Vintage Saws - One Man Crosscut saw vs Bow/Frame saw?

[Amin_1992]

Hey guys. I buck my own firewood and live pretty rurally. I'd like to have an old school backup to a chainsaw for a few reasons: in case my chainsaw ever goes down, kind of as a prepper thing, and honestly just for the fun and experience of bucking wood the way it used to be done sometimes.

Anyway, I'm having a hard time figuring out what would be a better saw to find: a One Man Crosscut Saw, or a Bow Saw (also seeing it called a Frame Saw, Bucking Saw, etc).

I have done enough research to know that I need to pay attention to the type of teeth. Sounded like Great American tooth would work for me.

I'm typically bucking logs anywhere from 12" to 35" diameter, usually oaks but also maple and ash here and there. I would also like the saw to be able to be used for felling a tree if need be.

My question is, what is the difference between these two types of saws in terms of use? I know the designs are obviously different but what did old loggers prefer?

 

[AT sawyer]

If I had to choose, I'd pick this one. Atkins 390, two cutters/raker, hand filed and rakers swaged.

 

[Mad Professor]

Get both. Bow saw is better in small stuff < ~15", and a crosscut in bigger stuff. Pulpwood cutters used to use bow saws.

I've got 2 crosscuts (~4 and 5') and a 7' two man felling saw. The crosscuts have a handle on both ends where two men can use it if you have help.

Also have a 36" bow saw.

I know they make 42" bowsaws.

The 5'





If you get used crosscut have it sharpened professionally, or get the tools to maintain it yourself.

Get extra blades for a bowsaw.

 

[AT sawyer]

+1 on the bow saw though best used on a sawbuck. The thin blades are easy to pinch when trees are on the ground and under various binds.

 

[mudrat2]

I would take the metal tube bow saw over a wood frame saw. Lighter to carry and use. I still remember talking my dad into getting a blade for the old bow saw hanging up in the shop. He said after if he had know how cheap the blade was he would have done it years earlier...

Made cutting old cedar fence posts into firewood much easier than using an axe. That was about 60 years ago.

 

[oldguy]

Way before I was 10 years old my hands were very familiar with the old wooden bucksaw, every day after school I had to cut up enough wood to heat the house thru the next day.
Then Dad bought a Swedish bowsaw, I hated that thing, I could not make it cut a straight line

 

[Amin_1992]

Thank you all! Awesome advice, pictures and resources. Found many bow saws for sale but having a harder time finding a crosscut saw. Found a few that were missing the second handle that can be mounted close or far for a second person. Anyone know if you can buy just a replacement second handle anywhere?

Thanks again guys

 

[AT sawyer]

Thank you all! Awesome advice, pictures and resources. Found many bow saws for sale but having a harder time finding a crosscut saw. Found a few that were missing the second handle that can be mounted close or far for a second person. Anyone know if you can buy just a replacement second handle anywhere?

Thanks again guys

eBay is the best place for saw parts. Just search for auxiliary handle like the one below, but you'd have to clean it up a little. May have to be patient for a good one to show up. Avoid the new ones, they're mostly crap,
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1968014110...olHyA81qnzeKIWZx5+vYVPLb5F|tkp:Bk9SR-ymodmmZQ

 

[thenne1713]

I would take the metal tube bow saw over a wood frame saw. Lighter to carry and use. I still remember talking my dad into getting a blade for the old bow saw hanging up in the shop. He said after if he had know how cheap the blade was he would have done it years earlier...

Made cutting old cedar fence posts into firewood much easier than using an axe. That was about 60 years ago.

TIP: ANOTHER GREAT TRICK w/ any saw is WAX, either paste wax or even candle wax rubbed on blade can make HUGE differences, as can sap removal. If U have never done, TRY IT.

 

[thenne1713]

I would take the metal tube bow saw over a wood frame saw. Lighter to carry and use. I still remember talking my dad into getting a blade for the old bow saw hanging up in the shop. He said after if he had know how cheap the blade was he would have done it years earlier...

Made cutting old cedar fence posts into firewood much easier than using an axe. That was about 60 years ago.

I will say that in my 75 years and limited experience w/ 4-5 bow saws, I never had a pleasant or satisfying experience

 

[James Sawyer]

Hey guys. I buck my own firewood and live pretty rurally. I'd like to have an old school backup to a chainsaw for a few reasons: in case my chainsaw ever goes down, kind of as a prepper thing, and honestly just for the fun and experience of bucking wood the way it used to be done sometimes.

Anyway, I'm having a hard time figuring out what would be a better saw to find: a One Man Crosscut Saw, or a Bow Saw (also seeing it called a Frame Saw, Bucking Saw, etc).

I have done enough research to know that I need to pay attention to the type of teeth. Sounded like Great American tooth would work for me.

