Wood Harvesting Tools - Saws, Axes and Knives

[PaddlingPitt]

An interesting thread. There are seemingly an infinite number of approaches, depending on personal preference, the kind of tripping one does, the landscape one is tripping through, and the availability of wood. Kathleen and I used to take a 21 inch Sven saw, but we hardly ever used it, even though we were happy with it. We dehydrate all our suppers beforehand, so we need only a small fire to heat up the pot. For breakfast, we normally have a bannock, cooked in a skillet over a small fire. A large fire is unnecessary and can burn the bannock. We normally don't have campfires unless there is a super abundance of wood.

For our small cooking fires I just break twigs and larger pieces over my knee. Sometimes, I place the wood with one end on the ground, pointed op at a 45 degree angle. I then break it while stomping on in with my foot. For even larger pieces, that I can't break, I put one end in the fire, and feed the piece in as needed. Not very technological, but efficient. We often trip in open areas, where clearing portage trails is not necessary.

if no wood is available, such as out on the tundra, we use a Coleman Peak 1 to prepare our meals.

So I guess what I'm saying is that we take no tools to deal with wood.

 

[Guest]

A couple of people have mentioned the venerable Sven Saw. I wonder how many trippers have one somewhere in the shed or basement.

We have one, and a virgin spare blade. We haven’t used it in years; even around the house there are better/more efficient choices of saws. Maybe I should toss it in the tripping truck, so that there is always a saw in that vehicle.

 

[Boatman53]

Good idea Mike. I have two for some reason, I think I’ll put one in the truck.
Jim

 

[lowangle al]

Yeah that is a good idea Mike. I'd like to add that if you leave it under the front seat you would be able to use it to amputate your own legs if they get pinned under the dash in an accident, especially if the vehicle is on fire.

 

[PaddlingPitt]

Sounds like people don't like the Sven saw. Just wondering why not?

 

[Alan Gage]

Sounds like people don't like the Sven saw. Just wondering why not?

I've used the small version a fair amount and while I don't really have any reasons I don't like it I do have reasons I like my folding Silky saw better.

The biggest reason is that the Silky is so quick to deploy and stow. I can carry it in my pocket like an oversized pocket knife, which makes it easy to trim trees and branches on the trail without having to take my pack off.

The silky also feels more comfortable in the hand and it doesn't have the upper frame to snag branches or limit the depth of cut.

Alan

 

[PaddlingPitt]

Those are excellent points, Alan. The Sven does take some time to set up. But then again, I was never using the saw while on the move.

 

[sweeper]

I prefer a fixed blade saw over a folding or bow saw

 

[PaddlingPitt]

I have used a bow saw quite a bit, although not on canoe trips. It does bind a lot. Don't know if that's the fault of the blade, the saw brand, or the operator.

 

[sweeper]

That's what I like about the Fiskars Pull Saw, no bind.

 

[PaddlingPitt]

I have read that modern bow saw blades no longer have the teeth "set" properly, such that the kerf is minimal, leading to excessive binding. I will look into the Fiskar's Pull Saw.

 

[sweeper]

You or most sharpening services can reset the teeth on a saw if the set is minimal. There's a simple tool for that.

 

[Eric Billard]

I am not much of a fire person.. It takes a really cold miserable day to get me interested in that. I use a Dustrude Folding Buck Saw and a Gransfors Bruks Small Forest Axe. I need some safety pointers as I am much out of practice..

I hate the Sven Saw but for some reason after 40 years it is still in the garage.

I had a Gerber Saw that was a little like the Silky but not as vigorously built. That saw of yours Eric looks nice. But I can't find it on the Silky site

Now may I feed you valium ? You just talk too fast on the video.. Pauses are good for the watcher to process what they are learning

I think the video is useful for beginners thinking about what they should bring. Or in the case of axes should not without practice perhaps

I admitted had a hard time finding it on the website aswell, but managed to track it down here.

http://www.silkysaws.com/Silky_Saws/Curved_2/silky-zubat-278-33#sthash.bXT70kAS.dpbs

Valium would be nice, thanks for the tip. Cheers.

 

[sweeper]

I can buy 4 of these for that price https://www.homedepot.com/p/Fiskars-...1002/203273602

 

[Bothwell Voyageur]

I can buy 4 of these for that price https://www.homedepot.com/p/Fiskars-...1002/203273602

I bet you buy axes with plastic handles as well

 

[sweeper]

No

 

[lowangle al]

I think you would get a better push with one of these

 

[lowangle al]

I couldn't see cutting a lot of wood with those pistol type grips.

 

[Canotrouge]

I use to re set the teeth on my bow saw by hand with a pair of plier wile sitting by the fire, easy and doesn't have to be precise, it is not a surgeon tool... You need to know what decent set look and feel like but easy to experiment with !!

 

[Bothwell Voyageur]

No

Sorry, the wink emoji didn't appear

I've found the Silky blades to be thinner than other brands, requiring less effort to cut if you are working with them all day . It also makes them noticeably less robust so I don't share mine with others in my group.

​​​​​​Note that this type of saw is a pull saw, cuts on the way back so a pistol or straight handle works well.