Bow Saw Vs Hacksaw (Differences and Similarities)

With the advent of technology, the saw has evolved, with different upgraded versions being produced to enhance easy and speedy work. Some of the saws look so similar that you can easily confuse one with the other.

The bow saw vs hacksaw is an example of this, especially since they are often used for similar jobs.

However, despite the striking resemblance, you can still draw out some glaring differences between the bow saw and the hacksaw.

For instance, because of its fine-tooth, the hack saw is used for cutting metal, while the bow saw features a wide blade that is used for cutting wood.

This article will tell us more about the similarities and differences between bow saw and hacksaw.

Let’s get started!

What is a Bow Saw?

A bow saw features a bow-shaped frame and an elongated straight blade. It is a lightweight tool due to the emptiness of its metal.

It is significantly used for cutting huge materials, particularly logs. A bow saw can also be used for cutting tree branches and shrubs or trimming logs into parts.

See Also: Bow Saw Vs Hand Saw

The application of a bow saw is most common where speed is required, rather than a tidy finish. Whenever you’re cutting tree branches, endeavor to create enough space around the branch you plan to cut because it gives room for the huge nature of the bow saw.

As we mentioned earlier, a bow saw features a long straight blade detached from the frame. This blade is used to cut speedily and roughly through tree branches and shrubs. A bow saw blade consist of two types, namely, peg tooth and peg & raker tooth blades.

The former features a triangular blade arranged in three groups that are separated by huge gaps. It is used to split dry, strong wood.

Whereas the latter features four triangular teeth and one raker tooth. It is used to split wet wood. Every bow saw possesses huge teeth with deep gullets for the speedy and powerful splitting of wood.

What is a Hacksaw?

Its name stemmed from the word “hack,” meaning rough cut or blow, which makes it quite surprising, considering that a hacksaw can cut perfectly and tidily.

See Also: Hacksaw Vs Handsaw: Differences & Similarities

Therefore, it probably derived its name from the English phrase, “haggesaue,” meaning – cutting or chopping. That gives us a better understanding of its concept.

Just like the bow saw, every hacksaw features a metal frame and a straight, thin blade that enhances a more accurate cut than other tools such as an angle grinder.

A hacksaw is most ideal for splitting through thinner materials, as it has a thin blade. It may find it hard to split through thick materials and could damage the blade as a result.

It can also be used on metal and plastic. Its blade is detachable from the frame and can be replaced whenever the teeth are blunt or worn out. Its blade features two small holes, each at one end of the blade, which makes it glued to the frame.

A hacksaw splits on the push stroke. In other words, while cutting, you should always position its blade in the frame and allow the teeth to point away from the handle. It can also be used to shorten curtain tracks.

Bow Saw Vs Hacksaw

The table below shows a detailed comparison between bow saw vs hacksaw:

	Bowsaw	Hacksaw
Saw Design	Bow-shaped frame	Metal frame
Blade	Features an elongated straight blade The blade is thicker. Features coarse wide blade that can cross-cut branches.	Features a straight thin blade. The blade is less thick. Has a small and serrated blade that ensures precision.
Uses	Primarily used for cutting wood.	Primarily used for cutting metal.
Versatility	Less versatile	More Versatile & used for several cutting needs
Price & Availability	More expensive of the two because of its low availability.	Less expensive of the two, because it’s very much available for a variety of use.

Differences Between Bowsaw and Hacksaw

Despite some notable similarities, the bowsaw and hacksaw are quite different tools, especially in terms of their functions.

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For instance, the hacksaw is designed to cut metal, steel, and some plastic materials. Even though it can also split through wood, it isn’t suited for the job as the bowsaw.

On the other hand, the bowsaw is perfectly designed for woodwork. It features a long straight blade significantly used for cutting huge materials, particularly logs. A bow saw can also be used for cutting green wood like tree branches and shrubs or trimming logs into parts.

Again, both saws are different in terms of design, although they might bear some resemblance at first glance. However, both the bowsaw and hacksaw features very different blade types.

For the hacksaw, the blades are serrated and smaller to enable precision. The bow saw blade is coarse and wide and capable of cross-cutting branches.

Also, the hacksaw features many blade options on the blade because of its variety of use, while the bowsaw does not.

Again, the tooth density of the hacksaw ranges from 14-32 teeth per inch on the blade and comprises high-carbon steel or high-speed level, while the bowsaw has two blade options, one for cutting dry wood and the other for greenwood.

How are Bowsaw and Hacksaw Similar?

In as much as the bowsaw is different from the hacksaw, both types also feature some similarities, which is why some workmen often confuse one with the other.

One notable similarity about both saws is that they are what they are, ‘saws,’ and are working tools to make the cutting of materials easy.

Secondly, even though they are mainly used for different functions, the bowsaw and hacksaw are often used by workmen as substitutes or interchangeably because they believe one can do the same work as the other since both possess blades that can cut through materials.

In terms of appearance, except with a closer look and inspection, you will always mistake the bowsaw as a hacksaw because they bear some striking resemblance. Meanwhile, both are also designed in almost the same style.

Also, they are both manually powered saws and require proper blades. Both the bowsaw and hacksaw have the same precautionary measure during usage to prevent potential disaster. They both feature an ergonomic design, which makes them easy to operate, and are portable.

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