I'm typically bucking logs anywhere from 12" to 35" diameter, usually oaks but also maple and ash here and there. I would also like the saw to be able to be used for felling a tree if need be.

My question is, what is the difference between these two types of saws in terms of use? I know the designs are obviously different but what did old loggers prefer?

View attachment 1243836 View attachment 1243837

The cross cut saw you picture that looks like a hand saw is what called a topping saw. In the old days guy topped timber with these saws. It can be use as single jack or double jack. The top handle can be moved to end of the saw (see the hole on end of the saw). The advantage this saw has you if there is a problem with compression in the log when cutting down from the top (you can get pinched just like a chainsaw... (tension and compression is the same doesn't matter on the type of saw). If you have good ax, file a grove in the ax handle (towards the bottom) you can place the ax and use the notch to support the saw and cut up on the log from the bottom if you will. The reason I know this is I have that saw and use it to pack in to wilderness area with horses, down timber is a problem. The forest service doesn't always clear the trails or if you travel off trail you can get your stock in dangerous situations and you need a saw. Chainsaw are not allowed in wilderness area. If you want to get something done get the topping saw. You will need some maintenance tools to go with it. There a tool that can set the cutters or pitch, and a way to sharpen it. There are guys that sharpen these saws around but hard to find one. Guys that race in logging competition or do maintenance on forest service crosscut saws (if you can't use a chainsaw in wilderness area neither can the forest service). You also need an oil can, you got oil these saw too. (don't let you saw rust either, you want that saw to sing without the drag). If you are in good shape you can cut a 40" tree in about 20min, you will be surprised how fast they are. The other thing... you can pack a topping saw on a horse due to the length. I use a length of firehose to scrapper mine. Anyway... that my opinion and the reason behind my answer. If you are in survival situation depend on where you live ...you're going cut a lot of firewood then cut more firewood... that bow saw going to suck... it not going cut cords of wood very fast. There was a guy in Wilbur Oregon that sharpen saw for forest service not sure he there anymore and there is another guy in Montana that did forest service saw. Cross cuts are kind lost art. best of luck. Hand down topping saw would be my choice.

 

[AT sawyer]

The cross cut saw you picture that looks like a hand saw is what called a topping saw. In the old days guy topped timber with these saws. It can be use as single jack or double jack. The top handle can be moved to end of the saw (see the hole on end of the saw). The advantage this saw has you if there is a problem with compression in the log when cutting down from the top (you can get pinched just like a chainsaw... (tension and compression is the same doesn't matter on the type of saw). If you have good ax, file a grove in the ax handle (towards the bottom) you can place the ax and use the notch to support the saw and cut up on the log from the bottom if you will. The reason I know this is I have that saw and use it to pack in to wilderness area with horses, down timber is a problem. The forest service doesn't always clear the trails or if you travel off trail you can get your stock in dangerous situations and you need a saw. Chainsaw are not allowed in wilderness area. If you want to get something done get the topping saw. You will need some maintenance tools to go with it. There a tool that can set the cutters or pitch, and a way to sharpen it. There are guys that sharpen these saws around but hard to find one. Guys that race in logging competition or do maintenance on forest service crosscut saws (if you can't use a chainsaw in wilderness area neither can the forest service). You also need an oil can, you got oil these saw too. (don't let you saw rust either, you want that saw to sing without the drag). If you are in good shape you can cut a 40" tree in about 20min, you will be surprised how fast they are. The other thing... you can pack a topping saw on a horse due to the length. I use a length of firehose to scrapper mine. Anyway... that my opinion and the reason behind my answer. If you are in survival situation depend on where you live ...you're going cut a lot of firewood then cut more firewood... that bow saw going to suck... it not going cut cords of wood very fast. There was a guy in Wilbur Oregon that sharpen saw for forest service not sure he there anymore and there is another guy in Montana that did forest service saw. Cross cuts are kind lost art. best of luck. Hand down topping saw would be my choice.

That's a deep dive into crosscut saws though I wouldn't say they're a lost art, more of a recovered art. The USFS and non-government organizations train a lot of trail people to use and sharpen (file) crosscut saws but it's a tight community and doesn't often cross over into the homeowner realm. Many of the YT videos give bad advice and show guys struggling with rusty misery whips.

 

[James Sawyer]

I guess I haven't seen thou YT video. My advice is from my experience, they didn't have YT videos when I started. My wife and I started doing rides in Mt Jefferson wilderness here in Oregon and we want to take our kids into an extended wilderness trip, I'm a logger kid and wanted the kids to experience some of what I learned. We worked on this for about year and 1/2 and it ended up my wife whole family wanted to go. 14 pack horse later...lol. Took a lot to get everyone in. I bought my saw from 2nd had guy long story short I ran into guy that sharpen race saws for logging competitions and I had him dress up my saw. During that trip we met Denise Whitmer he was Equation Forest Ranger that worked in the 8 lake basin 35years. We became good friends and I rode in there a lot stay in his base camp, I learned a lot from him. The trails don't get cleared until mid summer usually, I had good stock and for the most part I could just clear the limbs and my horses could jump over the logs loaded. Now this is old growth timber and in the PNW and its big timber for the most part. If I couldn't ride around it or jump over it I had to cut it and clear that obstacle. After a while the guy that was taking care of my saw moved and that's how I ran into the guy in Wilber Oregon if you can call it a town maybe 100 people live around there. . I got the contact from the forest service yes it limited culture.

