# Need Recommendation - Saws:bow,buck,cross



## MountainGirl (Oct 29, 2017)

*Need Recommendation - Saws:bow,buck,crosscut*

Seems I'm going to have to find one online & order direct.

Does anyone know of a good quality saw company?

I'll do the research, just need a starting point; I trust more your personal experience than online reviews.

Thanks in advance!

@SOCOM42 
@Chiefster23 
@Slippy
@Inor
@rstanek
@ anybody else who might know!


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

Silky.
Bahco.


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## Robie (Jun 2, 2016)

I have the Silky Bigboy and love it. 
It cuts on the pull stroke and it takes 2.5 seconds to get used to.
I can go through 6" logs with no problem and no huffing and puffing.









If I wanted to stay away from power saws, I'd go with their biggest model...Katanaboy


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## MountainGirl (Oct 29, 2017)

Back Pack Hack said:


> Silky.
> Bahco.


Thanks, BPH.
They look good but sadly neither company has bow, buck or crosscut saws.

Edit- taking another look at Silky, tks @Robie


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## Robie (Jun 2, 2016)

Silky is a crosscut.


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

MountainGirl said:


> Thanks, BPH.
> They look good but sadly neither company has bow, buck or crosscut saws.
> 
> Edit- taking another look at Silky, tks @*Robie*


https://www.bahco.com/int_en/catalogsearch/result/?q=bow saws
https://www.bahco.com/int_en/prizec...medium-thick-wood-materials-pb_np-fleem_.html


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

MountainGirl said:


> Seems I'm going to have to find one online & order direct.
> 
> Does anyone know of a good quality saw company?
> 
> ...


Sorry, I can't help you, Simonds is out of business.

Bought mine 30 years ago.

People put them out of business with chinko junk at less than half the price.


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## MountainGirl (Oct 29, 2017)

Robie said:


> Silky is a crosscut.





Back Pack Hack said:


> https://www.bahco.com/int_en/catalogsearch/result/?q=bow saws
> https://www.bahco.com/int_en/prizec...medium-thick-wood-materials-pb_np-fleem_.html


Jeezus I should have asked for a seeing eye dog instead.
Sorry guys, right you both are, thank you.
And, when I typed crosscut I was thinking 2-man crosscut like SOCOM was talking about. 
Sometimes my words get ahead of my brain.


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## MountainGirl (Oct 29, 2017)

SOCOM42 said:


> Sorry, I can't help you, Simonds is out of business.
> 
> Bought mine 30 years ago.
> 
> People put them out of business with chinko junk at less than half the price.


Thanks anyway, brother. It's the junk I'm wanting to avoid. I appreciate your reply.


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## MountainGirl (Oct 29, 2017)

Robie said:


> I have the Silky Bigboy and love it.
> It cuts on the pull stroke and it takes 2.5 seconds to get used to.
> I can go through 6" logs with no problem and no huffing and puffing.
> 
> ...


Finally could watch that vid, whatta beast! The 1000 didn't get mass produced I guess but I found some vids of the Katana500.






I can definitely see the advantages over a bow or buck with the bigger wood.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

The best is the two man x cut, pull on each stroke, a longer saw reduces strokes and has smoother cutting.

There are some pot bellied saws on Ebay, have to be careful, some are used to death and some are rusted to hell.

Ones with the deep cut teeth pattern are the best, and with a 3MR style tooth setting.

With a sharp saw two experienced people can fell a tree or cut a log almost as fast as with a chain saw.

They used 40 foot long ones to cut down the Sequoias.

They are easy to use, just remember you pull not push on each stroke.

I would take a picture of mine but they are at the back of the shelters. and just a foot sticks out above other things.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

MountainGirl said:


> Seems I'm going to have to find one online & order direct.
> 
> Does anyone know of a good quality saw company?
> 
> ...


