Bow Saw vs Hand Saw

Have you ever wondered... what's the difference between a bow and hand saw? The difference is subtle but important.

When it comes to bow saws vs hand saws, they differ in both design and function.

Bow saws are used to cut medium to larger branches or logs.

Hand saws, aka pruning saws, are used for cutting smaller branches on trees or shrubs.

However, there is tons of crossover between the two and most of the time, the term 'hand saw' is used as a catch-all name for all saws - including bow saws - used by hand.

If that isn't confusing enough, don't worry, we'll go over everything and more below. 

Bow Saws Vs Hand Saws: The Key Differences

Both bow saws and hand saws are excellent for common gardening projects.

Both can be used for cutting branches or trimming trees.

However, both the bow saw and the hand saw have a distinct set of features and limitations important for you to know.

We'll cover all the differences between a bow saw and a hand saw below, and we'll even cover which one is the right tool to pick for your job. 

What Are Bow Saws?

Bows are traditional hand saws designed to cut through thicker branches and logs.

You know exactly what they are by looking at them because they have a large, curved frame, unlike most other hand saws, which are mostly a blade and a handle.

Bow saws tend to have a wide, coarse-toothed straight blade that is designed to cut fast and efficiently. They are made of three types of materials:

• Metal
• Plastic
• Wood

Though they are designed for cutting medium-sized branches and logs, they are also good for trimming trees, sawing firewood or even cutting through thick branches. These saws are great for tasks that require long, aggressive cuts. 

Key Features

Sturdy Frames

The bow saw's characteristic frame unique to its design makes it so the blade doesn't flap around like with regular hand saws.

You get excellent tension on the blade for smooth and accurate cuts.

Replaceable Blades

Bow saws come with an easily replaceable, straight blade. They are meant to be used and abused.

But the ability to replace the blade means your saw will have a longer lifespan of making useful cuts.

You will have a sharp blade for longer periods of time.

Fast Cuts

Bow saws are renowned for fast and efficient cutting. They tear through wood quickly so they are ideal for trimming up trees or cutting firewood. 

What Are Hand Saws?

Hand saws are basically every saw you can use by hand.

That can include anything from rip saws to power tools like miter saws to, yep, you guessed it - bow saws.

But as this is a website that leans towards gardening, tree trimming and things along that nature...

We will explain hand saws in one of their most common forms: pruning saws.

Pruning saws are smaller, specialized hand saws meant for pruning trees or shrubs.

They have a narrow, curve blade that has fine teeth. Pruning saws are ideal for cutting through smaller branches with precision cuts.

They can be used to shape trees or eliminate dead branches. 

Key Features

Pull-Cut Action

Pruning saws use a pull-cut action. This means the teeth cut on the pull stroke rather than the push stroke.

This gives a little bit more control during the cut and prevents binding of the wood.

Compact Design

Pruning saws are smaller. You can get into tighter spots with pruning saws you couldn't normally do with other saws.

Precision Cuts

Pruning saws are designed for making clean and accurate cuts.

You want clean cuts because that helps maintain the health of the plant or tree you are pruning. Great for cutting through green wood. 

Bow Saw or Hand Saw: Which One Should You Use?

Okay, so you know the differences between the two saws, now you ask us, 'which one do we use?'

Depends. Like we said before, pruning saws are smaller and lightweight.

Pruning saws have that curved blade with teeth along the edge.

They are designed for precision pull cuts on thin branches to medium branches and twigs up in tight spots on trees, shrubs, or plants.

You simply could not make these cuts with a bow saw.

A bow saw has that large, curved frame, making it a sturdy beast for faster, more aggressive cuts.

When you are making aggressive cuts, you don't care as much about precision, you care more about volume.

Bow saws are great for chopping up larger branches or logs that need to be made into firewood.

You can use a bow saw to trim branches, but since they are so bulky, they have a higher chance of injuring surrounding trees.

What About Blade Size?

Blade size is important. Bow saws have much longer blades than pruning saws.

Bow saw blades can run up to 30 inches long where as a pruning saws blade is typically between 6 to 12 inches long.

This adds to what we said above. Bow saws are much better for cutting through thicker branches of trees and hedges.

Pruning saws are better for making precise cuts on thinner branches or shrubs.

Don't forget, the bow saw blade is a longer, straight blade with coarse sharp teeth.

Pruning saws can have either a straight or curved blade.

Bow saws will cut on both the push and the pull of the cut whereas pruning saws are pull-action cutters.

Bow saws are meant for heavy duty cutting while pruning saws are smaller saws meant for more precision cuts. 

Sweet New Earth Final Say On Bow Saws vs Hand Saws

We hope at this point you know which saw is the right saw and the right tool for you.

Bow saws are meant for aggressive cuts, like when cutting logs or wood.

Pruning saws are meant for more precision pruning, like hard-to-reach tree branches or even for fruit trees. 

FAQs

Before you go...

Maybe you don't need either a bow saw or a pruning saw. Maybe you need something smaller, like a good set of pruning shears.

But be sure to read our extensive guide on all the how to use a hand saw so you can be ready to make some clean cuts on your trees.

• How To Use A Hand Saw

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