 

[AT sawyer]

I guess I haven't seen thou YT video. My advice is from my experience, they didn't have YT videos when I started. My wife and I started doing rides in Mt Jefferson wilderness here in Oregon and we want to take our kids into an extended wilderness trip, I'm a logger kid and wanted the kids to experience some of what I learned. We worked on this for about year and 1/2 and it ended up my wife whole family wanted to go. 14 pack horse later...lol. Took a lot to get everyone in. I bought my saw from 2nd had guy long story short I ran into guy that sharpen race saws for logging competitions and I had him dress up my saw. During that trip we met Denise Whitmer he was Equation Forest Ranger that worked in the 8 lake basin 35years. We became good friends and I rode in there a lot stay in his base camp, I learned a lot from him. The trails don't get cleared until mid summer usually, I had good stock and for the most part I could just clear the limbs and my horses could jump over the logs loaded. Now this is old growth timber and in the PNW and its big timber for the most part. If I couldn't ride around it or jump over it I had to cut it and clear that obstacle. After a while the guy that was taking care of my saw moved and that's how I ran into the guy in Wilber Oregon if you can call it a town maybe 100 people live around there. . I got the contact from the forest service yes it limited culture.

Nice backcountry experience for you and your family. No You Tube when I started working in wilderness and filing saw either. I had to contact experienced filers like Warren Miller and Dolly Chapman directly. I've probably filed a thousand saws since then but that's inside work. Would much rather be out on the trail using them. I think backcountry horsemen's associations clear a lot of wilderness trails since it's in their interest to keep them up. Video of a post storm logout in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area a couple years ago. It was a train-as-you-go experience for a couple of the sawyers.

 

[James Sawyer]

By the way we have some big cats here, this one was take outside the wilderness... That cat was hunting the guy in the picture. I've rode out of there several times with hiker walking out ahead of me... saw cat tracks in theirs. Or I would see cat track just in the trail by them selves, sometime several sets of tracks probably a Female with yearlings. I had kill a big buck below Maxwell Butte and I was going in to get it. I had a cat I know was following me because my horses were very nerves, blowing, looking up the ridge for about mile or so but I never saw it. I head up thru the brush off trail and the reprod limbs slapped my pack horse on the rear and he blew. I had a wreck right there. He was best pack horse I ever had, I could take right down to the kill he'd stand and I'd load him up. Most of the time I never put him on a lead, he step over around trees never bang my bags, anyone who ever pack with horses that a gift... not many horses that smart. If the ground was to steep to lead him I'd let him go and he beat me out be standing at camp or the trailer waiting. Only had two wreck with that horse, one the 1st trip packing with him as a 4 year old an that one below Maxwell. He'd jump a 40" log loaded just like a deer. he'd walk up to the log, look over step back and jump over. Hated to sell him, started traveling a lot for work and did want my wife have feed in the winter. Nothing like hunting and fishing in wilderness area's. But a guy needs a sharp cross cut saw if you have stock. I've been there in all kinds of conditions. Rode in tee shirts the day before, next morning we had foot & 1/2 of snow.

 

[James Sawyer]

Nice backcountry experience for you and your family. No You Tube when I started working in wilderness and filing saw either. I had to contact experienced filers like Warren Miller and Dolly Chapman directly. I've probably filed a thousand saws since then but that's inside work. Would much rather be out on the trail using them. I think backcountry horsemen's associations clear a lot of wilderness trails since it's in their interest to keep them up. Video of a post storm logout in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area a couple years ago. It was a train-as-you-go experience for a couple of the sawyers.

wow... you've had some experience! Thanks for sharing.. wilderness areas are addicting love that kind of country. It takes a lot time clearing trails... I just did what I had too. probably should have cleared more hazard then I did but my stock was experienced. There was a snag that fell across the trail at a basalt rock slide Marion lake area ...steep ground. I clear the limbs and my horses went over. Denise my buddy the forest ranger (I didn't know he was in there) he rode Arabs. He had a young pack horse and he had wreck at that snag. The horse rolled down on that rock shell 100 or 150 yard, like I said it was steep. I was head out and a hiker told me about it.... didn't know it was Denise caught up with him at the tail head. Helped doctor up that horse he was in bad shape with what I had, blew some Bute down him. That horse was always a jar head little to hot for me.