Question: Hatchet or Folding Sven Saw?

[stitchawl]

I can understand the need to cut wood when camping, be it backpacking or survival. But for backpacking the weight of a hatchet or ax makes it a poor (IMHO) choice. The effectiveness and speed of a Sven saw, at 1/8 the weight of an ax, combined with the safety of the saw seem to me to be the wiser choice. But....

It seems to me that most of the folks in WSS prefer an ax or hatchet. I do accept that it's no fun at all to try to throw a Sven saw. And a hatchet looks much more interesting. But a knife that is baton-able and a saw that folds and has an aluminum body just seem to make more sense to me as a workable combination, rather than a fixed blade knife and a heavy hatchet. Can somebody please educate me? Why don't you all carry folding saws?!?

Stitchawl

 

[Qrt]

Why don't you all carry folding saws?!?

we do!

don't we?


I'm a bahco laplander fan myself

 

[siguy]

i often carry my fiskars slide saw at a hefty 3 oz. it is great for trim cutting wood for projects or for cutting up med-small sized wood. however, it won't do this:

or this (rough shaping done with a hatchet):

a hatchet or small axe, to me, is a very versatile tool that is worth the weight as long as i'm not going for super long distances. if i want to cut weight, i will switch to the lighter fisksars 14" hatchet. if i want to trim even more weight, i will stick to the saw.

the saw compliments an axe really well, but i don't think it should necessarily be a replacement.

 

[baldtaco-II]

Apathy. Most of the year I don't need a saw so I'm largely indifferent. The exceptions are covered by either the small saw on my Outrider or a small bow saw. I suspect I'll end up buying a Silky when I stumble across one in a shop, but my bow saw is pretty light and for the amount of reward I'm not willing to make the effort finding an alternative. At the moment all I'm seeing at the half decent end of the scale are Wilkinson Sword and Fiskars and I'll cheerily pass on those. The others I come across are less than those so I pay no attention to what they're about. Yeah, just relaxed I guess. The choppers allow my primary cutting instrument to stick to what it is for, cutting, and there aren't many times they really need augmenting.

 

[Stickman]

Depending on how far you're backpacking an axe of any size may be impractical, but if every ounce isn't a critical factor, an axe/hatchet is a very versatile tool to have with you. No question that a small saw can be a more efficient cutter or better suited for certain types of cuts i.e. cutting at ground level without risk of dulling a blade. As is usually the case, we need to pick our tools per the applications we expect...including some thought about the "unexpected". My pack usually has a FB knife, mini axe and a silky saw, but if I were doing the AT the axe and saw would not be in the pack. If I were close to a base camp or truck, I might switch to a SFA and Sven saw depending on what tasks were required. The old horses for courses story again...there's no such thing as one right way to be equipped.

 

[koyote]

It really does depend. In the lowlands here it's ar more useful to have a saw and a broad bladed leuku pattern knife than a smaller knife and a hatchet. But this valley, as huge as it is, is surrounded by coastal mountains and redwoods and the Sierras. Axes really come into their own about 3 days hike from here, er, I mean, an hour or two driving.

Truth is, outside of local daytrips where I mess with what gear I am taking depending on what I'm testing or foraging or plinking at, I carry both. My Folding corona goes with me, and if we are doing a multiple overnight family camping trip we toss one of the 14 inch pruning saws in the car.

I like the sven saw, but the folding corona is super light, super fast, and as easy to use as a lockback.

 

[theonew]

however, it won't do this:

I would bet that my 8 inch, 9 ounce Silky Saw would do that just fine, and take less time and effort. I'm with the OP on this an Aurora and a Silky Saw seems like all I could really need. The only drawback I see is that a saw is less durable than an ax, which is why I'm ordering a second blade for my Silky :thumbup:

 

[sodak]

For my uses and geography, I'm not much for hatchets, carrying the Bahco folding saw instead. There are some tasks, however, that an axe or hatchet would do better, such as chopping through ice to get to water.

 

[hollowdweller]

I have a Sven Saw that is 20 years old. Need to get a new blade for it.

I liked mine. I think it cut a bit faster than a hatchet of the same weight but it also got bound up sometimes worse than a hatchet.

I probably haven't used it since the early 90's. I'll have to find a new blade since you reminded me.:thumbup:

 

[stitchawl]

I used to enjoy chopping wood.... until I began heating my house with a wood stove. I had a good sized woodlot and a friend cut down several trees for me, bucked them up, and we let them dry for about eight months. Then I used a splitting maul and wedge to get them to stove size, and stacked them beside the house. It was a good heating stove and I only needed about 8 cord of wood. New England winters are cold. That was the first year.

