Bow saws are a type of hand saw. Bow saws are designed to cut deep into wood using the wide gap between the blade and the handle. Most hand saws usually cut thin wood but don't have a limit to the depth they can cut. Another major difference between them is shape. The hand saw has a large handle attached to a big blade. A bow saw, on the other hand, has a bow shape. Hand saws help you make cross cuts, while bow saws help to cut thicker and more challenging logs.