A hand-held band saw having a deck defining a front and a rear, and an opening in the front defining a cut zone. The band saw also includes a first wheel supported by a first deck portion, a second wheel supported by a second deck portion, a motor operably coupled to the first wheel, a single handle providing a single grip for a user to hold the band saw with only one hand, and a continuous blade having a cutting edge. The continuous blade includes a first portion positioned in the cut zone for performing a cutting operation and a second portion positioned outside of the cut zone. A blade guard is positioned proximate the cutting edge of the second portion of the continuous blade to substantially provide a barrier between the cutting edge and an exterior of the band saw.