For the next 15 years I ordered my wood cut, split, delivered, ... and stacked.

Stitchawl

 

[Fonly]

I personaly like the versatility of the axe, and forgive the weight for that factor. Though I need to pick up a hatchet.
Choping up some wood, and the spliting it can be a quick process with a properly sharpend and well layed out axe, of course technique and experience is a dominating factor as well.
I've done alot of what works best a saw and large knife, or an axe or hatchet. The thing I've some up with is simple, the better you are with one or the other the better you out comes. If you have no experience with and axe, then get a saw and large knife. I have growen up with an axe and know how to use them very well so I stick to that because its my comfort spot.
To each his own, give either one a shot and find out what you like. There is no "this one is better" Its going to be up to you in the end which one works better for you.

 

[Fonly]

I used to enjoy chopping wood.... until I began heating my house with a wood stove. I had a good sized woodlot and a friend cut down several trees for me, bucked them up, and we let them dry for about eight months. Then I used a splitting maul and wedge to get them to stove size, and stacked them beside the house. It was a good heating stove and I only needed about 8 cord of wood. New England winters are cold. That was the first year.

For the next 15 years I ordered my wood cut, split, delivered, ... and stacked.

Stitchawl

Your lucky, I never had the luxury. I split 5 cord of wood every year by hand for about 15 years. I can tell you now, If I can buy it split I will.

 

[SouthernCross]

Personally I find a hatchet to be a more versatile tool than a saw.

Whilst i readily admit a saw is a great cutter of wood (and bone with the right blade), in my experience a good small hachet is capable of doing far more than just cut wood.

If your hatchet has a flat poll, you have a ready made hammer which comes in handy for more than hammering in tent pegs. Just have a look at the number of traps that involve the driving in of various components (eg anchor points for spring snares).

Have you ever tried to skin an animal with a saw? A small hatchet can.

A small hatchet makes a great wood working tool when the poll is gripped in the palm of the hand and used as a plane. I know larger knives can be used as a draw knife, but a larger knife is limited to planing wood in a single plane. A small hatchet can be used to carve a curved surface which is needed when constructing troughs for the camp kitchen and woomeras (spear throwers).

A small sharp hatchet can double as a knife around the camp kitchen. Can a saw do this?

A small sharp hatchet can be used to easily peel/lever bark in useable sections from both downed and standing trees. Can a saw do this?

Like any tool or other piece of gear, whether or not the weight is worth carrying is going to depend on the individual user. Personally a small light hatchet (for me it's the GB mini) is worth the weight on my trips into steep, heavily timbered wilderness areas.

Bear in mind as always YMMV.


Hope this helps


Kind regards
Mick

 

[stitchawl]

Your lucky, I never had the luxury. I split 5 cord of wood every year by hand for about 15 years. I can tell you now, If I can buy it split I will.

You spelled 'lucky' incorrectly. It's spelled " LAZY." That first year splitting up the wood did feel 'right.' And I'll admit that I felt a bit guilty buying my wood cut and split. (Having it "stacked" was my concession to aristocracy. ) But I wonder if our forefathers really cut as much wood with an ax as we'd like to think.

I've seen a lot of museum pieces of bucking and limbing saws, very early pieces from the middle ages and before. Granted, a small lightweight hatchet or ax can be a very versatile tool. The poll makes a fine hammer. So does a rock. I don't have to carry the rock. Hand-held, the small hatchet blade will take the place of a camp knife. My SAK fits better in my pocket without pulling it down to my knees. I guess if I was going into the wilderness for several months or longer, I'd want BOTH saw and ax. Especially if I were going to build a log shelter or permanent camp. For a week's trek on existing trail systems.... or more commonly for me these days, a week-end walk in a National park or jungle... nah... I'll opt for lightweight! I'm a wuss.

Stitchawl

 

[Rich_S]

I have one of these and like it. Takes a standard 21" blade.

 

[Fonly]

You spelled 'lucky' incorrectly. It's spelled " LAZY." That first year splitting up the wood did feel 'right.' And I'll admit that I felt a bit guilty buying my wood cut and split. (Having it "stacked" was my concession to aristocracy. ) But I wonder if our forefathers really cut as much wood with an ax as we'd like to think.

