which saw do i need?

crossada

crossada

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after doing a search i still didn't find what i wanted for info so time for a new thread.

what saw makes the best back up tool for a big blade survival knife? my only concerns is that it can fit inside my eagle 3 day pack so chainsaws will have to stay at home :D ;)
 
Here are four options, from smallest to biggest. These are just the saws I've had experience with, not necessarily the best in the world, but they're okay by me.

The smallest is a the saw on any number of SAK models. The Farmer is a great backup utility knife, or the Trailmaster if you prefer a locking blade.

Next is the PocketBoy from Silky. You can spend a long time looking over their complete line of saws here. The PocketBoy is around six inches long.

www.silkystore.com

Next is the Bahco Laplander. You can find similar models made by Sandvik and Gerber. These are folding saws too, but really too big for a pocket. They're about nine inches long.

http://www.ccrane.com/pruning-saw.aspx

Finally, the Sawvivor. This is a pretty serious folding bow saw. It's still packable, but is around 15 inches long.

http://www.dual-star.com/index2/Equipment/sawvivor_folding_pack_saw.htm

I guess I should also mention the pocket chain saws. I have no experience with them, but they're on my "Gear to Check Out" list.

http://www.equipped.org/saws.htm

Bear
 
The Sawvivor is the longest of these, but it is extrememly light and packable. It will slide into a pack without adding much weight, but gives great cutting power.
 
If it is truly just back up, not primary tool then I like this Gerber saw with retractable blade-
http://www.gerberblades.com/products/view.php?model=6048
I see them for $15 or less online.
It cuts aggressively forwar d and backward and it is very compact, 7-3/4 inches closed and only 3.3 oz on a digital scale, that is lighter then the Pocket chain saw and it is easier to use. I doubt it is " as good" as Silky saw, Sandvik laplander or Zeta japanese saw for constant day to day useage, however for occassional useages it's blade should be very sufficient. Replacement blades are cheap too.
 
frank k said:
I like the Gerber Sport Saw -

http://www.gerberblades.com/products/view.php?model=6034


Here’s a thread I started on saws over at KF -

http://www.knifeforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB42&Number=391924





- Frank
Click to expand...

What is the difference btween the Gator Exchange-A-Blade Sport Saw (the one you linked), and the Exchange-A-Blade Saw (http://www.gerberblades.com/products/view.php?model=6036)? They appear the same, except maybe the second comes with 2 blades?

I have the 21" Sven saw, and the Sierra saw (Similar to the Gerber). The Sven is awsome, but the Sierra sucks in comparison. Anyone know how the Gerber compares to the Sierra, and how the Sven compares to the Sawvivor?

I also have the Pocket Chain Saw, and it works surprizingly well, but I haven't used it much yet (just got it) nor have I done a side-by-side with the others. Doug Ritter's review of saws says thay the pocket chin saws outsaw the folding bow saws, like Sven and Sawvivor. Since it is much lighter, it seems like a better pick.

Will
 
I would highly recommend the Wyoming Saw. It breaks down into a sheath that will fit into a pack or can be worn on your belt.
Scott
 
thanks for the info :) i spent over an hour researching these and i decided the saber cut is what i'm going to get.

i also like the sawvivor but on the doug ritter site he says the blades can break if you are not careful.

i'm going to order form cutleryshoppe this week and i'll let you know how it works when i get it.
 
heh - After reading through this thread, *I* just ordered a Pocket Chainsaw. Seems like a worthwhile addition to my day pack / BOB. We'll see when it gets here. :cool:
 
Just purchased a Zeta Pocket Saw. Looking forward to getting it. My son and I are starting to practice trap making. Should come in handy. The other saw I considered was the Laplander.

S.
 
I have had a Sven saw for over fifteen years. It is one of the best things I have bought for camping.
 
New to the realm of net blade forums and find that the previously mentioned light-weight folding saws are most appealing if I felt I needed one while back-packing but likely wouldn't carry a saw while hiking as a decent fixed blade knife should suffice.
Still, have gotten a ton of use out of my 'lil 15" Sven saw of 32 years and really should replace it's blade already. When Winter camping in sub-zero U.P. (Upper Penninsula of Michigan) it was invaluable in procuring enough dead Maple lengths (can only drag so much length and weight of wood when on snowshoes in a swamp) to get thru the lengthy darkness. Sure , could just stay in the down bag from 1600 to 0800, but sixteen hours of anything gets tedious.
Now, am a bit lazier and use it for removing logging road obstacles in B.C. while driving to a trailhead, dropping logs to keep ATV's off legally restricted wilderness hiking/horse-packing trails and most of all to just buck slash to my pick up's bed length so as to have an early-Spring's night long drinking fire amidst the snow at elevation to keep the dog warm and stimulate my memories of similar evenings while we listen for the coyotes and await sun up.
Of course I carry chains and have the most excellent Bridgestone "Revo" tires on my Tacoma, as well as a jerry can of gas, water, clothes...All the usual **** except cell phone, GPS or anything except DeLorme mapbooks for WA, ID, MT, OR and BC (Oregon made "Benchmark," maps and road atlases are far superior) but I really should carry a decent bucksaw in the truck. "Sawvivor" looks promising but I'm sentimental about the baby Sven. Sure I'll change my tune when I get into a real Winter bind. Course, if that happens a Husky or Stihl would likely be of the most benefit.
New to this forum and don't know the rules and see that this has turned into an off topic book length production. Please correct or offer suggestions if indicated. Getos.
 
For wood cutting; I carry a pocket chainsaw in the pack and have a svensaw in both jeeps. My svensaws have cut literally cords of wood over the years (since about 1980) and the pocket chainsaw is nearly as good and a lot more compact.
I cannot recommend the svensaw highly enough, there used to be inferior chinese copies availiable, skip the junk and get the original.

Instant pioneer kit in each vehicle;
Svensaw (21 inch, I think)
GI folding entrenching tool
GI small pick mattock
2-3 lb hammer
crowbar

Enjoy!
 
Lee Valley Tools also carry a wonderful pair of saws in their catalog, all of the parts fit into a small aluminum tube. I think they are Svens also.
 
well i tried the saber cut saw on a overnight camping trip this week.

it cut pretty well but not nearly what i expected after reading doug ritter's review of it. it was raining pretty good though and i did have a military poncho on which made it hard to operate. since i packed in the big hacksaw again, i switched to it because it was really cold and wet out.

the handle loops were really comfortable and easy to hold onto but i found it tiring to saw through the 7-8" logs but again this could of been because of the circumstances.

the case is really nice and different from what doug ritter talked about. mine is a small cordura case with a buckle on it and belt loop making for a very small package. i found it easiest to just slide it on my compression strap on my backpack and carry it that way.

i hope to try it out again this week in better weather and see what it really can do.
 
Wood type is really a concern here, most of the folding saws are not suitable for fresh, soft and sappy woods, they bind up rapidly because the teeth are not coarse enough, you are looking at ideally 4.5 tpi. The swede saw blades like Jeff mentioned are made to cut such woods and will cut hardwoods well also. The link saws are not meant for serious woods, they are out cut many times over by folding saws let alone swede saw blades.

-Cliff
 
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