Making your own (cheap) folding saw.

R

RX-79G

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Jun 23, 2006
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I really like the idea of carrying a smallish saw, rather than a huge knife or ax. I had seen it suggested that a useful alternative to the usual folding Opinel or similar folding saw was simply a jab saw. Looking at jab saws I came across a few folding saws, including a Milwaukee brand product that allow you to both fold and change the blades.

Milwaukee uses they Sawzall blades in this folder. That got me searching around some more, until I found this:

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The small saw is commercially made, but the larger gray one is handmade of a Sawzall blade, folded kydex and a rivet. That's all.


Reciprocating saw blades come in multiple lengths up to 12", and in everything from 5 TPI on up starting around $3. Kydex is one solution, if you have the thick stuff or make it in two layers. The other way to go is with a lightweight wood with a blade-width slot and use a cross screw or rivet for a pivot (the blades come with a hole in them) and another cross pin as a blade stop. You can even buy a longish blade and cut it down to whatever custom length fits your belt or pack.


And as we've seen from the Mora Classics and Opinels, a nicely hand-filling wood handle makes for a lighter tool than plastic does. Basswood or even pine may work, but beech is proven in the Opinels and Moras. And you can use the purchased blade to cut the channel to the perfect width.


Anyone see a problem with this?
 
I like it and have thought about trying some similar myself. Yours look good. Can you change the blade easily?
 
Not mine - I found it on another site. The maker used a rivet, so the only adjustment would be to wack it with a hammer. But plastic with a rivet is the way the joints on GI Joes were done, and those seemed to stay pretty tight for decades.

I'm picking up some stuff tomorrow from Lowes. I have an idea for a saw that could be built in the woods just with the blade, an eye hook and a key chain ring using a branch for the handle. I'll post it if it comes out.
 
I have done that. Might get a pic tomorrow.
It works but I find a saws all blade in a hand saw marginal at best.
 
They make blades made for wood that would work a whole lot better IMO.
 
RX is right the pruning blade would work best I think, however all the ones I see are 6" or longer. Too long ,I have hand saws that long.



The top one is just a blade I drilled a second hole in two eye screws are needed to hold it.
It works best with green wood. I had a hard time starting the screws in dry wood.
The orange PVC job I made for my hunting pack. I can carry 3 blades for wood , bone, metal. Even a hack saw blade.Also I can fit a branch in the end for reach.
Then my Leatherman side kick & SAK
Edit, I can't get my photo to load. Sorry.

Here you can see about 15 seconds each.The wood broke when sawing with the gold blade. It was dead Cottonwood. As I said green wood would work better.
The other 3 are about equal despite the fact the sawzall blades are longer.
If you try this I suggest getting a few blades even little jig saw blades and holding them with some vice grips to see what works for you.
Using them in a power saw is different then a hand saw.
 
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LG&M,

Very nice! I was assuming I would be using green wood, freshly harvested for the emergency saw.

If the blades come to long, score them and break them off to the length you want.


So you're saying the SAK blade, despite it's size, is as effective because it is a better tooth design for a hand saw?
 
Yes the SAK saw is good. The branch I was sawing was dry & only about 2.5" Dia. The bigger the branch the bigger the saw blade you need. Really though why do you need to saw much more the 3-4"? That is more then enough for a shelter. If you want it for fire you can burn it in half.
Small saws are great for notching fire boards, traps, notches for camp gadgets, ect.
 
LG&M said:
Yes the SAK saw is good. The branch I was sawing was dry & only about 2.5" Dia. The bigger the branch the bigger the saw blade you need. Really though why do you need to saw much more the 3-4"? That is more then enough for a shelter. If you want it for fire you can burn it in half.
Small saws are great for notching fire boards, traps, notches for camp gadgets, ect.
Click to expand...

Well, I'd hope if I'm going to bother carrying a 9" saw instead of a 3" saw there would be point, but I understand what you're saying.

The other thing I'm interested in is coming up with a way to build a reasonably quick but tough saw in the bush with nothing more than a flat saw blade and some hardware - no tools. It may even fold.
 
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