Penn State Students looking for your input!

[Square_peg]

I could see maybe a set of hardware that be attached to a boys axe allowing it to be used as a bow saw being something that would work.
Obviously something you attach when needed.

Or better still, incorporate a good Japanese-style thin kerf pull saw into a classic boys axe with nice convex cheeks.

 

[Hickory n steel]

Or better still, incorporate a good Japanese-style thin kerf pull saw into a classic boys axe with nice convex cheeks.

Yes, the only issue would be where it would store because you wouldn't want to compromise a proper wood handle.

 

[Hairy Clipper]

Or better still, incorporate a good Japanese-style thin kerf pull saw into a classic boys axe with nice convex cheeks.

Square_Peg, I have to agree with you on the pull saw. About a year ago I acquired a Corona Razor Tooth Saw® Raker Tooth Saw with a 21" blade and claims to cut up to 13" diameter, although I have not cut anything larger than 6" trees or branches after windstorms. This is my first Corona tool of any type prior to this purchase and I must say it has worked well and cutting on the pull part of the stroke combined with a curved blade is really a step forward, especially if you are on a ladder. While the label says it is an American company based in California it goes on to say, Made in Taiwan to Corona's exacting specifications. Here is a link if you are curious what it looks like. https://shop.coronatoolsusa.com/rs-7160-razor-tooth-raker-tooth-saw-21-in.html

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Notable advantages of an axe over a saw is that the range of potential applications is much larger and the tool itself is far more resilient. Saws are much faster and less wasteful than axes in thick cuts, but are far more susceptible to damage that impairs their effectiveness and much more difficult to repair when that damage occurs. On top of that, they're essentially a one-task tool. Invaluable labor savers, but if you were trying to carry a robust tool that remained useful for extended periods of hard use and was kept in good shape with fairly simple and rapid maintenance, the axe pulls ahead quickly. There's a reason why logging camps kept a saw doctor in-camp and he was never short of work to do. They were given that honorific title on account of how involved and exacting the job was--we often describe axe maintenance as an art, but it pales next to proper saw maintenance. I have a profound respect for those who know their way around tuning up saws.