The Best Bow Saws for Fast Cuts, Tested and Reivewed

It may come as a surprise, but bow saws play an important role in our gas- and electricity-powered world. Compared to powered saws in the workshop, bow saws are incredibly affordable, portable, quiet, cost-efficient, and never need sharpening (just replace the blade). A lightweight bow saw comes in handy when only a few clean cuts are required, and on work sites that are far from fuel sources. The variety of available sizes, styles, and extra features can make choosing one seem difficult, and that’s why we assembled this guide. Our tool experts field-tested 7 highly rated bow saws and shared their thoughts in order to cut through the confusion and recommend the best saws for different jobs.

Our list includes conventional rigid-frame bow saws and folding saws with blades ranging from 15 to 30 inches long. Each one features the requisite sturdy construction, sharp blade, and comfortable handle required for dependable use. Ahead, find out which ones we considered the best bow saws for large and small cutting tasks, pruning trees, outdoor travel, and more.

1. BEST OVERALL: Truper 24-Inch Steel Handle Bow Saw
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2. BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Fiskars 21-Inch Bow Saw
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3. BEST FOR LARGE CUTS: Bahco 30-Inch Ergo Bow Saw
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4. BEST FOLDABLE: Agawa Boreal 21 21-Inch Folding Saw
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5. BEST FOR BACKCOUNTRY: Sven Saw 15-Inch Folding Saw
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6. BEST HANDLE DESIGN: Woodland Tools 24-Inch Bow Saw
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7. BEST BLADE TENSIONER: GreatNeck 24-Inch Steel Bow Saw
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The Truper 24-inch bow saw can cut limbs and logs up to 12 inches thick. It features a 24-inch blade, tubular steel frame, removable knuckle guard, and a cam lever tensioning system. The depth of cut tapers from 5 inches to 6.75 inches from the back of the blade to the inside of the upper saw frame. This saw gave us everything we wanted in a general-purpose bow saw: a comfortably balanced design, an aggressive yet smooth-cutting blade, and an easy-to-use blade tensioner. Whether it’s for backyard tree care, trimming the base of a natural Christmas tree, or making firewood for camp, this one is up to the task.

A smaller bow saw is often ideal for yard tasks like clean-cutting broken branch stubs, seasonal pruning, and clearing brush. The Fiskars 21-inch bow saw is only slightly smaller than our top pick, but it’s a better choice for a pruning saw. We found that it fits easily into tight branch crotches and was less cumbersome while working among dense branches. Another advantage we noticed was that the shorter blade had less flex, which allowed it to cut dried hardwood even more aggressively. Best of all was the sub-$20 price.

To cut branches and tree trunks up to 15 inches in diameter, you’ll need a large bow saw with plenty of strength. The Bahco 30-inch ergo bow saw offers the size and durability for bigger jobs, plus the added benefit of an ergonomic handle design. Used properly, when we simply “let the saw do the work,” using long steady strokes, it cuts through thick branches like butter. The teeth are sharp and well set to keep the cut free of sawdust. It works on smaller cuts too, but this large bow saw is not easy to maneuver among dense branches.

A good foldable bow saw is essential gear for camping and any other scenario where gear has to be packed and carried into a work site. The Agawa Boreal 21 is one of the sturdiest, best-cutting folding saw designs we’ve used. It weighs 18 ounces, and when folded fits into a gear box or backpack. In the working position, we used it to cut oak logs up to 10 inches thick. We did note, however, that tools are required (flat screwdriver and pliers) for blade changes, which is a rare inconvenience among bow saws.

The Sven Saw has been around for more than 60 years. This folding camping saw remains popular among backpackers and canoe campers because it is extremely lightweight and durable. Weighing just 15 ounces, it packs a 15-inch blade that quickly cuts through branches up to 6 inches in diameter. The saw’s triangular design limits the depth of the cut compared to other designs. One weak point is that this saw is held together with a wingnut, which might be easily lost in the woods, but ours included a spare and a leather thong to tie it on the handle just in case.

Of all the bow saws we tested, the one from Woodland Tools felt the most comfortable in-hand. The screw tensioner was not as fast and easy to operate as a cam lever, but since blade changes are normally rare, we considered it a tradeoff for comfort. The ergonomic molded handle (with fixed knuckle guard) was way better than the dual-purpose lever/grips on other saws. The weak point on this saw was the blade itself. The one included with the saw was thin and twisted sideways in the cut. When we replaced the blade, the saw cut flawlessly.

The bow saw with our favorite grip had a slower, harder to operate screw tensioner. Our favorite tensioner was the cam lever style like the one on this GreatNeck bowsaw. To change blades, you only need to lower the lever, remove and replace the blade on the retainer hooks, and raise the lever back to the operating position. It worked fast, easily, and held the blade securely. The saw frame is made of strong tubular steel, and it comes with a chrome alloy blade that cuts clean and fast. This is a fairly basic saw at a value price point, and that kind of simplicity is one of the main reasons to buy a bow saw in the first place.

Meet the Tester

Mark Wolfe is a product tester, writer, and 20-year green industry veteran. After decades of mowing, edging, planting, pruning, irrigating, and renovating landscapes, he now tests and writes reviews about the latest hand tools, lawn care products, outdoor power equipment, and other outdoor living goods.

 

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