bowsaw vs coping saw

[Rob Blaustein]

I am pretty clueless about handsaws. I have a small flexible flush trim one and just got a dovetail saw but I don't have anything (other than my bandsaw or jigsaw) that will let me cut curves. I recently read a brief review in Dec in Pop WW'ng by Chris Schwarz extolling the virtues of the Gramercy bowsaw. But I'm confused--is this the same thing as a basic coping saw--it has a thin blade and can cut tight curves.

[Mark Singer]

The smaller bowsaws are used for general cutting and joinery. The blade is wider and thicker than a coping saw. Tage Frid loved them and hated backsaws. The thinner bowsaws are for scrolling. I have many handsaws and a few coping saws, but I don't own a bowsaw. You can spend a lifetime learning to master the use of handsaws and I did not want to complicate things any more by throwing bowsaws in the mix. My Father started me with Disston Panel and backsaws and I went as far as the Japanese saws .....but that was about it

[Rob Blaustein]

This one sounds more coping-saw like. I just checked out their website, and it has a nice discussion. They also have a page dedicated to their design principles--I wonder what Bob Smalser thinks since he has built many of these over the years. Bob, any thoughts?

[Mark Singer]

This one sounds more coping-saw like. I just checked out their website, and it has a nice discussion. They also have a page dedicated to their design principles--I wonder what Bob Smalser thinks since he has built many of these over the years. Bob, any thoughts?

That is a scrolling bowsaw...it looks nice and they are light and you can turn the blade to angle it like a coping saw....I have used them and they are very manuverable...which is good...just not in my arsenal of saws right now. So guys really love them!

[Jim Dunn]

Rob, Bob Smalser did a tutorail on building a bow saw. It is used, I think, for coping. The thread is fairly recent. In it he said this type of saw held the blade tighter than a metal framed saw. I don't have his saw to compair, nor do I have the abilities to make it, but anything has to be better than a cheap metal framed coping saw.

[Ken Bryant]

I intend to buy the Grammercy bow saw. For the moment, I have a "Continental Frame Saw" from Highland Hardware with a good Putsch 24" "Scrolling blade":

http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/i...ROD&ProdID=874

The blade is 3/8" wide -- obviously much wider than a coping saw -- and 9tpi, so it cuts way faster than a coping saw. It's perfect for cutting quickly through gentle curves -- say a 12" radius -- and then cleaning up with a spokeshave.

I'm assuming the Grammercy bow saw will handle much tighter curves. I hate coping saws, myself.

[Robert Rozaieski]

I would say to skip the metal framed coping saw and go woth the bow saw. If you want one that will handle the 6" standard coping saw blades, it's easy to make one (look for Bob Smalser's article) and if you want one for 12" blades that Joel sells, get the Grammercy or look for one on the used market (or make one as well). Just make sure you get the blades before you make the saw.

In my limited experience, I've found that the metal saws are basically useless for fine cabinet work. They are fine for rough carpentry where a little painter's caulk will hide a wandering cope cut but they cannot tension the blade enough for really fine cuts. Also, the blades that Joel sells are even thinner than a typical coping saw blade. I bought a couple for an older 12" bow saw I have and they are very fine blades. The bow saw can apply much more tension that my little metal framed coping saw (the German made one sold at most WW retailers). The bow saw applies enough tension to cut on the push stroke, which I don't do with the metal frame coping saw.

With the metal framed saw, I set the blades up to cut on the pull stroke or else the blades tend to wander more. The top nut and handle are tightened until the threads bottom out and the blade still has some side to side deflection. I don't like to cut on the pull stroke so I've decided to only use the metal coping saw for finish carpentry work around the house. I plan on making a smaller 6" bow saw to replace the metal framed saw for furniture work. For now I just use the longer 12" bow saw when I need to make scrolling cuts. It works much nicer.