Joinery Blade for Bow Saw

[Pete Staehling]

Can anyone recommend a good bow saw blade for joinery work? Length isn't set since I have not yet built the frame and can build to suit the blade.

[Mike Holbrook]

Can anyone recommend a good bow saw blade for joinery work? Length isn't set since I have not yet built the frame and can build to suit the blade.

Depends on what size saw you intend to build. If you plan to build a small joinery/turning saw, coping saw size, then Tools for Working Wood offers nice Pegas Coping Saw blades, parts & saws. If you are thinking about something more like a 400 or 600mm blade then you may want to check out the Japanese turbo-cut blades. Wood Joy Tools offers a selection of the Japanese blades, parts for making bowsaws and nice bowsaws as well. Highland Woodworking offers a few Trubo Cut blades as well.

I find a 400mm bowsaw to be very versatile. It can do much of the work of panel saws. If one has a wide blade with larger teeth and a small 3/8" "jigging" blade it can handle a large portion of the cross/rip & turning cuts woodworkers typically make with hand saws. The 400mm blade is faster than coping saw blades for cuts that do not require very sharp turns. The smaller coping saw blades can even be used for cutting out dovetails as they can turn very quickly.

[lowell holmes]

Tools for working wood has a good blade.

[Patrick Chase]

Tools for working wood has a good blade.

A quick word about blades: You need to decide if you prefer a traditional blade (which is what TFWW sells) or one with Japanese toothing (the Turbo-Cut blades that others have referenced). I have the Universal Turbo-Cut blades on a pair of bowsaws, and they're great for general use but not remotely what I would term "joinery blades", which is fine with me because I exclusively cut joinery with backsaws. The jigging blade at WoodJoy looks more appropriate, though.

The big differences between the Turbo-Cuts and traditional blades are twofold: They have impulse-hardened teeth, which means that they are what they are and no customization is possible. The Turbo-Cuts also favor cutting on the pull stroke, though I've successfully used them on the push as well - starting takes a little care but other than that it works OK. If I were going to use a bowsaw for joinery I'd probably go with the Western-style blade at TFWW though.

[Daniel Rode]

I'm actually going to use the BORG bandsaw blade that Paul Sellers mentions in his frame saw videos. For about $11, I'll probably get 3 wood and 3 metal blades out of this kit. I've never built a frame saw, so I can make a few and afford to make lots of mistakes as I learn Eventually, I want to make a larger frame/bow saw for cutting green wood. Perhaps 6-8" capacity. I'm not sure what blade to use for that.

Later on, I want to make a turning saw. I will buy the hardware and blades from TFFW for that saw. Their kit looks really well thought out and well made.

[Pete Staehling]

Thanks guys. I wanted a longish wide blade. I have a turning saw already.

I was a little torn, but decided to start with a traditional blade. I went ahead and ordered one from Highland Woodworking (Rip/Joinery Frame Saw Blade - 700mm).