Saws--They're not just for slasher flicks.

Boats

Boats

Joined
Aug 7, 2003
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Assisted on a Boy Scouts winter campout this past weekend. Much of the deadfall we could use for fires was quite frozen from previous rains having soaked the wood somewhat and freezing in.

Anyways, we have a bunch of tangled deadfall ranging from finger size up to about nine inch diameter branches. Some of it was easily harvested by bending and whacking with my IJ leuku. Larger pieces bounced or stopped my leuku and made for tedious going with my Roselli belt axe.

Back to camp with a load. Grab up the Silky Oyakata 270 folding saw from my pack and get back to work. Cut through the frozen wood like it was no big deal. Some splitting with the Roselli and wedges and in under two hours, trading off with some energetic scouts, we were set for the weekend.

I had the only saw on the trip. I doubt that will be the case next year. My only problem with saws are the carry methods. Belt hangers are too small and larger ones are easy to leave with the camp just like I did because carrying the saw is inconvenient.
 
I often have a 10" folding Corona that has done a great job for me. I like it enough that I rarely take an axe anymore.
 
I have carried a Sawvivor for the better part of 12 years, and it has always service me well. A decent saw can certainly be worth it's size and weight on most trips, especially if you are gathering your own firewood.

I mentioned the Sawvivor in a saw thread on another forum and received a lot of not-so-positive feedback about it. Several guys recommended I ditch the Sawvivor for a 21" Sven Saw. Since the Sven Saw was the saw I was considering before I received the Sawvivor as a gift, I decided to resurrect the search for the Sven. I found the 21" Sven Saw at an online vendor on closeout for $12.44. I couldn't pass that up! I look forward to trying it out this spring.

Another recent acquisition has been a Pocket Chain Saw. Wow, does this thing pack cutting power into a small package! Teh 28" saw rolls into a tin about the size of a can of Skoal. I tried it the other day on a few green treated 2x4s, and it cut through them as if they were nothing! I am very impressed with this saw! I can't wait to use it out in the field!

Edged tools. You gotta love all of 'em!
 
For cheapies like me, any of the gerber and fiskars folding saws are great! I also have this one from gerber that goes together with a few difrent pieces, it has a 10'' blade.

Great saws, and a nice addition to an axe :)
 
Having used an axe and a saw; I would say the axe will wear you out and the saw will get the job done before you get worn out. If you are in a survival situation you may not have a lot of energy. The saw requires a lot less energy to get the same amount of fire wood or cleaned limbs for a shelter.

A Gerber Sportsman's Saw will fit in your back pocket and does not weigh very much. Who is going to carry an axe or hatchet every time they go on a hike? My saw is always in my Camelbak. It weighs less than my CS SRK.
 
I just strap a full size bowsaw to the outside of the pack on the daisyloop/ MOLLE depending on the pack.
 
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