Crosscut saw to store at cabin

[BG_Farmer]

This ('Swede saw', as they're called around here) above-depicted bow saw is a lovely alternative to 'pining for the good old days'. My dad jettisoned the Disston 'two man saw' he had immediately upon discovering new-fangled Swede saws in the early 1960s. Sandvik's were light and effortless, blades were replaceable, and the kerf loss was negligible. I distinctly remember learning the 'pull-only' in-unison learning curve technique of the 2-man Disston and never did miss my dad's ultimately putting that miserable woodsaw out at the side of the road on a garbage day.
Perhaps if you're cutting through Sequoias, Redwoods and old growth Firs a long saw is preferable, but for us ordinary Schmoes a Swede saw is the 'cat's ass' for limbing/felling/bucking of almost anything.

Maybe it is just my luck, but the bowsaws of today dont seem to measure up. Growing up, we had a 36" bowsaw that was quite useful, but I have a recent 30" one that I can't stand. The blades are too thin vertically, and they stretch quickly. With new blade, it is almost as fast as a hatchet . I bought a cheap ($6) 26" handsaw, 7 tpi if I recall correctly, and it does a much better job on stuff in the 4-8" range that is too small for my little two man crosscut.

 

[300Six]

Maybe it is just my luck, but the bowsaws of today dont seem to measure up. Growing up, we had a 36" bowsaw that was quite useful, but I have a recent 30" one that I can't stand. The blades are too thin vertically, and they stretch quickly. With new blade, it is almost as fast as a hatchet . I bought a cheap ($6) 26" handsaw, 7 tpi if I recall correctly, and it does a much better job on stuff in the 4-8" range that is too small for my little two man crosscut.

I might have to agree with you on this. My inventory of Swede saws are now 30-50 years old, as are the spare blades. While camping in May of last year I bought a small Swede saw for my daughter and cursed the cheap thin lousy blade that was on it right from the start.

 

[garry3]

You're going to need something a bit bigger than a silky for firewood prep at a cabin. I do all my firewood prep with machines and haul it out to the places it's needed on a trailer.

A rented industrial wood processor is the top choice for the job of cutting rounds and splitting them. Then comes chainsaws and hydraulic splitters.

I keep a few of those longer bow saws and some replacement blades at places where I might need to do some manual sawing for some reason. They don't see frequent use though. The wood pile is a multi year project so I can afford to take breaks to keep the machines running. YMMV.

That will handle about half the size of log a Silky 420 will(if that). Bow saws are limited by the distance from the blade to the frame(been there and done that). The silky will do it easier and faster also.
http://www.silkysaws.com/Silky_Saws/Curved_2/Silky-Sugoi-420-XL-teeth#sthash.AEOTDIBH.dpbs

 

[garry3]

Apparently they make even bigger ones?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCQY3-OVBMc

 

[300Six]

Apparently they make even bigger ones?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCQY3-OVBMc

Neat! Now all these guys need to do is start making aftermarket blades for Swede saws. I do have to admit to being appreciative of some tension at both ends of a thin blade

 

[garry3]

Neat! Now all these guys need to do is start making aftermarket blades for Swede saws. I do have to admit to being appreciative of some tension at both ends of a thin blade

The Japanese do have a different way of going about things than us. They make some very nice hand tools of all sorts.

It would be nice to be able to get quality blades for bow saws and frame saws.

 

[sideways]

That will handle about half the size of log a Silky 420 will(if that). Bow saws are limited by the distance from the blade to the frame(been there and done that). The silky will do it easier and faster also.
http://www.silkysaws.com/Silky_Saws/Curved_2/Silky-Sugoi-420-XL-teeth#sthash.AEOTDIBH.dpbs

Apparently they make even bigger ones?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCQY3-OVBMc

That's all fine and good until it gets dull. I am assuming that being a cabin saw it will do a lot of firewood prep... So it's not the cost or efficiency of the first 10 cuts that matters, it's the cost and efficiency per cut of the thousand after that.

That is where the chainsaws shine compared to manual saws. The initial cost is a bit higher but you end up saving time and money on speed gains, and by outsourcing the sharpening to machines. Just swap the blunt chain and you are good to go. If you are doing a LOT of wood then a hardened circular saw makes sense. You get a lot of cuts out of one of those before you need to sharpen it.

If the number of cuts is lower then by all means use whatever you like.

 

[Square_peg]

Maybe it is just my luck, but the bowsaws of today dont seem to measure up.

We used bow saws when I was young. But the last bow saw blade I bought was crap. The rakers were all high and the saw dragged badly. My crosscuts OTOH, cut effortlessly. I set them up .012/.012 same as Trailtime. Great general purpose saws.

 

[300Six]

The Japanese do have a different way of going about things than us. They make some very nice hand tools of all sorts.

It would be nice to be able to get quality blades for bow saws and frame saws.

Yes the Japanese certainly do! And yes it would boost confidence in, and sales of, Swede saws if blades were beefed up and the cutting technology modernized. I notice that Japanese-style saw teeth are being incorporated into many n. American and European products over the past 10 years. Not too many Irwin-made hand saws at the stores anymore with conventional blades.
The hydro right of way arborist in my neighbourhood worked out of a 60 foot reach bucket truck last fall and was dropping branches at a mile a minute with what looked like a Silky-type handsaw. His side-kick down below told me it was quieter, infinitely safer and almost as fast as formerly using a gas-powered Stihl Arborist saw. I guess I'm going to have to try out one of these; maybe you can teach an old dog new tricks.

 

[Square_peg]

That is where the chainsaws shine compared to manual saws. The initial cost is a bit higher but you end up saving time and money on speed gains, and by outsourcing the sharpening to machines. Just swap the blunt chain and you are good to go.

