Bow Bar pro’s n con’s?

[Huskybill]

I purchased a husky 262xp and it came with a bow bar. I watched the videos on how to use them. Ok we stand up when using it and plunge straight down. We can still hit the dirt when the curve in the bar cuts through the wood when bucking. Right? So what’s the real advantage to using one?
Thanks, bill

 

[RED-85-Z51]

Gotta have the guides...mine had a guide and it prevented the bow from really readily hitting the ground and also have some kind if guide for what is being cut to ride on

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[Dean-O]

Cons is the kickback potential for sure. The kickback area of a bow bar is like 1 million times the size of a regular bar

 

[rwoods]

If used properly you shouldn’t hit the ground. The advantage is speed. You can buck a long straight stem into pulpwood far quicker than you can with a straight bar. Bows were very popular in the south cutting pine for pulp. But they are very dangerous due to the speed and force of kickbacks - many decapitations and severe facial or upper trunk injuries. All major saw manufacturers drop them due to product liability lawsuits. Some upper leg injuries were also occurring which led to the use of bottom guards. Mine is on the shelf after putting me in the ER about 40 years ago.

Ron

 

[Huskybill]

Maybe a chipper style chain is better?

Mine is in excellent condition, with upper and lower guards with a brand new chisel chain. Value?

 

[rwoods]

I would not suggest a chisel chain as the wood should be on the ground.

Kickback can be fierce, especially if it starts high on the bow. My gear drive saw weighs every bit of 35# and the kickback threw it over my head after busting all of my knuckles.

Be careful.

Ron

 

[FlyingDutchman]

Fantastic for cutting wood in a pile or on the ground, small pinching branches and anything below the knees. Yes kickback is extreme. I would put it like using a top handle one handed at full arm extension and trying to control kickback. Just engage the spike before beginning the cut.
In the right circumstances it's a great tool.

 

[foeke]

They are great to have in your collection.
Place them in a visible place, so you can tell every one asking all the pros and cons. It helps your credibility. Don't hesitate to glue them in place.
Just talking and not using, helps your face even more.
It's a win win situation.
I would only use them to clear blackberries, and even then they are stupid dangerous.

 

[s sidewall]

I've got two, one with the original Poulan chipper chain and the other with a semi chisel chain. Semi chisel does pretty good, haven't tried the chipper chain and may never. You have watch what you are doing running a bow, more cautious than you think. Running one is totally different than a bar. I grew up watching and running bow bars. That's what we had in the south. Alot of my family logged for a living on my mother's side. Dad's side of the family was farming. You run those saws with respect and still do.
Last bow saw we had was a Homelite Super XL12, ole Blue back in the 70's.
Steve Sidwell

 

[ATpro]

They are a dangerous as you make them. Never use them for limbing because the saw can climb the limbs and kick back. The trick is to keep the gig in firm contact and never cut higher than your waist. They are made for bucking plain and simple. As far as cutting into the dirt, you can rest the gig on the dirt when you get to the bottom of the cut and simply rock the saw forward and finish the cut and never get the blade in the dirt. They eliminate 90% of the pinch you get from a bar saw, most of the time you can simply push it on through, if you think you will get a pinch you can simply place a wedge in the cut on top inside the bow and eliminate any pinch. I have been using one for 50 years and never had a problem, maybe because I didn't ask it to do more than it was designed for. You keep two hands on the saw at all times and you stand to the side of the cut that way if it does kick back you are out of the way. The thing is you don't have to sharpen the chain as much, they save your back and arms because you use the weight of the saw to cut with instead of having to hold the saw up and you can cut much faster than you can with a bar saw. I use a full chisel chain on mine and have for 50 years.

 

[hardhat]

Wonderful for cutting limbs on ground. Can just walk down the lot. Easier to keep out of dirt than a bar. On small limbs, you can put the spike in the dirt and just pivot the saw forward which will lower the front of the bow into the limb and you can keep the bow out of the dirt. Been using a bow since I was 12. Never any accidents. Just have to be very careful with them.

 

[rwoods]

They are a dangerous as you make them. Never use them for limbing because the saw can climb the limbs and kick back. The trick is to keep the gig in firm contact and never cut higher than your waist. They are made for bucking plain and simple. As far as cutting into the dirt, you can rest the gig on the dirt when you get to the bottom of the cut and simply rock the saw forward and finish the cut and never get the blade in the dirt. They eliminate 90% of the pinch you get from a bar saw, most of the time you can simply push it on through, if you think you will get a pinch you can simply place a wedge in the cut on top inside the bow and eliminate any pinch. I have been using one for 50 years and never had a problem, maybe because I didn't ask it to do more than it was designed for. You keep two hands on the saw at all times and you stand to the side of the cut that way if it does kick back you are out of the way. The thing is you don't have to sharpen the chain as much, they save your back and arms because you use the weight of the saw to cut with instead of having to hold the saw up and you can cut much faster than you can with a bar saw. I use a full chisel chain on mine and have for 50 years.

