If you love maintaining a neat, homey yard or garden, you probably have an arsenal of tools in your shed. But what exactly do you use when you need to clear some small branches and carry out some light woodwork? How about cutting through pipes, plastic, and even metal?
It goes without saying that power saws are out of the question. Some of these monsters don’t have the gentle touch required not to absolutely obliterate small wood, metal, and plastic projects. What you need is a bow saw – a small, portable handheld saw that is more comfortable, effective, affordable, and more practical for smaller jobs than a chainsaw. So, how do you get the right saw for the job?
Key Features to Look for When Buying a Bow Saw
a. Intended purpose
Do you intend to saw dry wood and planks to size or cut live branches and shrubbery? Although you can use any bow saw for light sawing projects, there are some design aspects. For instance, bows designed for dry wood have a peg tooth blade that spreads the work reducing clogging while green wood bows have rake-like teeth to clear out fresh waste.
b. Overall length
Bow saws come in many lengths and sizes. They range from smaller lengths of between 14 to 18 inches suitable for light gardening and pruning all the way to massive 30 inch blades designed for intensive tasks like logging and felling.
c. Other features
- Knuckle guard – Designed to protect your hand from injuries while offering added grip.
- Protective sheath – Bow saws have really sharp blades; a sheath covers the blade to avoid minor cuts and injuries to you or your equipment.
- Bright colour – When working outside in thick foliage and undergrowth, the bright colours help the saw stand out.
The Best Bow Saw Reviews
1. Spear & Jackson Predator
Known for their high quality products and proud heritage, Spear and Jackson have been providing some of the best gardening equipment since the 1700’s. Their Predator B9821 Bow Saw is among their hardpoint models designed specifically to meet today’s demanding professions.
The B9821 incorporates predator technology which gives the saw exceptional performance and durability. It also allows for fast and efficient cutting of regular woodwork, UPVC, second fix woodwork, and laminate. The shallow frame gives users more precision and manoeuvrability to work through different materials. Likewise, the rubber grip offers added strength with a knuckle guard to keep your hands safe in case of injury.
What I like about it:
- Genuine Spear and Jackson Bow Saw
- Narrowing shape offers easier manoeuvrability
- Adjustable tension system
2. Bahco 10-24-23 Bow Saw
If there’s one company that has the best bow saws in the UK, it has to be Bahco. Their 24 inch bow has been especially designed to handle an array of tough, demanding projects around the yard and garden. The Bahco 10-24-23 Bowsaw is a lightweight but heavy duty bow crafted for all round use.
Thanks to a unique modern tensioning mechanism in the handle, changing the blade and tension adjustment is quite easy. With a high blade tension and sturdy fittings, users can be able to achieve clean and precise cuts. The 24 inch blade is also suitable for cutting wet or green wood and comes with a handy snap on tooth guard that protects against cuts and injuries. The integrated handle has a built in knuckle guard to protect your knuckles at all times.
What I like about it:
- Modern tensioning system for straight and precise cutting
- ERGO process developed bow frame
- Interchangeable blades for wet and dry wood
3. Bahco 21 Inch Bow Saw
Got some light pruning to do around the garden? Then you’ll need a bow saw built specifically for working on wet wood. The Bahco 21 Inch Bow Saw is a small, strong, durable pointed nose saw that is ideal for cutting through lumber, wood, and green branches. Crafted from high quality steel, the 21 inch blade will not buckle or bend even under heavy pressure.
The pointed nose on the 21 Inch Bow Saw from Bahco makes it more than ideal for working in confined spaces such as on top of trees or even when shaping wood. So whether you are pruning or carrying out some roofing work, the lightweight frame makes the saw easier to use. In addition to an easy to use blade tensioning system, there’s a hand guard on the handle to protect against injury.
What I like about it:
- Extra wet cut blade for live wood
- Pointed nose allows for working in confined spaces
- Razor sharp teeth treated against dust and corrosion
4. Roughneck 66821 Bow Saw
Here’s another really decent bow saw made by a reputable company popularly known as Roughneck. But what made us consider this model for our best bow saw list in the UK is because it’s the most affordable. So if you’re looking for a bow saw but have a limited budget, this is it right here.
But don’t be fooled by the low price range; the Roughneck 66821 Bow Saw is quite a hardy and durable model. The manufacturer used a large, thick steel frame that not only provides strength, but also a rigid base on which to work on.The easy blade tensioner allows for quick adjustments while the knuckle protector ensures safe and comfortable use.
What I like about it:
- Large, thick steel frame
- Easy blade tensioner
- Budget friendly price range
5. Grüntek Marlin Bow and Hacksaw
Here’s another low cost bow that really gives customers more value for their money. The Grüntek Marlin Bow and Hacksaw is a light, sharp, 610 mm hacksaw designed for an aggressive cut and maximum comfort. Thanks to a deeper frame, this bow offers faster and deeper cutting even for thick logs.
The manufacturer also made use of a steel blade with impulse hardened precision toothing. This guarantees efficient and energy saving sawing of both dry and live wood. In addition to cutting during both pushing and pulling strokes, the handle design is ambidextrous meaning the saw can be used in your right and left hand. The slightly bent hand-grip offers more grip and control while the knuckle guard ensures zero injury in case of slippage.
What I like about it:
- Budget friendly price range
- Energy saving, impulse hardened blade teeth
- Outbalanced construction that minimises stress during sawing
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is a bow saw used for?
A bow saw, with its sharp, aggressive teeth, is the ideal thing for sawing through large chunks of wood such as firewood. It can also be used for woodworking purposes, making straight or curved cuts.
They are great at cutting green wood, where other saws may fail, because of their coarse blades that can cut through pretty much anything, once momentum has started. They usually leave a rough finish, which makes them less suitable for fine cuts in wood where precision is needed.
Q: How to sharpen a bow saw blade?
- Fix the saw in a bench vice.
- Take a flat file and rub back and forth over each tooth until the blunt surface has been made sharp.
- Using a three sided file, give each tooth three to four strokes until all the teeth are equal shapes and the base of the teeth is straight.
- If all the teeth are facing straight up, bend each alternate one to either side so the cut of the saw is wider than the blade. This means it shouldn’t catch on the material you are cutting.
Q: How to cut down a tree with a bow saw?
Depending on the size of the tree, you can cut one down with a bow saw. You need to determine the size of it first – if it is a Redwood size then you won’t stand a chance with a bow saw, you would need specialist equipment. If it is a small sapling then you can cut it down with a bow saw.
- You should first of all make sure that the tree is stable on all sides, and that it is not likely to damage any property as it comes down (unlikely if it is a tree you are able to cut down with a bow saw, but check to make sure all the same).
- Brace your legs so you are in a strong and stable position, and take the saw in your dominant hand, with your non dominant hand supporting it.
- Make strong, sure strokes into the trunk of the tree, taking care that you are not cutting at a diagonal, as this will tire you out and ultimately make the cutting more difficult.
- Take regular breaks to make sure you are able to finish the job without getting too tired.
- Once you have sawn through nearly the whole breadth of the trunk, stand back for a minute and check again which way the tree is going to fall, and make sure that it isn’t going to land where you don’t want it to.
- When you are sure of this, make the final cut, supporting the tree as it falls if necessary.