Large (9"+) Blades vs Saw vs Axe

I love big chopping knives as toys to play with. I haul them around in the Jeep or the Truck. They don't get carried on my person, just to big and heavy and awkward.. I like them fine for car camping. As far as packable, the small saw and a medium size fixed blade or folder gets all the use. I like hatchets and axes but they are out of my weight class for personal carry.
 
Like others have said, mostly personal preference. I prefer a 5 inch (+/-) blade for my main hiker/camper knife and a folding saw (Bahco) for any repetitious sawing/cutting work.

Machetes fall into their own category imo. I'm not a hard core hiker and have never ventured into a jungle.
 
Well,I think there is a use for everything,but the saw is less of a physical strain to use. If you're just out having fun it doesn't matter,but if I'm expected to survive or "make do" for a while outdoors I want a saw along.
 
I could make a convincing case for every tool, from large machetes to 3 inch folders. It really all depends on your skill, your surroundings and the task(s) you want to perform.

I personally advocate a saw, a small blade and something to chop with, don't expect to be able to take an axe out and fell timber like a pro if you don't use an axe. This is where saws are great, it takes less skill to push and pull, no fear of missing or glancing blows. You can lose a finger in a heart beat though, so there is one thing to watch for and learn about before sawing, but it doesn't take great muscle memory to keep your hand out of the way, just staying aware.

Hatchets and axes are great for splitting, got big wood, get one and make it small wood, there is still technique involved if you want speed.

Froes aren't really discussed here very often, but they are another way of splitting wood, most use larger camp knives or choppers for batoning though, same principle, knock steel through wood.

Saws, well they aren't made for going with the grain, they pretty much sit pretty unless there's sawing to be done.

Every tool has a purpose, some are multi purpose.
 
If packing gear a long distance in I would carry a single knife with a blade in the six inch range. With a knife that size I can perform many camp chores such as batoning, cooking, clean fish or game, and not be overloaded.

If camping within a mile of the truck I always have a saw and axe in there. I carry a ten inch chopper strapped to my pack, four or five inch blade on my belt, 3.5 to four inch pocket knife, and a multitool. The axe and saw would stay in the truck until I came upon a situation that I could not do without them. This is the situation I usually camp in so this is how I am normally prepared. S o I guess the final answer is that I prefer a large chopper number one over a saw or axe.
 
This is simple to answer.:D

Hiking or hunting:
1] loveless style drop point knife 3 3/4"
2] leatherman or spyderco knife or my SAK Rucksack.
3] medium size khukuri [Himylayan Imports]

Camping with my FWD truck:
Add a chainsaw and axe in the tool box.
Oh yea, don't forget the long handled spade shovel too.;)

I have a bow saw but I use the chainsaw instead.
 
its mostly presonal preferance.
when I go out I ask myself "can theese tools do everything I need?"
ie; cut dead wood, split wood, skin+gut, carve stakes and make feathersticks
 
Hey thanks guys! It never ceases to amaze me how much time and effort people put into requests for information!

I think I'm going to get a bk9 and a folding saw while I've got a bit of spare cash around and give both a go. At the moment I'm still car camping but I want to learn to use the tools I intend taking hiking. That way I won't come up short because of inexperience when I need it the most!
 
I always take the same rig. Axe or hatchet,large blade ,4'" blade, folder and multitool to fix stuff. I never seem to need a saw. I find it less work to gather smaller stuff, than to chop big stuff. Anything over 6" I don't even bother.
 
My personnel preference for the weight and being prepared would be to carry the GB Wildlife Hatchet (24 oz), Balco Saw (6 oz) and 3 - 4" knife (4-5 oz). Add a file for the axe and sharpening stone (7 oz) would bring the total weight up to 2-3/4 pounds. That's pretty light and covers a lot of the basis well. Each tool is used for its intended function which is a lot better in my opinion that a jack of all trades tool.

Also, a file can sharpen an axe much easier than sharpening a large blade.

But, that's just what I like.

Geoff
 
My personal opinion is that a large fixed blade is more useful than a hachet. However, there is no fixed blade that can keep up with an axe for chopping. So I tend to prefer and large/small fixed blade combo and an Axe. Don't get me wrong I own a few hachets and use them. But if I go out into the woods I usually take the above mentioned combo. You'll also find me with my leatherman and Bucksaw.
 
TheGame said:
I like a large blade to have fun.
Click to expand...

I think you have hit on something there. No pun.

We go out in to woods, to hike or camp or hunt, for the fun of it. The sharp things we take with us, we do that for fun too. There is something very viscerally pleasing about hacking or batoning a big honkin' Busse through a piece of wood. Using an axe or saw does not quite fire off those pleasure neurons in the back of your brain the way a big chopper will. Has something to do with the caveman in each of us.

There are weight and size considerations about what we carry into the woods, clearly, but what it boils down to I think is that we determine what is fun to us, and then look for ways to justify it. JMO.
 
I am a bit different here, I have had to cut and chop wood, want to or not, since I was five or six. We cooked with wood, heated the house and shop with wood, I had to cut would all year long. It became just another chore that had to be done and long ago ceased to be fun sport. Now I cut wood when I have to and use the quickest and easies method possable.
 
i prefer a good axe but like anything with knives and such it comes down to what you prefer and are used to using
 
powernoodle said:
I think you have hit on something there. No pun.

We go out in to woods, to hike or camp or hunt, for the fun of it. The sharp things we take with us, we do that for fun too. There is something very viscerally pleasing about hacking or batoning a big honkin' Busse through a piece of wood. Using an axe or saw does not quite fire off those pleasure neurons in the back of your brain the way a big chopper will. Has something to do with the caveman in each of us.

There are weight and size considerations about what we carry into the woods, clearly, but what it boils down to I think is that we determine what is fun to us, and then look for ways to justify it. JMO.
Click to expand...

+1 ...What Noodle said! :thumbup:
 
Yeah that's an excellent point. Since I'm still car camping I think I'll try out a big blade to see if the pure pleasure of swinging a massivle knife - and scaring the bejesus out of my fellow campers - is worth the extra weight.

I looked up some more saws too and found excellent candidates from silky that are available locally and aren't too expensive.
 
canadiantrailman said:
Estwing Hunter Axe, small enough for my pack but with it being all steel it is virtually unbreakable
Click to expand...

Good call. I've got that one, the leather handled hachet, and the full sized axe. I own some Gransfors Bruks axes and while they are fine quality tools, they are not as durable as the Estwings. I've personally broken a wooden axe handle before. The Gransfors bits are a lot harder and hold an edge forever. After a full day of chopping with the estwing you gotta strop it to get the edge back to new... but they are pretty much unbreakable as you said. I carry the fullsized with me into the woods. It's heavier than a wood handled axe... but I know it's not gonna fail.
 
I tend to carry the largest tool that will fit in my pack. The longer the stay, the larger the pack and the larger tool. I haven't found a knife that will out chop a good two hand axe (I really like my $25 Cold Steel Trail Boss). The question really gets interesting when you compare tools you would use one handed, like a hatchet and a bowie or camp knife. In this case I like the better control I get with the large knife over the hatchet. I go over this a bit more on my youtube vid on the subject:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qtM5bFSkD0

Regards,
Bill McGrath
 
HandofCod said:

In terms of wilderness and outdoors use, why would you use a large, heavy 9 or 10 inch blade? (I'm not talking about jungle use - I can definitely see how a machete would be paramount to mobility there).
Click to expand...


minimalization and simplification of your gear, with a a high utlity and durability ratio.

vec
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top