Bow saws, is there a knack or are some saws just better than others

[Woodworks]

I disagree with the others about getting a silky. I have one but to be honest it is no quicker than a good bow saw with sharp blade. It does leave a very clean cut thou. Not all bow saws are the same. I recently got a Bahco one and the frame is far superior to most cheapy farm store ones keeping the blade nice and tight. New blade is £2-£3 not £20-£30 as per Silky.

 

The problem you describe sounds like the blade may have lost it's set on one side or the frame is twisted.

[Marko]

Silky was such a treat for hazel coppice after years of doing battle with the bow saw frame. Don't suppose it matters much if you are taking down the whole lot but for selective cutting it made life so much easier.

[MattyF]

Bahco are the ones !! A big old sugoi silky though is what I would rather have , although I'm tempted to buy another bahco!

[mr_magicfingers]

Might either get a new bowsaw blade and see how it goes or get a bahco bowsaw for now and save for a silky.

 

There seem to be several lengths of the different saws so there are Sugoi, Gomtaro and Zubat's all in the same length and style. Any suggestions on what saw is designed for which purpose?

[mad matty]

sandvic or now bahco......about the best bow saw if you already have the frame see if one of the bahco blades will fit?

[MattyF]

Sugoi is an aggressive saw I would choose the nanantanko over the zubat or gomatro all of which are great saws but the sugoi is for larger stuff the nanantanko a good inbetweener .. The larger the better on the ground!

[silky fox]

NATANOKO POWER!!!!:thumbup:

[Peasgood]

A new Bahco 21" bow saw.

 

Silkys are very good but IMO too expensive for what you are doing, plus the Bahco blade will last twice as long. (As long as you store it in the dry)

[difflock]

Why only 21", do they not do a 600mm/24" any more?

Without getting out of bed to check in the shed.

[william127]

I think iv only used a bowsaw about 5 times in the 10 years since being shown silky saws at college! The last time was to get rid of an elder about 6inch es across and 10 foot high on a fencing job, only used the bowsaw as the hardware shop down the road was selling them for a fiver, cheaper than going to the yard for a chainsaw/silky!