Recommendations on a folding saw

[M4arc]

I've been looking at folding saws to add to my pack but so far haven't found anything that stands out. I like the SOG (http://sogknives.com/store/F10.html) but I'm not thrilled that it's made in China.

Any other options that I should look at?

[MarshallDodge]

My buddy has one of these and swears by it:
http://www.campingsurvival.com/pochsawofacu.html

Check out the video on the page.

I keep threatening to buy one and your post just reminded me.

[tiger seven]

I carry a Fiskars folding saw. It was inexpensive and has proven to be comfortable to use, durable and efficient. Works for me. Probably made in China too, though.

http://www2.fiskars.com/Products/Yard-and-Garden/Pruning-Saws-and-Tools

But I know a lot of guys who camp a lot more than me that carry Sven Saws, and swear by them.

http://www.svensaw.com/

Hope that helps.

Derek

[SHIVAN]

I use this Gerber, but only because it has a swap out bone saw too, for hunting duty:

http://www.rei.com/product/730550

It's probably from China :cray:

[Buckaroo]

I carry a Fiskars folding saw. It was inexpensive and has proven to be comfortable to use, durable and efficient. Works for me. Probably made in China too, though.

http://www2.fiskars.com/Products/Yard-and-Garden/Pruning-Saws-and-Tools

But I know a lot of guys who camp a lot more than me that carry Sven Saws, and swear by them.

http://www.svensaw.com/

Hope that helps.

Derek

I used a Sven saw quite a bit as a youth and found they work very well and are easy to carry. My opinion is that they are easier to use than the other two styles suggested here.

Buckaroo

[DTHN2LGS]

My hunting buddies and I use the Gerber folding saw in the link above. We have never had any problems with them at all.

[M4arc]

The chainsaw thing looks interesting and when I saw it I remember a buddy had one in his snowboarding pack so I left him a VM to see how it's holding up.

Will the Gerber handle building a temporary shelter if necessary?

[landrvrnut22]

I have had one from Stanley for 10+ years. It has the advantage that it can take standard recip blades. So you can carry a couple for wood, and one for metal. Plus it has a little storage compartment for spare blades on board.

http://www.stanleytools.com/default.asp?CATEGORY=SPECIALTY+SAWS&TYPE=PRODUCT&PARTNUMBER=15-333&SDesc=8%26quot%3B+Folding+Pocket+Saw

[Von Rheydt]

Jap wood saws are the best, every tree doctor and bushcraft practitioner I know uses them. They are razor sharp and cut on the pull stroke so that you do not deform the blade by bending it with a push stroke.

http://www.silkysaws.com/home/Pocketboy-170mm-Saw-1007;jsessionid=1QMdM0NPNfbjRdQ6S0XTzRN9HGs21Ry2hpgN15JM5bmG3nhNyGhZKfTGw0FRXG5tKL2nVbYcqLvFdz9phQjQ0csn2Nt2Xy13JG7KZ9gy77J1HLpnJW8KFRQQDtnBVhmx!-1600129969

[Cagemonkey]

Jap wood saws are the best, every tree doctor and bushcraft practitioner I know uses them. They are razor sharp and cut on the pull stroke so that you do not deform the blade by bending it with a push stroke.

http://www.silkysaws.com/home/Pocketboy-170mm-Saw-1007;jsessionid=1QMdM0NPNfbjRdQ6S0XTzRN9HGs21Ry2hpgN15JM5bmG3nhNyGhZKfTGw0FRXG5tKL2nVbYcqLvFdz9phQjQ0csn2Nt2Xy13JG7KZ9gy77J1HLpnJW8KFRQQDtnBVhmx!-1600129969
Von Rheydt is right. I'm an Arborist and use silky handsaws. Their razor sharp and cut real smooth and fast. You might get a better deal @ http://www.SherrillTree.com

[SHIVAN]

Will the Gerber handle building a temporary shelter if necessary?

It's pretty durable, but the Sven, or something like it would be infinitely better for that task.

[matthewdanger]

Silky saws are awesome performers. They are really in a league of their own.

However, more often than not I use one of my Gerber/Fiskars saws. I have both folding and sliding models. They are light weight, strong, and inexpensive (I have paid as little as $4 shipped for them). I can afford to keep them in the truck or in my hiking pack.

