"Choppers" vs. a saw

Let me give you an idea of what you can get done with a little folding saw...

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They are my number one piece of out gear, Give me that and my SAK and I will get through anything.:thumbup:
 
hollowdweller said:
I have never used a small saw like that.

I have used this one:

http://www.rei.com/product/404040

Reason I was asking about how thick is I think the length of the saw blade, or the thickness of the wood on whether one is better than the other.

Also technique plays a part.

Saw was faster for me on a lot but not all.

Thicker stuff was easier with hatchet due to limitations of blade size on saw.

Hatchet easier to fell with because the blade doesn't get pinched.
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Ah. The Sven is a great take-down saw that comes in several sizes. I prefer my Silky 210 with an 8 inch blade, though. It's a simple folder, so you just snap it open and saw away. I rarely cut anything thicker than 4 or 5 inches, and the Silky makes short work of anything that size.

A lot depends on what kind of wood you have in what location. If I could still wield an axe, and if I were in the North woods, I might prefer the axe, but I'm not; I'm in Southern California where we don't have all those big logs laying around, and I'm no longer in good enough shape to be swinging an axe, anyway.

For me, out here, the bolo takes care of limbing most stuff, the saw cuts it into sections, and the BK-2 batons it like a champ.
 
Choppers are much more fun, but the little folding saw is more efficient at doing its task. My chopper of choice is a Khukuri, but as much fun as it is a little folding saw would be heaven when its getting late and you are tired. It might be that I am getting older, but I have started looking for a good folding saw like the Kershaw.
 
udtjim said:
Dawsonbob, Man I hear you on the chopper and the older guy club. My bad shoulders prefer the saw 100 to 1. I have several saw that make childs play of 4 inch or smaller limbs and works almost as well on 6 inchers. As some of these guys age, they will see what you mean.

I gotta try that Kershaw saw too. I have heard that the SOG saw is decent as well, I have not tried that one.
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I hear you, Jim. These young guys will learn what we old, broken down guys already know.:D

There'll come a time that all these young whippersnappers are going to say "Oh, now I get it," as they're rubbing BenGay into tortured muscles.
 
dawsonbob said:
I hear you, Jim. These young guys will learn what we old, broken down guys already know.:D

There'll come a time that all these young whippersnappers are going to say "Oh, now I get it," as they're rubbing BenGay into tortured muscles.
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already there but I prefer Icy Hot. there's still alot of back and forth motion regardless with a folding saw, it can definately be a workout. Depends what I'm feeling like at the time, if a sustained constant grinding sensation or occasional shock would be easier to get over.
 
dawsonbob said:
A lot depends on what kind of wood you have in what location.
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I think so too. IMO something like Elm is faster sawed than chopped due to the grain pattern.

Something like maple faster for me to chop depending on the diameter.

Say something 15' long and 4" diameter on the thick end I'll set on the thick end and then chop around it one time with the hatchet and crack it then keep doing that and I can get thru it faster that way than sawing.

4" to 6" better to set it on something and saw it because the hatchet blade will not penetrate deep enough when you chop all the way around.

Over 6" was really too big for my Sven.

The 8" folding sound really good. I may have to check one out. They're cheap relatively speaking.
 
hollowdweller said:
I think so too. IMO something like Elm is faster sawed than chopped due to the grain pattern.

Something like maple faster for me to chop depending on the diameter.

Say something 15' long and 4" diameter on the thick end I'll set on the thick end and then chop around it one time with the hatchet and crack it then keep doing that and I can get thru it faster that way than sawing.

4" to 6" better to set it on something and saw it because the hatchet blade will not penetrate deep enough when you chop all the way around.

Over 6" was really too big for my Sven.

The 8" folding sound really good. I may have to check one out. They're cheap relatively speaking.
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You have a lot of hardwoods back there that we don't have out here, and some of it is pretty nasty to cut.

Out here — at least where I usually hike — we're dealing mostly with pine, cottonwoods and oak; maybe not as tough as the stuff you deal with (although the oak can be hard, no matter where you are).

It used to be, way back when, that I would use my big axe for wood like you're talking about, simply because I enjoyed it, and liked feeling my muscles work. Now, though, my muscles don't work quite as well, and a saw at a relaxed pace is more my speed.

Try a Silky saw, bro. Yes, it's a few dollars more than some of the others, but you'll understand the reason as soon as you use one. They last longer than most, too, so I think they're cheaper in the long run. I think I only paid about $35 for my Silky SuperAccel 210, and it's been worth every penny. Best saw I've ever used, bar none.
 
When I had to build my cabins the swede saw was an absolute Godsend. But the large frame makes em hard to carry. That is why I've gone to the pocket chainsaw and fitting it up into a framesaw.

Saws are much quicker maost of the time, especialy if the diameter gets larger such as 8" plus. The chopper then gets its workout doing all the limbing and peeling etc.

