May 29, 2015  DIY Tool Tip:  Bow Saw

The bow saw is one of those tools that every homeowner should have.  It is indispensable for pruning thick branches and cutting away dead wood.  You can even use it to cut down small trees!  

The bow saw is a tool with a history, dating back to ancient China and the Hellenistic period.¹  It is one of the saws in the frame saw family (which includes the turning saw and the coping saw), and it also goes by the name “buck saw”. It is still popular today for good reason:  it is a simple, inexpensive tool that really works well.  

It looks almost too simple to be as powerful as it is.  In addition to gardening, you can use it to cut firewood, cut your Christmas tree down to a manageable size before composting it, and to clear away brush to create a trail.  

When using a bow saw, the key to success is to not apply too much pressure.  It takes more finesse than strength to get the most out of your saw.  You want to saw lightly, with just a small amount of pressure, so that the saw moves back and forth freely and doesn’t get “caught” in the wood.  It takes just a little bit of practice, but before long, you will be turning to your bow saw frequently during the gardening season and beyond!

by See Jane Drill, Copyright 2015, All Rights Reserved

¹ Wikipedia, “Bow Saw”