Types of Manual Saws for Tree Cutting

Tree cutting is a type of operation that calls for the right kind of tool to be successfully carried out. Whether the objective is to cut down a tree, remove dead branches or to prune and shape a tree, some kind of saw will be used. Using the correct saw for the type of job will make cutting trees easier, more efficient and safer. Manual saws--operated by hand--are made in many styles tailored to specific types of tree cutting.

The most common type of manual saw is the crosscut saw. There are several variations of crosscut saws, but they all work in the same general way and are similarly shaped. A crosscut saw has a handle at one end to which the saw blade is attached. The saw blade is generally from 1 to 2 feet long and is narrower at the end away from the handle, with a squared or rounded end. The crosscut saw is used to cut branches or logs and to cut trees down. As it is drawn across the wood, the sharp, angled teeth in the saw blade cut through the wood on either the push or the pull depending on the type of teeth. Crosscut saws also come in longer, two-handled versions to allow two people to cut through larger trees.

A modern bow saw resembles a small archery bow with a narrow blade in place of a bowstring. Antique bow saws have the blade set in a wooden frame shaped like the letter H. Both antique and modern bow saws are well designed to cut branches from trees. A bow saw is handled in a push and pull motion and usually cuts the wood as it is pushed. It can cut tree branches up to 8 inches in diameter but is best for branches which are 6 inches in diameter or less. The bow saw not only cuts a straight line, but because of the narrow blade and construction it is useful for cutting curved lines, such as around knots in the wood of trees.

Pruning saws come in a wide variety of sizes and types and are used to prune branches that are more than one and a half inches in diameter. The blades of pruning saws can be curved or straight and the teeth of the blades can cut wood on the push or the pull motion of sawing depending on the saw. Some blades are made to cut on both the push and the pull. Straight bladed pruning saws tend to have curved handles, and saws with curved blades often have straight or only slightly angled handles. Some varieties of smaller pruning saws have blades that fold back into the handle like a jackknife. Pole pruners are pruning saws set on long poles. They are useful for cutting hard to reach branches high up in a tree.