Is a Bow Saw Good for Cutting Firewood?

Larger Handles

• Bow saws are typically larger in size than smaller back saws or hand saws. This allows one to get a better grip on the saw and translates into more force being put on the teeth of the blade where it makes contact with the wood. While cutting, an individual can also use his own body weight by leaning in and out with each stroke.

Distance Between Blade and Handle

• Traditional back saws or hand saws have a blade that is designed so that the blade is part of the structure of the saw. This means that you can only cut a piece of wood that is less thick than the saw blade is wide. After cutting down a few inches, the thicker portion of the saw's blade is coming in contact with the wood and cutting becomes difficult. In a bow saw, the blade is a distance from the handle and frame of the saw, which allows for the cutting of significantly larger pieces of firewood.

Green Wood

• Bow saws are great for cutting pieces of wood that are still green, and need to be seasoned. Bow saws typically have large gaps between the teeth of their blades, which allows the saw to clear out wood pulp as the saw is being used. This makes cutting green wood for seasoning much easier than when a traditional hand saw is used.

Splitting Firewood

• While bow saws are excellent for cutting firewood into manageable sizes, an ax is still needed to handle the actual splitting. One should never attempt to split firewood using a bow saw, as the blade can easily slip and cause injury. Additionally, attempting to cut wood that is being held using a large-toothed saw such as a bow saw is a recipe for disaster. A bow saw should only be used on wood that can be laid flat and held steady by its own weight or a well-placed boot.