[RWK]

Thanks for bringing this up, M4arc. It reminded me that I need one for my pack, too.


Jap wood saws are the best, every tree doctor and bushcraft practitioner I know uses them. They are razor sharp and cut on the pull stroke so that you do not deform the blade by bending it with a push stroke.


Von Rheydt is right. I'm an Arborist and use silky handsaws. Their razor sharp and cut real smooth and fast. You might get a better deal @ http://www.SherrillTree.com

So, any recommendations for a blade length and tooth size for general camp use/shelter building?

[Von Rheydt]

So, any recommendations for a blade length and tooth size for general camp use/shelter building?

http://www.silkysaws.com/Silky_Saws/Folding-Straight_2/F180-Hand-Saw-180mm-Large-Teeth

This one is favoured amongst the more experienced UK bushcrafters that I know. Its also the one I have, it's been used for building shelters and other campcraft. The blade length of around 6 - 7 inches means you can't play lumberjack but, do you need to?

UK arborists that I know all have around two or three that they use for differing tasks and wood types. As professionals they all seem to use the longer fixed blade versions, I thought about buying a fixed blade but decided on compact portability for my ruck instead.

What d'you reckon cagemonkey?

[Cagemonkey]

For a fixed blade saw I'd go with the Silky Zubat (OAL,18.5") or the Sugoi (OAL,23"). For a folding blade saw I'd go with the Silky Gomboy or Super Accel 210.

[RWK]

I appreciate the input, gents!

[Watrdawg]

Gerber or the Silky saw. I like the versatility of the Gerber because of the bone saw that can be switched out. If you are going to use it for pure wood cutting then the Silky.

[GLOCKMASTER]

I spent some time with a cool dude this week that imparted a little bit of outdoors survival knowledge upon me. This was one of the topics that we discussed and he suggested that if you can find a Gerber folding saw that has the large teeth on the blade, get it because you can use a chain saw file to resharpen the teeth. He said the folding saws with the small tooth pattern tend to clog and you cannot resharpen.

[hickuleas]

I have used a folding bucksaw called Fastsaw for years. Lightweight and compact.

[superr.stu]

I use a Silky Sugoi daily 14.5 inches of fast clean cutting goodness. I usually keep a Felco 9.5 incher in my truck as well for tighter/ finer work.

As a tree professional anything with either the Silky or Felco name is worth it's weight in gold.

[kmrtnsn]

Try this one, you can't beat the price.

http://www.countycomm.com/saw.htm

These might be handy too,

http://www.countycomm.com/fiskarshatchet.htm

[sniperbusch@hotmail.com]

Another usefull tool that I have been considering for EDC Bail Out Kit and general camp use. This is what I have decided on but have yet to order same, so I can not provide user feedback. I do like the concept.

http://www.upgradeinnovations.com/camp.php

[huklbrry]

Just had a brand new Gerber poop the bed at a course with Dave Canterbury this past weekend. The blade folded like tin foil when sawing through a knot.

[Von Rheydt]

Just had a brand new Gerber poop the bed at a course with Dave Canterbury this past weekend. The blade folded like tin foil when sawing through a knot.

That would have been on the push stroke?

Jap saws work on the pull stroke so you don't get that problem. It takes a few goes to get the hang of only engaging the wood for sawing on the pull stroke. However, once you get the hang of it you pull and saw and then when you push you sort of float the blade over the cut line by a micro inch. Its a very relaxed action with very little effort because the blades are so bloody sharp.

[huklbrry]

Thanks for the tip V.R.

[hikeeba]

Try this one, you can't beat the price.

http://www.countycomm.com/saw.htm

These might be handy too,

http://www.countycomm.com/fiskarshatchet.htm

I have both of the items in the quoted post above. Actually, I have two of each of them. Well, one of the 14" hatchets is a Gerber, not a Fiskars. Both items are usually with me on camping trips. The saw has come in handy for little tasks, but I could see how it could readily fail if overdriven. The hatchets have seen quite a bit of mileage, and have held up pretty well. I've read about some Fiskars/Gerber hatchets and axes suffering chipped edges pretty easily, but that has not been my experience.

I have used a few different hatchets, from your garden variety hardware store hatchet to several of the Cold Steel hawks. I always go back to the 14" Gerber/Fiskars. I haven't had an itch to spend the donuts on a Gransfors Bruks, but I'm sure those are nice.