Can't argue with the efficiency of a chain saw. Cuts fast. Easy to sharpen. Easy to replace the chain. But they require fuel and bar oil which aren't convenient to carry. And they're noisy. For setting up a winters wood supply the chainsaw is the obvious choice.

But for trail work I like the crosscuts and folding saws. They cut surprisingly fast.

I think the Silky Katana-Boy is over-the-top. It's too long for such a thin blade and it kinks too easily. All folding saws needs to be used with care to avoid kinking the blade. I have the 12" and 14" Silkys and I've used the Katana-Boy on trail work parties. I also have a couple 10" Tajima folders. They all see use. The Silkys have taper ground blades while the Tajimas use stamped flat-stock blades. But the Tajimas still cut super well.

 

[David Martin]

Here is my 40" one man cross-cut saw with a tooth pattern you don't see often. When I sharpen it, this takes me a little more than an hour. With it and a Kelly True Temper double bit axe. I can put away some winter oak. DM

 

[Chignecto Woodsman]

That's a lot of different wood, and from your location probably some frozen? My basic specs are .012"/.012" or 12/12 for set and raker depth on an all-around crosscut saw. If you have a flat saw plate, put in .003-.005 more set, if the wood is all frozen or dry hardwood, file the rakers at 0.10.

Thanks. What about the pattern itself? I think my father or grandfather had one so maybe I can look at that pattern to see what was used here. Would you suggest getting one for the spruce and one geared towards maple?

 

[Double Ott]

Here is my 40" one man cross-cut saw with a tooth pattern you don't see often. When I sharpen it, this takes me a little more than an hour. With it and a Kelly True Temper double bit axe. I can put away some winter oak. DM

I have two saws just like yours with the metal handle in my crosscut saw collection. Mine were used in the iron mines in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The miners used them to cut cedar posts and supports for the mine shafts. The course tooth pattern worked well with cedar.

The last iron mine in Iron County Michigan closed in the late 1970's.

Tom

 

[trailtime]

Thanks. What about the pattern itself? I think my father or grandfather had one so maybe I can look at that pattern to see what was used here. Would you suggest getting one for the spruce and one geared towards maple?

Backstory --I maintain trails in Shenandoah NP and the saw I take with me must cut any and all trees I encounter. Though most are dry, deadfall hardwoods (oak, ash, locust….), I also encounter hemlock, maple, poplar,……some green, some dry, whatever falls. The saws I use are four or five foot crescent ground heavy western bucking saws cut down to be one-man blades and filed 12/12. Big enough for a good long stroke and convertible to two-man operation.

What I'm saying is you don't need a lot of different saws for general use. What you need is a good quality SHARP saw. Most one-man saws are light weight and most new-to-crosscut sawyers stand to far back and cut with only an arm motion like they're sawing a 2x4. If you're going to be efficient, you need to put your body into the cut and run the saw all the way to the handle. To be really efficient, get a second sawyer on the other end.

For reference, my hungry-for-blowdown saw:

Another good heavy saw is the Disston 954, this one a 4-footer:

But you want the teeth sharp and properly set:

 

[300Six]

Backstory --I maintain trails in Shenandoah NP and the saw I take with me must cut any and all trees I encounter. Though most are dry, deadfall hardwoods (oak, ash, locust….), I also encounter hemlock, maple, poplar,……some green, some dry, whatever falls. The saws I use are four or five foot crescent ground heavy western bucking saws cut down to be one-man blades and filed 12/12. Big enough for a good long stroke and convertible to two-man operation.

What I'm saying is you don't need a lot of different saws for general use. What you need is a good quality SHARP saw. Most one-man saws are light weight and most new-to-crosscut sawyers stand to far back and cut with only an arm motion like they're sawing a 2x4. If you're going to be efficient, you need to put your body into the cut and run the saw all the way to the handle. To be really efficient, get a second sawyer on the other end.

For reference, my hungry-for-blowdown saw:

Another good heavy saw is the Disston 954, this one a 4-footer:

But you want the teeth sharp and properly set:

Lovely looking well kept and sharpened gear you've got there. I envy you for your acquired skill and diligence.
But it surprises me no end that 'trail volunteers' are constrained by gov't rules out your way. When 'they' (Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton or Rideau Valley Conservation Authority) 'freely' accept my help they have to abide by my version of 'run what ya brung'. Has caused them problems over the years (entirely bureaucracy and politics) but 'out of sight and out of mind' happy endings really does make them happy.
They get what they wanted (productivity for little expense, and no injuries) and I get what I wanted (social interaction, useful exercise and free firewood). And my (now become 25 year old) Stihl gas saw does not languish at home!

 

[David Martin]

Double, Thanks for the information. My saw is probably from the late 50's or early 60's. I've noticed it cuts juniper and oak well. When cutting with it I carry kerosene to rub on it to prevent binding and sap build up on it's teeth.
Trail, Thanks for the excellent photos of the saw's teeth. Getting the right set on them is critical toward it's cutting abilities. DM

 

[trailtime]

I don't find the bureaucracy too stifling and work closely with my gov't partners. Although I could use a chainsaw on many trails, I prefer the crosscut for it's light weight, ease of carry, and coolness factor. Always a conversation starter with other hikers. I reserve the chainsaw for hurricanes and ice storms.

 

[David Martin]

Plus, working quiet like that one can see more animals. DM

 

[aikonen]

I found this old saw in the forest, deeply pitted and horribly set. It didn't work at all, but after some sanding and oiling of the blade, and sharpening + setting, it now works as good as new.

I had to make a new handle for it since the original handle was rotten all the way thru.

 

[David Martin]

Great, now you have a handsome and good working saw. DM