What Are Bowbar Chainsaw Bars?

You're growing knowledge of vintage saws is very helpful to us who have a passion for vintage tools , especially Big old Monster saws . Thank you for Everything is ....... Everything !!! 💪

I've never even heard of a bow bar until I saw one on FB marketplace today. Had to find out more. Glad I found this video.

I have a 1975 Homelite XL Automatic with a bow. It was my Father's that he purchased when a hurricane had came through our area. We have cut massive amounts of wood with that old saw. They definitely have a higher danger factor to them than traditional bars. That being said, they can be used safely as long as the user understands their uses, and more importantly, their limitations. I recently re-built the carb and some other minor maintenance and now the old girl is still going strong. Still my favorite saw to use when bucking firewood.

I used these cutting pulpwood logs for my grandpa when I was a young boy in the 70's. Man were we backwoods country folk. Used dangerous saws, rode in the back of the truck, and sat by the fan while watching Hee Haw and shelling beans in the evening. Lol Unbelievable

Another great Video Bryan I like the way the old girl cleans up and revs cleanly once its cutting

Got an old Poulan K100 bow bar. Needs electrical work. No spark. Good to see one running. I live in the south and remember all the pulp wooders using those.

Nice, don't see those much around here...always wondered what the exact use is.....good explanation!

65 years being around power saws and that's the first time I've seen a bow bar used. I have a 6-10g with one but haven't tried to get it running yet. If you look at a chain as it goes around the tip of a regular bar you can see how the space between teeth is increased and the stick-out of the tooth is exaggerated. That is the primary cause of kick-back. It's more pronounced in skip tooth or semi-skip chain and the old large bars with large radius noses, especially with 1/2 pitch chain or larger. That is why the "safety" or anti-kickback chain has bumps that stick up between the teeth, fill the gap going around the tip. Some bars actually have a guard on the tip so you can't cut into the wood with it. Kick-back can occur just about anytime, but usually happens when the tip hits a hidden piece of wood just past the piece being cut. While not eliminating kick-back, bow bars greatly reduce it because the chain stays in a constant geometry around the bar. With the narrow chain guide and open space behind, they also reduce pinching associated with cutting branches or wood under stress. Good job on the chain. Even though you said it wasn't sharp it was throwing good chips. Most guys don't realize that the depth gauges can be lowered much more on these slow torquey saws more than the modern high speed saws, more so even on a gear drive.

Dude that last shot chip shot loved it

Learned something new today. Thanks for sharing.

They used these bars when they cut our place in east Texas when I was a young kid. I remember them vividly.

Just want to say I appreciate your video, I learned stuff👏

Use these bars everyday. If you know how to use one they are safer than a straight bar. You can use a skip chain on one as well and it's fine. It's what I use. These bars are very versatile but you must know how to use them.

Just watched this video Bryan I’ve never in all the thousands of cords of wood I’ve cut never use the Bobar to cut actual logs but the bow bars we use our for brush we have what they called Manzanita. Hots wood you will ever see it’s more of a big brush with hard limbs that grow into the road in the or trails and are very painful if you’re stuck with it into your skin on a motorcycle or your vehicle get scratched the hell up I’ve used my poulan 3400 with a bow bar cut back on roads or my McCulloch 700 to cut back manzanita to clean the trail up the forst service firefighters use them to cut Manzanita because of how hot it burns to make fire breaks great video my friend

Haven’t used one of those in 40 plus years. My uncle used to have a couple for cutting up downed trees

Those are the coolest chainsaws I remember those from when I was a kid

Great piece of History! A Perfect Shelf Queen, or just strictly cutting firewood on elevated surface. And Surely don't go limbing with it! Great video to show a rare Saw

Nice vid. The bows are very nice to work with. If the spur is set they just pull right through the wood

I used to work with a guy who lived in Georgia for a while and he had a bow bar saw which he really liked for cutting loblolly pines. They seem to have their purpose.

My dad used one of those for years ..it was attached to a early 70's..80cc Homelite..awesome saw..