I have a Pocket Chain Saw (came in a can), a couple Sven saws, and a 15" Sawvivor. Unless you're using it between two people, the Pocket Chain Saw is an energy sponge. The Sven and Sawvivor saws are nice and have decent blades, but more often than not felt they were more than I needed. They'd be great if I was on an extended trip or something, but on extended weekend packing trips, they weren't necessary. Maybe I'm just not a saw-er. The Fiskars sliding pruning saw is small, light, and the teeth bite pretty well (in both directions). It's also cheap enough (locally about $8) to replace if it does break. But it is what it is, and that is why I only use it for light duty tasks.

[mikeross506]

I know you're asking about saws but a buddy of mine has a super stout survival knife that I would take hands down. They name isnt coming to me off hand but it has a fast saw on back but the blade has enough heft and balance that it's great for whacking limbs, splitting kinnling, etc. It was a little pricey but I have absolute plans on getting one. DoomWalker is the guy if you wanted to shoot him an IM...again just my 2 cents lol

[LHS]

Anyone have any time with one of these (http://www.ultimatesurvival.com/camping-hiking/SaberCutSaw.php)?

[BenBru]

I've used the pocket chainsaws quite a bit. My one complaint is that mine seems to have worn itself out over the course of the 5 or so years its been in my camping bag. They are quite awesome though.... little bit different to use but they take up very little space.

[huklbrry]

I'll be picking up a Bahco Laplander folding saw with a Pathfinder Knife from Blind Horse Knives as a "self-gift" for Kwanzaa this year.:D:D

[LonghunterCO]

I used a Sven saw quite a bit as a youth and found they work very well and are easy to carry. My opinion is that they are easier to use than the other two styles suggested here.

Buckaroo

+1. This is the one that I carry in in a three day sixed pack if you are going with smaller bag then on of the smaller ones might serve you better.

[Gutshot John]

Silky's are the cat's ass.

Gerber's or Fiskars are a good backup choice.

[ASH556]

I'm on my second Gerber. It works ok for occasional use, but I wouldn't want to depend on it in a survival scenario. I broke the blade on my first one...granted I probably got it too hot climbing a tree I shouldn't have because it needed too much trimming for me to get to the top, but anyway, the blade snapped pretty quick into the journey. I've tried to use the bone saw on the new (replacement) one with limited success as well. Tried to scalp a buck and only got about 1/3 done before the blade was totally gummed up with blood, brains, and chunks of bone.
I'd try to find a local arborist supply store. They typically have some very high-quality folding saws.

[Tortuga]

My first three choices would be:
1. Sven Saw
2. Sven Saw
3. Sven Saw

You can't beat it for the size, weight, durability, and ability to chew up wood fast.

Be sure to teather the wing nut to the handle with 550 and a fishing swivel, though.
http://www.photoshop.com/users/T0rtuga/assets/49db2ba43c3e4ada8b8ddecee0839768
For little folders, cant' beat a Silky Pocketboy with an aggressive blade.

[Grand58742]

A little head to head I did with two pack saws some time back

Gear review – Fiskars Power Tooth 6-Inch Pruning Saw versus Supreme Products Pocket Chain Saw

So quite some time back I took a hiking trip, more of a backcountry blaze than on a trail and did a little gear test. Okay, so it was in June and I had technical difficulty with downloading the pictures from my camera. I’m pretty much a knuckle dragger when it comes to such things, but we aren’t talking about my utter lack of techno-savvy. I tested quite a bit of gear on the trip, but for this one in particular, it came down to the two saws I happened to have with me. A little background might be in order.

I was looking for a saw to put into my GHB and one for overnight camping or weekend pack trips. Not that I really needed it as most of the time I could break up what I needed for a fire, but a saw is nice to have. So…

Fiskars Power Tooth 6 Inch Pruning Saw. Provided this link is slightly different from the one I own as mine has the belt clip and not the carabiner clip on it. The company website:

Fiskars 6 inch pruning saw (http://www.fiskars.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&langId=&catalogId=10101&categoryId=10263&productId=17035&page=products)

This is the model I own:

Fiskars with belt clip (http://www.amazon.com/Fiskars-PowerTooth-6-Inch-Pruning-9259/dp/B0000950Q1)

And the Supreme Products Pocket Chainsaw. The company website:

Supreme Products Pocket Chainsaw (http://www.pocketchainsaw.com/)

And with various YouTube videos to show the saw in action. Just YouTube the “pocket chainsaw survival” and you get hits on various videos of this one in action.

