less than a minute, you can be back to cutting tasks.

Bow Saw blades are thin and narrow and come in two types:

• Peg Tooth Blades for Bow Saws. These blades have triangular-shaped teeth that are well-spaced between each other. These blades will cut both live and dead trees and branches but are designed specifically to cut hard wood that has dried.
• Peg and Raker Tooth Blades for Bow Saws. These blades have an extra tooth from time to time along their length, the “raker” tooth. This tooth has a different angle (out) and will chip or “rake” the wood out of the cut. The peg and raker tooth blades for bow saws are well suited for cutting both wet wood and green wood, with the raker tooth doing its job well in removing wood from the cuts.

Bow Saw Handles

Handles on bow saws are referred to as closed pistol grip handles. They are easy to grip and protect the hand from slipping while cutting.

Bow Saw Frames

This is the bow part of a bow saw and is a hollow metal pipe like my red one. The front piece of the frame, the bow, is angled like a hunting bow and provides a second grip area for the other hand if some additional oomph is needed in the cutting.

Other Bow Saw Parts

We’ve mentioned the lever that loosens the blade for removal and replacement, as well as tightening the saw into place once again.

In addition to this feature, though, there is also a wing nut that increases the tension of the blade. You want a taught blade for the best and easiest cutting; a loose blade can be bent during cutting, especially if you are trying to push the blade through the wood quickly. With a taught and sharp blade, you can let the blade do the work just like a Smart chef lets the knife do the work when cutting vegetables or meats.

Common Bow Saw Tasks

Bow saws are light in weight and easily portable, two of their appealing properties. They excel at pruning smaller branches from trees and cutting those branches into fireplace or wood stove lengths for burning.

The most common tasks you’re likely to perform with your bow saw include:

Pruning branches from a tree. The size and gauge of the branches are up to you and your arm strength and ambition, but usually, they will be small to medium in size. Because the bow saw is so lightweight, it is easy to carry with you up a ladder, so the branches do not necessarily need to be low on the tree.

Cutting firewood. You’ve already cut the branches down from the tree; now is the time to cut the branches down into a size that will fit your fireplace or wood stove. A sawhorse will aid you in this task, and you’ll grasp the log with the other hand while you cross-cut through it.

Removing old shrubs and bushes. When they have passed or become overgrown, a bow saw is a good tool to use for their removal. You can cut them down at or near the ground and then remove the stump and roots with a shovel to make room for their replacement shrubs.

Removing trees. The same thing – for cutting down small trees that may be dying or need to be removed to make space for some new plantings.

Bow saws are very versatile tools, and you don’t need an extension cord to use them. They travel easily and well, also, and can be brought along on camping trips to help you break down wood for campfires. They are handy for making a quick cut on a branch that might be growing too close to the house or roof. The more you use your bow saw, the more jobs you’ll end up finding for it.

I’m replacing some wooden stairs that lead down into the garden. My bow saw has come in handy to remove posts and break down the old stairs and railings for hauling away. I could have used power tools for the task, but again, there is something both nostalgic and authentic about using the bow saw I remember from my youth.

Buck Saw in Action

Just in case a buck saw is new to you, we found a good video that shows a very cool buck saw in action. As soon as you see it, you’ll recognize it but simply didn’t know what to call it.

Bow Saw In Action

You likely know what a bow saw is, but if you don’t, here is all you will ever need to know about them in a single video.

If you do any work outdoors, in your garden, or in your yard, a bow saw is a cool tool to have. They are inexpensive, and when properly used and cared for, they will last a long time. Replacement blades are inexpensive, also, and easy to swap out. I really do use mine all the time with good results.

Matt Hagens

Matt is an experienced woodworker and a devoted family man. Matt’s passion for woodworking began at a young age when he would watch his grandfather in his woodworking shop. He has spent over 20 years honing his skills, learning new techniques, and perfecting his designs. When he’s not in his workshop, Matt loves spending time with his family.