What's more useful, a hatchet or a saw?

W

Wildewinds

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Nov 20, 2006
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Assuming you're carrying a knife, which would prove more useful in a survival situation, a hatchet or a saw?

Something like this:
568470.jpg


vs this:

yhst-80121207346754_2056_1818608.jpg
 
ugh, survival situation in the middle of the woods?
How big is my fixed?

Little knife, hatchet.
6-7"er, the saw.
 
Personally, I would go for a small hatchet. I love that Fiskars hatchet above. That is an awesome and light weight hatchet. A saw a very useful tool, and excels at what it is used for. But, I would rather have a small hatchet for cutting wood, whether it be for a fire, shelter or anything else. Plus it is more durable and dependable than a folding saw. Don't get me wrong, I have, carry and use a kershaw saw and love it, but would go for the hatchet in a survival situation.
I have used my 14" fiskars hatchet to cut a maple tree that fell across the road blocking my path, it was only about 12" through, but the hatchet did a great job cutting it.
Also, if something happens to your knife, (lost or broken) the hatchet, with the proper know how) can be used as a substitute for many things.
If you can't decide, go for this!
http://www.amazon.com/Gerber-22-414...e=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1244659459&sr=8-4
 
Well actually if you want the best of both worlds Gerber actually makes a hatchet with a saw that's held magnetically in it's handle IIRC.
 
A small folding saw can break on the handle, at the pivot screw or the blade itself. My money would be on a hatchet (or fixed blade chopper) if my life depended on it.
 
I would opt for the hatchet in a survival situation. They are more robust then any of the folding saws I have handled.
 
Hatchet

Can be used as a Hammer-as well as making feather sticks if held close up

Saw is useful--but not useful in as many roles.
 
I have both of them in the pics above. I prefer the hatchet over the saw. I don't like the fact that I can break the blade on the saw and be S.O.L. At least with a hatchet I can make it work as a knife also if I needed to. Although a pocket saw is a lot lighter to carry and safer to use. I guess it comes down to what you know better of the two and/or preference.
 
I prefer a saw and knife combo. I find it easier to cut wood with a saw and a knife can be used to split wood.
 
It would depend on what else you are carrying. If you are already carrying a machete or a chopping knife, the saw is goign to get more use, but if you are just coupling it with a 4-5'' FB and a folder, then i would opt for the hatchet. If you are looking for a stand-alone tool, i would, again, opt for the hatchet.
 
I agree that it depends a lot on the knife that you carry. No knife or small to medium knife, then you need the hatchet. If you had a big, thick and heavy survival knife (14" plus), then maybe you could afford the luxury of a saw.
 
In a survival situation, I would prefer the hatchet. I think it preforms more tasks. I don't think it will cross cut as well but I would take a mutli purpose item in a true survival scenario.

Just my thoughts

Paul
 
If you are wanting these for camping or somthing, then maybe just get both. fiskars makes a slide saw that is so light that it makes more sense just to have both. just a thought.
 
If I could only have one of the two, I'd go with the hatchet. I usually take both to the woods, but I could get by without the saw.
 
For survival, then hatchet.

If you plan on staying a while in your outdoors location, then the saw becomes more useful.
 
In a survival situation, if I had a 4" FB and I would have my choice of hatchet or saw, I'd pick the folding saw. It will go through 5" diameter wood quicker and cleaner than the hatchet and take less energy. You can split would with it as well.

I always have a saw with me, its lighter and safer to use...
 
I agree with Tony's thinking on this... a saw makes more sense for me.

AJ
 
I'm inclined to say the saw, but a bigger sturdier one, it would be very useful. But recognizing the potential for breakage, I would go for a hatchet or small axe, but not necessarily that one. Ideally, I would want both.
 
For me, it's the fixed blade and the saw. I carry a Becker BK-2 that's plenty heavy and thick enough for chopping and splitting, and a Silky Super Accel saw with an eight inch blade -- a pretty good combo, IMHO.

Given my druthers, however, I'd carry a small hatchet, too. A lot of this would be dependent on the type of terrain your going into. I would think that the requirements would be a lot different in the North Woods than they are here in Southern California. Around here, a knife and saw works well. Where you are, things might be different.
 
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