So I headed out to nowhere in particular, but kind of knew a general direction I was heading in, marked the place I parked on the Garmin and off I went. There were several logging and fire roads on the pathway, but after about a half a mile, I headed off into the woods that were fairly pristine to the point they hadn’t been logged or cleared in a while.

Here you can see where it had been cleared at one point. But beyond that, it is not clear. I made my way into it another half a mile, maybe more, following game trails and some fairly old paths that might have been logging trails at some point or other. I came upon what my friend calls “that Blair Witch looking woods” and skirted it along my path.

http://i789.photobucket.com/albums/yy179/Grand58742/gear%20test%2012%20Dec%2009/BlairWitchWoods.jpg

You kind of half expect the Predator to jump out at you at any moment in time or see a bunch of teenagers running out scared out of their mind. Continued on and paralleled it, but eventually had to make my way through it. Wasn’t easy, but I managed to break through the brambles and spider webs until about noon or so when I broke for lunch near an old shack of some sorts. It didn’t look sturdy, so I remained outside and found my target for the day, a rather large pine tree that had fallen some years ago, but was still seasoned enough to burn efficiently.

http://i789.photobucket.com/albums/yy179/Grand58742/gear%20test%2012%20Dec%2009/Branchestocut.jpg

My target branches would be three inches or so in diameter as any more than that really wouldn’t be achievable without larger tools. I would do two apiece for the test to see which saw performed better. After lunch, I started with the Fiskars first. It’s a lightweight, compact design that slides into itself and locks. Orange knob locks the blade open when unscrewed. I’ve heard of some having problems with the blade coming lose, but I did not have this problem as long as the nut is tight. Here it is closed.

http://i789.photobucket.com/albums/yy179/Grand58742/gear%20test%2012%20Dec%2009/FiskarsClosed.jpg

And here it is open with a Chap Stick tube for comparison.

http://i789.photobucket.com/albums/yy179/Grand58742/gear%20test%2012%20Dec%2009/FiskarsOpenwcomparison.jpg

Fairly small and compact, but the teeth are sharp as a razor and deep set. My first victim.

http://i789.photobucket.com/albums/yy179/Grand58742/gear%20test%2012%20Dec%2009/Fiskars1stFiskarsBranch.jpg

Again, about three inches or so in diameter. I started cutting and blam, the thing is halfway through before I know it. A little over twenty seconds later, I’m all the way through it.

Not only am I through it, I’m cleanly through it. No breaking or binding, just a clean cut. My next branch took a little more effort, but again it was a clean cut until I broke off the end. Less than thirty seconds once again.

I could have continued, but figured if it did it twice; it would do it a third and a fourth and so on and so forth.

Next up, the Supreme Products Pocket Chainsaw.

Next I got out the Supreme Products Pocket Chainsaw. A heavyweight hitter, it has rave reviews online and folks seem to like it. Here it is out of the can (I never figured out why they would add weight to it by putting it in a metal can) but still folded up. An old ALICE compass pouch is alongside for comparison. The entire thing fit inside the pouch with no problems. The two plastic handles were optional, but they didn’t add much weight, so I threw them in as well.

http://i789.photobucket.com/albums/yy179/Grand58742/gear%20test%2012%20Dec%2009/Chainsawoutofcase.jpg

Here it is unrolled and ready for action.

http://i789.photobucket.com/albums/yy179/Grand58742/gear%20test%2012%20Dec%2009/Chainsawunfolded.jpg

I forgot to grab a “before” picture of the branch I was cutting at, but from the next picture, you can tell it is similarly sized to the others. It took a moment to get a good bite with the teeth of the saw as it jumped around a little bit on the branch and keeping the teeth upright was a little bit of a challenge, but eventually I got it to go. And went I did. After a minute, I got a little frustrated as the website called for “a three inch log cut in under ten seconds.” Maybe if you have the arms of a gorilla and at the speed of sound. But maybe I wasn’t doing it right. Here is a minute in.

http://i789.photobucket.com/albums/yy179/Grand58742/gear%20test%2012%20Dec%2009/Chainsawbranchpartial2.jpg

