Bow Saws vs Back Saws

Frank Shic, Walnut Creek, CA asked: Do bow saws work as well as back saws for making tenon cuts? I'm also interested in using them for dovetails as Tage Frid did, and I'd like to hear what the experience has been around here

Charles Stanford: Yes, but what you must realize is that Frid used a crosscut bowsaw blade that he filed to a rip profile. A lot of people make the mistake in thinking that he used a 5 or so point rip bowsaw blade to cut joinery. He did not.

Frid used a 24" regular bowsaw not a bowsaw rigged as a turning saw. For what it's worth, I've never seen a wide blade being used in a 12" saw but I suppose that would be do-able.

Dean J in MN: In my opinion frame/bow saws work far better than the regular back saws I see suggested. All things being equal it shouldn't matter how the blade is supported, the error I see is using saws which are too small (too short in length/depth) and fine toothed. I use frame saws for cutting tenons, and depending on the size of that tenon it may be a 5 tpi or a 9 tpi. Faster is better for me on tenons. If you have ever tried to cut a 4" tenon with a 12+ tpi 12-14" back saw you know how tedious it can be. That same tenon cut with a 5 tpi framesaw is quick. I have a large back saw, which may be called a proper tenon saw, but at that size back saws are more difficult to control for me. They feel far too heavy and I struggle with that as I sharpen my saws with an agressive rake. The weight makes starting the cut difficult for me.

As for dovetails—you can cut them with framesaws, but here I see an advantage in the handle angle of a western dovetail saw.

Adam Cherubini: I don't care too much for bow saws. But unlike Dean, I'm not lucky enough to own a long backsaw so I use an 18" bowsaw (9pt or so) for tenons. I rarely see 4" wide tenons, but I think my saw is too fine for even 2" tenons. A 4" tenon is almost like a resaw operation.

I have sawn dovetails with this saw once or twice. The teeth were way too coarse for the work I was doing but that's not the saw's fault. The frame was in no way advantageous for this operation though.

I have two 700mm frame saws with cheap Putsch blades. These blades must be refiled to be useful in my opinion. I don't care for these saws as much as my western saws. When I began woodworking, I tried Japanese saws, frame saws and western saws. I gave each a fair shake and feel as though I am proficient with each. But I like western saws best. Try them all yourself and make up your own mind. I had fun making bow saws.

I can say I use two bow saws regularly: I made a 12" turning saw I do scroll work with and I love it. That and the 18" 9 pt rip complement my western saws nicely (I'm not counting coping/fret saws mind you).

I would caution you about the influence of band saw users like Anthony Guidice. Blade width and tension are meaningless in frame saws. These are issues in band saws (or so I've been told). Also, all three types of saws appear to have their own pluses and minuses. Don't let any snake oil salesman convince you there is one best sort of saw.