Bow saw blades

I find myself needing a better cross cut saw for when I'm in the woods or processing biggish logs. It seems like a bow saw is a good choice for portability and cutting ability. Also price if I build the frame.

I'm wondering what a good blade size is and what a good brand to buy is. So far on Amazon Japan I've only found Bahco blades for sale. I am certainly not set on buying from Amazon, but it's a good search engine usually.

My thoughts are the bigger the blade the better, with green wood teeth as big as possible. I already have lots of smaller saws.

Building the frame will fulfill a BB I've been interested in for a while too...

My vote: Bahco (formerly Sandvik) blades all the way. Do not waste your time or money on anything else (I have already done that for you, haha).

How big are the logs you want to process? I find that bow saw blades more than 24" are so flexible that they just don't cut well (based on the oversize Fiskars frame I have, which may be the issue). But a 24" with a Bahco blade will move some serious wood. My 2c.

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:My vote: Bahco (formerly Sandvik) blades all the way. Do not waste your time or money on anything else (I have already done that for you, haha).

How big are the logs you want to process? I find that bow saw blades more than 24" are so flexible that they just don't cut well (based on the oversize Fiskars frame I have, which may be the issue). But a 24" with a Bahco blade will move some serious wood. My 2c.

Good to know. So since they're available here, bahco seems like a good choice. They seem to have 4 or 5 stars on Amazon too. Now to see if I can find them direct or from another seller.

24 inches is about 60 cm. That should be more than big enough for anything I'm cutting.

My general preference is a 21" blade FWIW. Big enough to take down trees, small enough to be handy.

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:My general preference is a 21" blade FWIW. Big enough to take down trees, small enough to be handy.

It also appears to be about half the price!

Douglass, when did Sandvik morph to Bahco?

The switch occurred quite a while ago.  Moved the manufacturing location from Finland to Portugal.  They still are the best.

Currently good pricing from https://www.abolox.com/replacement-blades     Remember to rub a little vaseline on the blade when you aren't going to use it for a while.

Ed Waters wrote:The switch occurred quite a while ago.  Moved the manufacturing location from Finland to Portugal.  They still are the best.

Currently good pricing from https://www.abolox.com/replacement-blades     Remember to rub a little vaseline on the blade when you aren't going to use it for a while.

Very good pricing but apparently they don't ship to Japan... Probably works out to about the same with shipping.

Oh, interesting.

Am in Uk and just about to buy a Bahco bowsaw .

I've been reading that this may be the most useful for cutting smaller diameter, greenwood  logs. Not trees.


Bahco 10-24-23

Have been educating myself on the codes and have been trying to decide on the length of blade - whether 24 inch or 30,  yours is the first I've come across recommending a 21 inch.

Do you know if it is possible to adapt a blade, say a 24 inch to work on a 30 inch frame? Or is it necessary to buy two different size frames?

I'm also not yet clear on why the 10 series- just about to check with Bahco.

Be good to have a  thorough bowsaw guide!

L. Johnson wrote:

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:My general preference is a 21" blade FWIW. Big enough to take down trees, small enough to be handy.

It also appears to be about half the price!

Gilly Burke wrote:Have been educating myself on the codes and have been trying to decide on the length of blade - whether 24 inch or 30,  yours is the first I've come across recommending a 21 inch.

Do you know if it is possible to adapt a blade, say a 24 inch to work on a 30 inch frame? Or is it necessary to buy two different size frames?

My 21 inch is the pointed style frame, so it's handy for getting into tight spaces. My 24 inch is the traditional bow style frame.

How big are your trees or the wood you want to cut? I don't think taking down a tree bigger than 12 inches in diameter would be much fun with a bowsaw. But it can be done.

I imagine an adapter could be made to use a smaller blade in a larger frame. It would have to be quite stiff I think, and the length fairly exact to put the right tension on the blade.

Thank you Douglas,


Have just bought a 24 inch one  with a wet/greenwood blade. Will buy a similar sized one for dry wood cutting.

At this stage am not planning on cutting down any trees here in London, altho may do so  down the line  - as you suggest- with a few  small diameter ones.  I have a share in a communal allotment  area  and the local authority- who own it- have recently cut down some trees and  left the trunks for us to use as we see fit.  They are of differing sizes and  by eyeballing some seem to be  around 5 inches diameter or so. I will go back and measure up over the next few days. The thicker ones we will be looking for a friend with a chainsaw.


I'm in London full time  and have a  small fireplace.  I did live in Wales for many years but , for various reasons  am in London now for at least two further years and  my tools are still in Wales. So have been gathering bits of  wood here and there.  It is possible to forage for smaller logs  and carry  a  short,  small  diameter one back from  walks  near where I live-a cemetery and also Hampstead Heath. My next step is buying an appropriate hatchet/mini axe  to chop that diameter. Your use of a 21 inch now elucidated!

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:

Gilly Burke wrote:Have been educating myself on the codes and have been trying to decide on the length of blade - whether 24 inch or 30,  yours is the first I've come across recommending a 21 inch.

Do you know if it is possible to adapt a blade, say a 24 inch to work on a 30 inch frame? Or is it necessary to buy two different size frames?

My 21 inch is the pointed style frame, so it's handy for getting into tight spaces. My 24 inch is the traditional bow style frame.

How big are your trees or the wood you want to cut? I don't think taking down a tree bigger than 12 inches in diameter would be much fun with a bowsaw. But it can be done.

I imagine an adapter could be made to use a smaller blade in a larger frame. It would have to be quite stiff I think, and the length fairly exact to put the right tension on the blade.

Which Bahco pointed saw with a 21 inch blade are you using Douglas?

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:My general preference is a 21" blade FWIW. Big enough to take down trees, small enough to be handy.

I'm not positive it's a Bahco frame since I got it second hand. It's the same shape as this:


I may also have a traditional style 21" bow saw. As well as a number of the 12" compact type. I think I've lost track.

Cheers Douglas.

Generally speaking , with a few exceptions, am much more interested in hand tools.

About 20 years ago, I was about to start clearing a wildly overgrown orchard -which hadn't been accessed in several decades. dense and deep brambles.


I intended using a hand scythe and a  heavy duty mattock or Azada.  I had successfully used these to clear other areas for vegetable beds. A male friend turned up and cast aspersions.  I challenged him to a duel.

He togged up in full uniform with brush cutter , helmet etc. I wore a singlet and shorts with boots and used my scythe.  We had two strips of land close to each other of  mutually agreed, roughly equivalent length , width and bramble difficulty . I was 50 at the time,  not muscular, never very fit. He was 40 , a part time builder and   a strong , muscular fellow. I  finished 45 seconds after him, still fresh. He was sweating and cursing .  I went back the next day with the Azada to get out the roots .

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:I'm not positive it's a Bahco frame since I got it second hand. It's the same shape as this:


I may also have a traditional style 21" bow saw. As well as a number of the 12" compact type. I think I've lost track.