The pocket chainsaw is much more compact than most all of these folding saws and will cut more agressively as well as handling larger material. Which I find to be a real plus.
 
dawsonbob said:
Out here — at least where I usually hike — we're dealing mostly with pine, cottonwoods and oak; maybe not as tough as the stuff you deal with (although the oak can be hard, no matter where you are).
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Oak is weird. IMO easier to chop than really cured maple or elm due I think to the pores? But harder.

I've chopped a lot of elm but never broke or bent a blade on it despit it being SO SLOW to chop. For me Oak faster to chop but HARD. More likely to bend or break a blade. Broke the head on a GB mini chopping dried chestnut oak and have chipped and bent khukuri blades on oak quite a few times:eek:
 
wildmike said:
When I had to build my cabins the swede saw was an absolute Godsend. But the large frame makes em hard to carry. That is why I've gone to the pocket chainsaw and fitting it up into a framesaw.

Saws are much quicker maost of the time, especialy if the diameter gets larger such as 8" plus. The chopper then gets its workout doing all the limbing and peeling etc.

The pocket chainsaw is much more compact than most all of these folding saws and will cut more agressively as well as handling larger material. Which I find to be a real plus.
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I'm going to have to try one of those one of these days. I've seen demonstrations, and they look pretty interesting.
 
A saw does not have the glamor or macho of the ax or hatchet, but in a survival senerio, I'd rather have a good saw. You have to take evrything into account.

If you're injured in anyway in an arm, chopping can go south real quick. Swinging a chopper in a injured or weakened condition is asking to make matters worse. Also, a saw can be used safely by others in your party that may not have the skill for a chopper. A wife, daughter, grandchild, or city slicker.

Also I have to agree about age. Coming up on 70 my next birthday, I'm at that point where arthritis is an issue, and I don't like the choppers any more. They were fine when I was young and full of piss and vinigar, but that was a long time ago. As a senior citizen, I've learned how to take it easy on my body. It's been many years since I've carried any kind of chopper in my daypack or canoe bag. But the better half and I each have a Gerber/Fiskars sliding blade saw stashed in our daypacks, and if we go camping, the take down Sven goes along. Even my wife Karen, with moderate arthritis in her hands, can saw up some firewood pretty quick with her saw. If you do it right, even spliting and quartering wood is no big deal. Way easier than battoning. Our Opinel saw works pretty good too.

Saws are great. There's a reason they were invented and used by lumberjacks world wide.

With one of my saws in my pack and a pocket knife or two on me, I wouldn't be too worried about being stuck out someplace for a while.
 
check out the Wyoming Saw if you don't know what it is, I think this little saw fixes alot of the areas where folding saws fall short. The blade is easily replacable and you can find em at any hardware store, and switch it out with a thumbscrew for a bone or metal blade.
 
And while we're on the subject of saws, we ought to mention the saws on our SAKs.

Truth be told, I actually use the saw on my Vic Farmer more than I use the Silky saw. No, it's not exactly a heavy duty saw that will process firewood like the Silky, but it has a thousand and one uses for smaller stuff.

If, for instance, I want to cut a simple walking stick, I'm more likely to pull my Farmer out of my pocket than I am to get the Silky out of my pack.

In my opinion, the little saw on my SAK is one of the best saws in the world, it's just small.

What do you guys use the saws on your SAK for?
 
I am a big chopper sort and primarily machete as of recent and really utilize the batonning technique for campfires but... I was extremely surprised at how easily the small saw on my Leatherman Blast cut through a branch on my lemon tree which was approx. 1-1.5 in. in diameter. So I can only imagine how well a solid folding saw works.

Still, I think the large blade is more versatile overall. That or their just cool. :D
 
PayetteRucker said:
check out the Wyoming Saw if you don't know what it is, I think this little saw fixes alot of the areas where folding saws fall short. The blade is easily replacable and you can find em at any hardware store, and switch it out with a thumbscrew for a bone or metal blade.
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I like that saw too, seems like they even make different blade lengths.

The Laplander is a good folder too. I think they make the blade for the Kershaw folder.
 
udtjim said:
I like that saw too, seems like they even make different blade lengths.

The Laplander is a good folder too. I think they make the blade for the Kershaw folder.
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I have the Laplander and it looks identical to the Kershaw in the OP (excpet colour and brand name on it). It is excellent and better than anything else that size. It is a perfect match to my SRK. That combo is a great for campcraft and fire building. I find it lighter, safer, more efficient and more versitile than a single larger knife. Of course the larger knife is more fun :D.
 
dawsonbob said:
What do you guys use the saws on your SAK for?
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My SAK doesn't have a saw, but my LM Wave does. I don't really use it much though - I have much better tools for most tasks. In a survival situation it is possible I may only have my SAK & Wave though (because I EDC them) so I would use whatever tool I had on me to get whatever I needed done.

Generally I prefer to carry a folding saw and a chopper when camping - some things are just quicker and easier (and funner) with the chopper, while other things are quicker & easier with the saw.
 
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