What type of saw is this? (no pic)

[Richard]

I just remembered this while at work so I don't have any picture.

When my Grandfather passed, one thing that I ended up with was somthing that I'll call a hand saw.

This thing is maybe 30" long. It has two wooden handles on either end going essentially vertically but with some angle towards each other at the top (sort of like this /_____\ )

and as I recall, there is a rod on the top, parallel to the blade that helps tighten things.

We went out to dinner the other night and this place had antiques all over the place. One of the things on their wall was a saw exactly like this one. That is what got me curious as to what it's called. The teeth on it are fairly coarse. I speculate 1/2" in length??

This does NOT strike me as a two person saw but that could merely be an illustration of my ignorance.

 

[smstonypoint]

Sounds like a bow saw. Did it resemble this?

Steve

 

[Richard]

Only in a rudimentary fashion. The side handles are essentially vertical and those are what you grab on to. There is no handle protruding out the end like I see in the picture.

So if you knock the round handles off the bottom you have the basic outline of it.

I think it's about 30" long (probalby a little shorter?) and maybe 15" tall?

The blade on your picture looks to me more like a hack saw blade. The blade on this saw is pretty stout. It seems to me it is clearly not for any fine cutting.

My seat of the pants guess is it's more like a limb saw where you might climb into the tree and cut a limb off.

 

[smstonypoint]

Richard,

There are many bow saw variants. Search Google Images for "antique bow saw."

Steve

 

[SandburRanch]

Buck Saw

 

[DAY]

Richard,

There are many bow saw variants. Search Google Images for "antique bow saw."

Steve

Listen to the man! Those are not "handles" in the illustration, they hold the blade in place, like a modern hacksaw. The saw is held by the vertical part. Often the blade is tensioned by twine at the top, and adjusted by a piece of wood twisting the twine tighter. And, the blades come in many sizes. They can be bought, brand new, in several tool catalogs, for the woodworker to make their own.

The one you have, judging by its size, may be a "Buck Saw", and was used on the farm, to cut firewood. While you are googling images, also look at a "Saw Buck"- still useful today for chain saw users!

 

[Baby Grand]

I second Buck Saw:



or is this what you mean:



... that's a 2 Man Woods Saw or Cross Cut Timber Saw

 

[Brad_Blazer]

Swede Saw/bow saw/buck saw
The good blades are still made by Sandvik.
YouTube - Men's A Swede Saw

 

[Larry Caldwell]

That's how they cut firewood in the days before chainsaws. They hauled the wood in about 8' bolts and stacked it, then cut it to length and split it as needed. If a bindlestiff came by looking for a meal, there was always firewood to cut and split. If they were a good worker, you could keep them around for a few days or weeks. They could sleep in the barn, which was comfy enough in the days of loose hay if there weren't too many thistles.

 

[smstonypoint]

That's how they cut firewood in the days before chainsaws.

And the way some folks still cut dovetails.

Frank Klausz's three-minute dovetails using a bow saw

Steve