Battle Mistress, Bucksaw and a large pile of wood

Cliff Stamp · Nov 16, 2000

As of the last few years I have been using a Bucksaw more and more, no real reason except that I don't like the idea in general of relying so much on modern equipment that you are helpless without it. You can take this to any extreme you want of course but this is where I am now anyway. What has this to do with Busse Combat? Well the last few times I have been at the woodpile :

http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sstamp/images/woodpile.jpg

I took the Battle Mistress :

http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sstamp/images/bm_outside.jpg

and the Bucksaw :

http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sstamp/images/buck_saw.jpg

and used them back and forth to get an idea of the range of performance of each. On some light to medium scrap :

http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sstamp/images/scrap.jpg

The Battle Mistress takes less time and effort. On this size and type of wood it chops though cleanly with little time and fatigue. It can take longer to set the Bucksaw, than to chop though the scrap with the blade. As the wood starts to go over the 2x4" sized mark, the saw starts to catch up, and with an all out effort on both parts, does pull ahead. But not to the extent that I would actually go and get it, if I had the Battle Mistress on me at the time.

However the felled wood is different altogether, mainly because it is significantly larger. I would be comfortable using the Battle Mistress on wood of this size :

http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sstamp/images/small_wood.jpg

as it will go through without taking a lot of time or effort. The saw will still outcut it, but again, I could make due with the blade. As the size of the wood drops, the blade starts to catch up with the saw and eventually they are nearly identical as both go through small sticks in one hit or stroke.

As the wood gets larger :

http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sstamp/images/medium_wood.jpg

The saw starts to readily pull ahead. On the size of the wood in the picture, cutting up an entire log is a fairly decent piece of work for the blade, but not for the saw. This is at the point where I would go look for the saw unless it was an emergency situation.

There are lots of other issues of course, the saw is terrible at limbing, splitting and carving, difficult to use on felling bushy trees even when small, much more difficult to sharpen than the blade and much more difficult to carry (can get small portable ones though).

It was not as one sided a contest as I thought it might be and did once again drive home the point that it takes wood far larger than necessary for shelter building to really want something more powerful chopping wise than a decent knife. In regards to this it is important to note the wood had been seasoned for about a year, it was much harder to chop than fresh wood, on such the blade can handle much larger sticks with the same effort. It doesn't make nearly as much difference to the saw (you don't press down as hard as all, otherwise the blade will bind).

-Cliff

[This message has been edited by Cliff Stamp (edited 11-16-2000).]

Will York · Nov 16, 2000

Cliff --

So it looks like anything up to a diameter of 5 inches or so -- about half the length of the BM blade -- was no problem. Sounds like the BM's all you need to build a nice little log cabin for the winter, then use it to dig up some head-sized stones, mix some adobe mortar and use the spine to trowel off the joints to build a fireplace. Then use it to cut some sticks and twine for snares, set them, catch some varmints, use the BM to skin them out and scrape the hides for tanning, then cut some green stakes for a spit, go back inside the cabin and roast your dinner over the fire. Slice a nice steak off of the cooked beast with the BM, eat your fill, then check the edge to see if it could use a light stropping before you climb onto your bed, naturally made of posts and boughs collected with the BM. What about marauding bears? Better keep the BM handy while you sleep.

Now, let's see...comfy? Sweet dreams.

--Will

Cliff Stamp · Nov 17, 2000

Will York:

Indeed, while there are changes I would like to make to increase its abilities in varies respects, all of which create disadvantages of their own of course, it is a very wide range use blade.

What about marauding bears? Better keep the BM handy while you sleep.

Considering my resemblance :

http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sstamp/images/me.jpg

I have worse fears than being attacked.

-Cliff

Will York · Nov 16, 2000

Now THERE's a man who looks like he could use a Battle Mistress!

tallpaul · Nov 16, 2000

Hmmmm.... Cliff Stamp....Hmmm ,Hank williams Jr... Hmmmm as one scratches chin and ponders...

HUNTER3897 · Nov 18, 2000

Cliff,

Thanks for another enlightening test. I guess it goes to show that while there are certain tools to keep around the house for specific tasks, there really isn't anything that matches the overall usefulness of a big blade when you head out into the backwoods.

Jim McCullough... one of the many who still appreciate Cliff Stamp's efforts, and above all, CLASS, in his never ending quest for the perfect blade.

The General · Nov 18, 2000

Good review Cliff, good review.

W.A.

------------------
"To strive to seek to find and not to yield"
Tennyson
Ranger motto

Cliff Stamp · Nov 20, 2000

Jim :

there really isn't anything that matches the overall usefulness of a big blade when you head out into the backwoods.

You can make do with just about anything, but the degree of difficulty of course varies significantly. One thing I have taken to carrying is a used chainsaw chain that I have attached two pieces of paracord to. The great advantage that it has over a bowie knife is that it is impossible for someone to accidently chop their fingers off with. It will fell small to medium trees ok, needs a fair amount of strength though.

I have used it often enough to get comfortable with it, but the main reason is that I now always have something on me that can handle large wood as it fits in my pocket, and best of all I would feel comfortable with anyone else using it after a minutes instruction. If someone has not used a bowie knife of even a bucksaw for an extended period of time I would be very hesitant to give them it, especially the blade. The injuries with the saws usually come from a bad start with too close a grip with the restraining hand. Cold and fatigue would really enhance this and make accidents far more likely.

All that being said I think it is very useful to try to "make do" with your blades often so you know exactly what they can do and how they perform at things even those that they were never intended to do. This way in an emergency you are prepared the best you can.

How about (for whatever reason) the only blade you have is a slim fillet blade and you need to cut down some wood, limb it out and split it up, can you do it, and how long will it take? If you have done this before it takes all the worry out of the situation and you can just proceed and do something you are comfortable with. It is easily possible but takes very different techniques than a decent large bowie.

It is always best to use a tool especially designed for the job, but knowing only how to do just that I don't think is the best way to be prepared.

tallpaul:

Cliff Stamp....Hmmm ,Hank williams Jr...

Not if you heard me sing.

General, sorry you chose to cancel the review of the large Talonite blade. I can understand the obvious reason, but you do realize that the main purpose of those posts was to get you to make exactly the decision you made. If you still want to have a look at a Talonite blade drop me an email. I have one currently out on loan that you can have a lend of. It is currently not in my daily carry so you don't have to be concerned about any harm that might come to it nor be in a rush to get it back to me.

-Cliff

[This message has been edited by Cliff Stamp (edited 11-20-2000).]