Bow Saws?

[Axe Handle Hound]

While watching the video Jeff had previously posted in The Grey, Gray Box about old time logging in Maine I noticed one scene where a man was using a bow or "Swede" saw to buck a pretty good sized log to length.  I've used bow saws since I can remember and they're amazingly effective, but in my experience, only in the smaller sizes.  It seems that every time I've tried to use a larger, say 24" long blade, I am almost immediately frustrated by the blade skewing through the wood at a sideways angle.  If I drop back down to the 18" or 12" long model I can get nice straight cuts.  I've used all sorts of different techniques in an attempt to make the longer ones work for me, but no luck.  My personal suspicion is that the longer blades aren't wide enough or tensioned enough to maintain a straight line.  That being said, the man in the video looked to be using at least a 24" model and he was going to town on that log.  What gives?  Is there a secret to this that I'm not aware of?

[beenthere]

I would strongly suspect it is in the sharpening of the teeth, including set. The older ones may have had right and left cutters, as well as rakers similar to the larger crosscut saws.

Today's bowsaws are an obomination for good teeth and are (at least for me) only good for camp wood and pruning trees.

But do recall watching others use a bow saw to buck up good size hardwood logs, just that I never at the young age gave any consideration to the teeth.

[two-legged-sawmill]

Hello Axe handle Hound, Swede Bow Saws,Tilton's used it for a trade Mark for a long time. When I was a kid and cut pulpwood with my Dad it was crosscut saw and axe in the 1930's. In later 30's the Bushman saw came along, what a Blessing. Same saw as any Swede or other Bow saw. The frames for the Blade was 42" and could extend to 48" The 42 was most popular one used! My Dad knew how to sharpen and they would cut!  There was a Canadian from Quebec that came down to Boonville Woodsman Field Day's, He outsawed a chainsaw for many years for one good size cut. He knew how to sharpen them also.
     New York Dec. used them for years, In the 60's and 70's they bought quite a few bades from our chainsaw shop. I never could find 48" blades for them however.
     My Dad always preach keep your wood cutting Tools Sharp! Still is true today, back when I was sawing lumber with a chainsaw I would always put a razors edge on a new chain before it went on the Bar, what a difference it made.
     If your using one yet, check your set, sharpness, and like a band sawmill tension, very important.  Dan sr