Bow guides

[Ashful]

I see a section on bow guides in every Stihl manual, but have never seen one in use. Given the location of the spur and guard, leaving a very small portion of the guide for actual cutting area, I'm having trouble picturing why one would want to use one of these guides. I'm assuming they have a very specific and limited utility, which is why I haven't seen them in use anywhere around here.

Anyone have experience with these guides, and why would anyone ever want to use one?

 

[clemsonfor]

Yea, you can take the guide off, but they were used a lot in pulpwood days where they cut short wood. Once the tree was felled it was cut to like 4foot or 6 foot lengths. You can cut a tree on the ground with one and not lean over as much. I thionk they were used lots in the south. But anyway you can plunge into a tree and cut straight down and the bar wont pinch making them faster as you dont have to worry about the bar pinching. when i first started cutting wood with a coworker, he used an old poulan with a bow, the bow was worn and he went to a straight bar and that did not last long till he got a stihl farm boss.

But in thier place they are great bars, just dangerous as all get out when your tired as the bow will protrude back toward the operator when the saw is lowered when carrying or moving etc. And back in the day there were no chain breaks.

When i first started out of college one of my jobs was to "babysit" the small logger by endangerd RCW species cavity trees (its a woodpecker). THose guys used old husky saws and bows. IT amazed me at what they could do.

 

[NortheastAl]

It's for Palm trees and other pulp style trees.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_a_bow_chainsaw_used_for#page1

 

[mikefrommaine]

Easier on your back

 

[Thistle]

Quite common for cutting pulpwood or poles until the '80s or so,especially in southern states .When Dad bought his new Poulan 3400 in 1981,it was often paired up with a bow.I asked about getting one & if I remember correctly his reply was something like "HELL NO!"

 

[MasterMech]

Easier on your back

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/G80EXLg7DtE?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>


edit/ why won't you tube vids embed here?

They do Mike. Just paste in the link from YouTubes share button. The forum will automatically embed the vid.

 

[711mhw]

I was told that they were for brush cutting back before the powerful weed eater type brush saws. I can see where they would not pinch up in light brush with the hollow center.

 

[clemsonfor]

I was told that they were for brush cutting back before the powerful weed eater type brush saws. I can see where they would not pinch up in light brush with the hollow center.

some use them for brush.

But trust me they don't bind in large ply logs either, I personally have watched them cut large pine ply logs that lay on the ground all the way through to the ground. they don't pinch.

 

[TreePointer]

Lots of info here: History of Bow Saws

 

[clemsonfor]

I thinktheguys I watched use the bow saws actually were iseing 044 magnums with those big bow bars. I said before I think they used husky saws??