I appreciate the vote of confidence from my good friend @MountainGirl but saws and blades are a bit of my "kryptonite"! Sure I've got my Stihl chainsaw and various motorized cutter as well as some nice camp hatchets and axes but muscle powered saws are not my thing. I'll have to read and learn from the group as well!
Thanks!
:vs_wave:


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## MountainGirl (Oct 29, 2017)

SOCOM42 said:


> The best is the two man x cut, pull on each stroke, a longer saw reduces strokes and has smoother cutting.
> 
> There are some pot bellied saws on Ebay, have to be careful, some are used to death and some are rusted to hell.
> 
> ...


Good info, thanks. 
That's one thing I like about the Katana - the cut is on the pull.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

MountainGirl said:


> Good info, thanks.
> That's one thing I like about the Katana - the cut is on the pull.


With the two man, it cuts in both directions, both on the pull so to speak.


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## MountainGirl (Oct 29, 2017)

SOCOM42 said:


> With the two man, it cuts in both directions, both on the pull so to speak.


Yeppers, and the Kat would be a one man, or a one mountain girl, harvest!

I'm leaning towards getting 2 saws for up here.


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

G-Man has quality bow saws/blades made in Sweden (real steel, not "Chinesium").

They don't make a 42" saw anymore but thats where I get my blades for my big 42" bow saw.

They have a 21" bow saw that is dual purpose w/wood and meat saw blades.

Note you can't easily sharpen bow saw blades so get some spares.

G-MAN Tools - Bow Saws

A handy little bow saw is the 21" Sven saw folder. handy for backpacking or BOB.

Sven-Saw, the Famous Campfire Folding Saw

All my big logging/crosscut saws are antiques that I got at tag sales, farm auctions, barns etc...... If you find one, and it's not rusted/rotted and the teeth are still in decent shape, a good sharpening service can put it back in good cutting order.

Think about how you'll use the saw. Smaller ones one person can use, bigger two-man for bucking, and bigger two-man for felling. Pictures from the web:

smaller asymmetric 








two-man bucking








two-man felling








I've restored a few crosscut saws, remove surface rust and refinish handles, with a good set of files you can sharpen the teeth, but it's a little more complicated to file/set the rakers and set the cutters. The PDF attachments I put in the other thread has good information on crosscuts and how to care/restore them. The tools to sharpen/"tune a saw" can cost more than an old saw itself.

Those old saws were quality made with quality steel, and the blades tapered so they won't pinch in the cut.

Here is a link to a USA company making crosscuts. I've not used them so can't vouch for their quality. Not sure if they use flat steel or tapered for blades?

https://crosscutsaw.com/


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

Mad Trapper said:


> G-Man has quality bow saws/blades made in Sweden (real steel, not "Chinesium").
> 
> They don't make a 42" saw anymore but thats where I get my blades for my big 42" bow saw.
> 
> ...


Mine are like the one in the middle.

The Seneca Falls ones if original company should be good.

The Tuttle tooth ones are what to get, at least 6 foot long.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

I am surprised that not too many know about these saws.

They were the mainstay for logging for over a hundred years here in this country.

Used right into the late 30's for pro logging and even later by individuals.

Saws in general replaced axes for logging early on when rolled stock appeared for the blades.

They are faster and less waste material.

They were used for beam squaring, one man on top and one in a pit pulling the saw up and down.


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## Redneck (Oct 6, 2016)

I'm certainly no expert in this field but that doesn't stop me from being prepared. I keep several of the 30" Bahco bow saws. They are well reviewed and I prefer having something one person can use. They are cheap enough you can afford several. I wouldn't trust myself to sharpen such a complicated blade, so I just keep a bunch of replacement blades.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0001IX7TW/ref=twister_B01K2M4LT6?_encoding=UTF8&th=1


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

Bahco also carries different blades for green v seasoned wood. Seasoned wood blades are numbered with a 51, green wood blades are numbered with a 23.


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

SOCOM42 said:


> I am surprised that not too many know about these saws.
> 
> They were the mainstay for logging for over a hundred years here in this country.
> 
> ...


About 40 years ago, I worked for a lumber company that dated from 1885. There were saws like that just laying around. Two man, and one man, buck saws & crosscut.
Love to have one now.