Excellent points. I have highlighted three as they relate to my accident.

The first: Though I was bucking I failed to notice a thumb size nub resting against the bow when I throttled up - that is what caused the kickback. You got to stay on your toes - I wasn't I was showing off at the time.

The second and third: Those points are the only things I remember my dad ever teaching me about running a saw. If I hadn't been using both hands, who knows what would have happened. If I hadn't been standing to the side as taught I wouldn't be here today.

Ron

 

[ericm979]

I used them on forest thinning crew in the '80s. We were thining out the trees so the remaining trees would grow up into 2x4s faster.

Our bow bars had guards on the top and bottom runs where you'd cut with a normal bar. The guards were pieces of aluminum stock bent to clear the chain, and bolted to the bar. They extended past the chain teeth and unlike the pics I see these days, extended nearly the full length of the top and bottom runs. There was also what they called a "stinger" on the bottom of the cutting face (the end of the bar), which was a steel bar that stuck out. You'd walk up to a small tree, plant the stinger on the tree and cut the tree. Any kickback force was taken up by the stinger against the tree. It was so stable and safe that you could take one hand off the saw while cutting and use it to push the tree over.

This setup was safer than the normal bar shape due to the guards. I once tripped while walking backwards through slash and had a running saw land in my lap. The chaps weren't even scratched. The other advantage was not having to bend over, which is useful when you're cutting a thousand or so trees in a day. The disadvantage is that the bar is limited to trees below 10" or so. Not a problem for this use, we rarely cut anything at large as 6".

I've looked at a lot of pics of bow bars since then and most aren't even the same shape ours were- they're shorter and the cutting face on the end is taller. I've not seen any with guards as long as we used and only a few with "stingers".

 

[rwoods]

I used them on forest thinning crew in the '80s. We were thining out the trees so the remaining trees would grow up into 2x4s faster.

Our bow bars had guards on the top and bottom runs where you'd cut with a normal bar. The guards were pieces of aluminum stock bent to clear the chain, and bolted to the bar. They extended past the chain teeth and unlike the pics I see these days, extended nearly the full length of the top and bottom runs. There was also what they called a "stinger" on the bottom of the cutting face (the end of the bar), which was a steel bar that stuck out. You'd walk up to a small tree, plant the stinger on the tree and cut the tree. Any kickback force was taken up by the stinger against the tree. It was so stable and safe that you could take one hand off the saw while cutting and use it to push the tree over.

This setup was safer than the normal bar shape due to the guards. I once tripped while walking backwards through slash and had a running saw land in my lap. The chaps weren't even scratched. The other advantage was not having to bend over, which is useful when you're cutting a thousand or so trees in a day. The disadvantage is that the bar is limited to trees below 10" or so. Not a problem for this use, we rarely cut anything at large as 6".

I've looked at a lot of pics of bow bars since then and most aren't even the same shape ours were- they're shorter and the cutting face on the end is taller. I've not seen any with guards as long as we used and only a few with "stingers".

I believe you were using what I call a brush bow. Much smaller radius than a pulpwood bow. I have just started using a brush bow and find it handy for small stuff.

Ron

 

[ATpro]

The Bow saws I have have guards both bottom and top, they are also a 20" bow blade and as long as you keep the gig in place they will cut a 18" log with no problem. If the Log is bigger you just go around to the other side and finish the cut. They are Poulan counter vibe 4000 and 4400. The 4000 is a 65cc saw and has no problem pulling the 20" bow bar. They both have manual and Auto oilers so getting oil to the chain is no problem.

 

[s sidewall]

I want to get longer guards for mine for sure. One doesn't have any and the other one, someone took the bottom one off for some reason.

 

[ATpro]

I found some on ebay
Bow Bar Guards

I'm sure they can be adapted to fit your saw if one doesn't fit already.

 

[Huskybill]

At 69yo I’m not up for unexpected kick backs like I once was. I might put it on sleezebay.

 

[rjames]

Please post up some pictures!!!

I know I'd like to see that saw with bow bar!

 

[46 Poulan]

I like them-use them and collect them-David Southwest Georgia