Bow Saw Blade Length

305 mm with 3 Blades 10-16-24 TPI GRAMERCY TOOLS

A bow saw belongs to the type of frame saw and distinguishes itself from others of its kind by having a narrow blade that allows for curved cuts. While the traditional European frame saws are relatively large—with blades ranging from 600 to 800 mm in length—almost only small specimens with approximately 305 mm (12 inches) long blades are known from the Anglo-Saxon region.

In continental Europe, almost all standard cuts in carpentry and joinery were performed with the frame saw. To be effective, it had to be of considerable length. For the same cuts in the Anglo-Saxon region, almost only back saws and handsaws were used. Accordingly, the continental European bow saw was just as large as the other frame saws for straight cuts, which allowed for effective curved cuts but only those with large radii. The continental European bow saw blade is indeed a proud 10 mm wide.

Here is where the advantage of the small bow saw comes into play: its short length allows for narrower blades with a width of only 2.5 to 3 mm, enabling curved cuts with tight radii. Of course, you can also make straight cuts with this saw. It is very popular for making dovetail and other joint connections.

As with many hand tools, the quality of these small English bow saws declined significantly in the second half of the 20th century, which is why we did not stock any for a long time. Particularly, the saw blades were quite unsuitable as they were cut from bandsaw material, resulting in a tooth spacing that was much too large. With the Gramercy Tools bow saw, a radical shift to uncompromising quality occurred. This saw is characterized by high-quality craftsmanship in all its parts—from the wood to the saw blade and the brass toggle. The saw blades from Gramercy Tools are equipped with pins like those of scroll saws, allowing for easy replacement. Additionally, with 10 to 24 TPI (2.5 to 1.1 mm tooth spacing), they are fine enough to achieve truly clean radius cuts. The frame made from hickory is light and flexible, making this saw very easy to handle. You can work quickly with it without fatigue. Made in the USA.