I keep a bow saw, come-along, hatchet, small shovel, machete and a few other tools under the back seat of my truck. 
You just never know when you might need something.............................


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

SOCOM42 said:


> I am surprised that not too many know about these saws.
> 
> They were the mainstay for logging for over a hundred years here in this country.
> 
> ...


My grandparents and uncles used crosscut saws until chainsaws became cheaply available. Bucked logs got made into firewood chunks using a cordwood saw ran off a tractor PTO

In college days, I rented a big log cabin home , up in the woods w/four classmates, that we heated with wood. The gypsy moths had killed a hillside of red oaks nearby and we cut those standing dead trees with crosscuts.

Once a tree was down two people would saw. Two would use fulcrums/hardwood spars/peaveys to keep the logs positioned and from pinching the saw. One guy would rest. Depending on the size of the cuts, we'd rotate a sawyer to resting, and a log mover to sawing.

I've lots of time on crosscuts.....


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## Inor (Mar 22, 2013)

I vote for the Swede saws as well. They are inexpensive and work great. I have a 36" and always keep several extra blades on hand. As they get dull, just replace the blade rather than trying to resharpen. At about $3-4 for a new blade, there is no reason to go through the hassle of resharpening.

https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/tools/hand-tools/saws/bow/67856-european-buck-saws


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

Inor said:


> I vote for the Swede saws as well. They are inexpensive and work great. I have a 36" and always keep several extra blades on hand. As they get dull, just replace the blade rather than trying to resharpen. At about $3-4 for a new blade, there is no reason to go through the hassle of resharpening.
> 
> https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/tools/hand-tools/saws/bow/67856-european-buck-saws


Inor, good call.

The nature of the steel on those blades make home sharpening near impossible. I tried that. Buy quality blades, not "Chinesium" ones.

Those saws have a narrow kerf and cut quick if the wood is not too big. Rather than big crosscuts they used large versions of those years ago for pulpwood.

It's PBS but old school, ever watched "Lumberjack Skypilot"?

[video]https://www.pbs.org/video/lumberjack-skypilot-yradon/[/video]


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## Robie (Jun 2, 2016)




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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

Pffft. You rookies and your Fisher-Price toys.


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

Robie said:


>


That sure cuts good. Not sure it would hold up felling/bucking trees though?

I'd consider one for my orchard and/or BOB


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## Robie (Jun 2, 2016)

Mad Trapper said:


> That sure cuts good. Not sure it would hold up felling/bucking trees though?
> 
> I'd consider one for my orchard and/or BOB


It has its place just like any other tool. The first thing I'm grabbing if at home is the chainsaw. I take the Silky when I go camping. That, along with my 19" hatchet and I'm pretty good for the firewood needs.


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

Slippy said:


> I appreciate the vote of confidence from my good friend @MountainGirl but saws and blades are a bit of my "kryptonite"! Sure I've got my Stihl chainsaw and various motorized cutter as well as some nice camp hatchets and axes but muscle powered saws are not my thing. I'll have to read and learn from the group as well!
> Thanks!
> :vs_wave:


I am with you, I have any manor of bow saws, rip saws, hatchets, axes, and the like, but if I am cutting I prefer to reach for my Stihl. I find that the bodies go through the wood chipper easier in chunks. :tango_face_grin:


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

Slippy said:


> I appreciate the vote of confidence from my good friend @MountainGirl but saws and blades are a bit of my "kryptonite"! Sure I've got my Stihl chainsaw and various motorized cutter as well as some nice camp hatchets and axes but muscle powered saws are not my thing. I'll have to read and learn from the group as well!
> Thanks!
> :vs_wave:


I am not into using them either, but there may come a time when there is no other option.

I learned to use different ones when on the farm during the summers.

Tool sharpening is a natural thing for me, has been since about 11 years old,

sharpened all sorts of machine tool cutters and even made and repaired rifling broaches.

Remember I was a toolmaker by trade, tool engineer by profession, preferred a mix of both.


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