I've seen a lot of museum pieces of bucking and limbing saws, very early pieces from the middle ages and before. Granted, a small lightweight hatchet or ax can be a very versatile tool. The poll makes a fine hammer. So does a rock. I don't have to carry the rock. Hand-held, the small hatchet blade will take the place of a camp knife. My SAK fits better in my pocket without pulling it down to my knees. I guess if I was going into the wilderness for several months or longer, I'd want BOTH saw and ax. Especially if I were going to build a log shelter or permanent camp. For a week's trek on existing trail systems.... or more commonly for me these days, a week-end walk in a National park or jungle... nah... I'll opt for lightweight! I'm a wuss.

Stitchawl

Exactly, quick trips, I only take a knife. Even on over nighters I would take a BK7 and a folding saw. I do know that there were a few times I craved an axe, but I got around it.
I used to go on canooeing trips alot back east and I would allways take my wetterlings before I broke it.

 

[stitchawl]

Exactly, quick trips, I only take a knife. Even on over nighters I would take a BK7 and a folding saw. I do know that there were a few times I craved an axe, but I got around it.
I used to go on canooeing trips alot back east and I would allways take my wetterlings before I broke it.

On canoe trips into the Boundry Waters Canoe Area or Quebec's Parc La Vérendrye, I even brought my Martin guitar! Now THAT was an ax!!!

Although I always had one in my pack when backpacking, I don't think I ever actually used a fixed blade knife for any usual camp chores. It was more for playing around with other bushcraft ideas; making stuff while sitting around the fire at night or when taking a rest day and not breaking camp. We used the Sven saw almost every day.

..... but that was hardwood forest camping. It just dawned on me that for jungle camping we use a machete and don't even bring a saw.... hmmmmmm...

Stitchawl

 

[Fonly]

On canoe trips into the Boundry Waters Canoe Area or Quebec's Parc La Vérendrye, I even brought my Martin guitar! Now THAT was an ax!!!

Although I always had one in my pack when backpacking, I don't think I ever actually used a fixed blade knife for any usual camp chores. It was more for playing around with other bushcraft ideas; making stuff while sitting around the fire at night or when taking a rest day and not breaking camp. We used the Sven saw almost every day.

..... but that was hardwood forest camping. It just dawned on me that for jungle camping we use a machete and don't even bring a saw.... hmmmmmm...

Stitchawl

Thats right, terrain will also effect your choices greatly. If your area has lots of fallen trees, under growth(saplings) the you can scrape buy with just a large knife, But I've been in areas heavily logged I can tell ya its nice to make quick work of materials with an axe.

 

[theonew]

I'm not saying a saw is more versatile than a hatchet. And if I could only bring one tool to the woods a hatchet would probably be my choice. But in order to be an effective chopper of wood, in my experience, you need a "hatchet" that weighs close to two pounds. Whereas an 8 inch silky saw weighing 9 ounces coupled with a sturdy 4 - 5 inch FB knife that weighs around 6 ounces comes in at less than half the weight and has greater overall efficiency.

If your hatchet has a flat poll, you have a ready made hammer which comes in handy for more than hammering in tent pegs. Just have a look at the number of traps that involve the driving in of various components (eg anchor points for spring snares).

For this I would use a rock or a baton.

Have you ever tried to skin an animal with a saw? A small hatchet can.

For this I would use the knife

A small hatchet makes a great wood working tool when the poll is gripped in the palm of the hand and used as a plane. I know larger knives can be used as a draw knife, but a larger knife is limited to planing wood in a single plane. A small hatchet can be used to carve a curved surface which is needed when constructing troughs for the camp kitchen and woomeras (spear throwers).

For this I would use the knife or perhaps coals from the fire.

A small sharp hatchet can double as a knife around the camp kitchen. Can a saw do this?

No, but a knife can

A small sharp hatchet can be used to easily peel/lever bark in useable sections from both downed and standing trees. Can a saw do this?

To some degree perhaps but a knife would be my first pick.

 

[theonew]

If the goal is to section a log, think about how many wood fibers had to be cut in order to achieve this result

compared to this (cut with silky saw, Aurora just shown for scale )

Every fiber that was cut required human energy and therefore calories.

And if you are cutting up wood for a camp fire think of the waste involved in the first pic. Lots of BTUs end up on the forest floor. I'm not a crazy ultralighter who trims his toothbrush but to GAIN efficiency and SAVE the difference between 24 - 30 ounces and 9 ounces just seems like a no brainer to me. There's a good reason we use chainSAWS and not gas powered axes.