bow blades

[Button]

  I have seen bow blades occasionally and was wondering what are these for . No one I know has ever used one so I am out of luck for advise. I cut everything from briars to timber using 20-36" bars. I do have an extra 365, would it be a benefit to bolt on one of these strange looking contraptions ?
THnaks,enjoy the day
Peter

[fishhuntcutwood]

They're supposed to be for cutting brush, and some use them for bucking, as they hollow center alleviates bar pinch.  Used properly, they're a fine tool.  If you remove or ignore the guards, they'll get ya.  They're terrible for kickback and need to be respected.

Jeff

[Tom]

Brushing with a bow has always been a "no, no" here.  I've seen guys try to wade into a gall berry thicket with one and find that it jams, kicks and raised all kind of Cain when confronted with 1/2 inch brush.  It does OK when the material is over 2" diameters

WHere a bow really shines is bucking.  Until the insurance became unreasonalbe for chainsaw's and began killing the shortwood, pulpwood industry here, Bow Bars were the staple.


https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=8089.msg109481#msg109481

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=1727.msg22244#msg22244

[Al_Smith]

I have cut literaly thousands of osage orange[hedge] fence posts with a bow ,or plunge bar in my teens[40 years ago].Never,repeat,never run one without the guards in place,and the spike.They are the cats meow for cutting small trees,pulp wood size,or in this case,fence post.Be carefull.

[Button]

 Thanks, for all the great replies.If I found one I would have surely used it for brush. That might have been a very expensive education. It is amazing how wonderful this board is for good info.  :P

[Ernie_Edwards]

If anyone going to this years pig roast has one It would be a neat thing for you to bring for show and tell. I never even heard of one and would like to see one. Not sure I would want to use it without proper instruction.

[fishhuntcutwood]

I think Bailey's still sells them.

[Pullinchips]

Yes bailes still sells them as of this summer when i last looked in the cataloge. There was a shortwooder that cut small spots on the base that i worked for.  They ren theirs with no gaurds one handed almost scary to watch.  They only cut a few cords of pulp or saw logs a day though.  Like said before they almost all but eliminate bar pinch.  Have watched them buck a log that was laying up on another (think perpindicular) from the top side and there was no bar pinch you would have never done it with a flat bar and got your saw out with out the aid of another saw to cut it out.

-Nate

[DanG]

I guess I'll hafta pull out my old dead Poulan bowsaw tomorrow and take a pic, just for show & tell. ;D

[Button]

 In the new baileys there is bow bars , also they have what is called a clearing bar which is similar but a smaller diameter. They don't list any fitting a 365 so I will have to call to find if it is possible.

[getoverit]

The BIG difference in using a Bow saw is that you dont have to bend over to use it. You can fell trees, buck them, and cut off all the limbs without having to bend over and kill your back. They have a tree lock wedge on the bar to keep it from kicking back, as long as you have that firmly placed against the tree, it will stay right there and cut as long as you can pull the trigger.

I grew up using one, and can't stand these bars they sell now. Once you find out how easy they are on your back, you wont want anything else.

[Sanford]

I've got one on a old 041 stihl that makes cutting firewood alot easier on the back. The important thing to do is leave the guards and foot/wedge on for safeties sake. With those on it easy to handle, and everybody goes home with everything attached like  it was before you started cutting!!!

[DanG]

There will be a bowsaw at the next piggy roast, Ernie.  I did dig out that ol' Poulan, but never got around to taking a pic of it.  Instead, I took it to Jacksonville and gave it to Jeff.  Corley5 is gonna drop it off to him on the way home.  Chet won't have any trouble gettin' that ol gal runnin' again.

[Ernie_Edwards]

Dan,

Well thank you sir, you are a true gentleman in spite of what other unscruppulous folks have hinted at.

I look foward to seeing it.

Ernie Edwards

[Blake22]

A bow is the only way to cut firewwod. A real back saver. But be extra careful because when these ole things were popular those old saw weren't turning the speeds that a husky or a stihl is now. You could count the teeth as they were going around on a saw like DanG was talking about. The chain would stay sharp alot longer on those old slow saws too.

[Alta]

Howdy,

Im new to the forum and have experience in the fire service (over 25 years) and my own lil 20 acre forest at 4000' in the Sierras. I used a "brush bow" (that's what we called em) in the Forest Service for cutting fire line in heavey brush in the late 70's. They worked great and it never occurred to me that this was a no - no. I have two of them now (Stihl and Homelite) and use them for any small stuff including brush. I also take care of about 20 Stihls for my fire dept but thats another story.