As you can see I’m not quite through it yet. Pretty close and probably close enough to kick it away, but I would rather get all the way through instead for the intent of this test. You can also see the teeth starting to get gummed up by the sawdust, which in turn affected the cutting. I went back at it and had the rest cut in about fifteen seconds. In all fairness, the branch was under tension and pushed back into the trunk once I got done.

http://i789.photobucket.com/albums/yy179/Grand58742/gear%20test%2012%20Dec%2009/Chainsawbranchcomplete.jpg

But I tried it again on another branch that wasn’t under tension and had much the same results. I finally gave up trying and had to use my Columbia River to pry it out as it got stuck. I ended the test as I wanted to continue my hike, but vowed to try again some other time.

[Grand58742]

So my first outing with the Fiskars and the Pocket Chainsaw ended up as a clear winner in the Fiskars corner. However, one time doesn’t make a true test, so I went at it again here recently. Today was crappy, 36 degrees and mixed light rain and snow. And we don’t always have the luxury of sunny skies and comfortable temperatures, so off into the woods I went. Some might recognize the area as the same place I did the camo test. I believe I have found a new area to test my stuff in for the most part.

http://i789.photobucket.com/albums/yy179/Grand58742/gear%20test%2012%20Dec%2009/Testarea.jpg

I will give the Supreme Products one thing, it’s a great workout! My arms were getting a little tired with the repetition of the pulling back and forth, so in a TEOTWAWKI situation, you could probably skip your pushups for the day and saw a log instead. But anyway, I found a dead tree which was still in “widowmaker” status, but nothing serious. Base was about four inches and tapered down to two inches.

http://i789.photobucket.com/albums/yy179/Grand58742/gear%20test%2012%20Dec%2009/Thetree.jpg

I pushed it off the small trees holding it up and ended up with about thirty feet of usable log to cut.

http://i789.photobucket.com/albums/yy179/Grand58742/gear%20test%2012%20Dec%2009/Ontheground.jpg

So I decided if this was a real situation where I needed a fire just for me, I would be sawing the logs at about six inches or so. Small warming fire, nothing more (but I didn’t build a fire, that might be later) and went to work. I started off with the Supreme Products and found it still wasn’t that efficient, taking longer to cut. But still, I would give it the wringer. I alternated between the Supreme Products and the Fiskars with each cut piece. And still, hands down, the Fiskars ruled. After about fifteen minutes, here is the pile I had. It’s half and half, half the cuts are the Fiskars and the other half are the Supreme Products and taking small thirty second breaks in between.

http://i789.photobucket.com/albums/yy179/Grand58742/gear%20test%2012%20Dec%2009/Smallpile.jpg

At this point, the Supreme Products was starting to drain me with the weather and all. Continual repetitions of the back and forth sawing motion wasn’t really helping at all and draining my strength. On the other hand, the Fiskars didn’t seem like it was taking much out of me for the moment. So eventually, I switched over to the Fiskars entirely. After less than ten minutes, here is what I had.

http://i789.photobucket.com/albums/yy179/Grand58742/gear%20test%2012%20Dec%2009/Fiskarspile.jpg

And I was still able to go at it more if I needed to. And both piles together would have given me a couple of hours of firewood.

http://i789.photobucket.com/albums/yy179/Grand58742/gear%20test%2012%20Dec%2009/Alltogether.jpg

I might try for a third time, but for the moment, I believe two times is good enough for the intent of this test. So of the second test, we still see the Fiskars as the winner hands down. Also I did a bit more cutting this time as the first test wasn’t a fair assessment of the tool. Only two branches apiece isn’t really what I consider to be a valid test, so this time I went with more cuts. I was burning daylight on this test and needed to head out sooner rather than later so I called it quits, content with what I had done thus far. And the overall results?

[Grand58742]

Comparison:

Weight: Advantage to the Fiskars. So light you wouldn’t even know it was there.

Sturdiness: Straight up tie. But having said that, you might expect something that weighs as little as the Fiskars to be a little more flimsy. This was not the case. But they both appeared to be durable as they could be.

Sharpness: The Fiskars edges out the Supreme Products due to the teeth not getting gummed up as much and are easier to clean. Both were brand new but the Fiskars had a really nice edge and seemed to keep it through both tests.

Length: Goes to the Supreme Products. The Fiskars only has a six inch blade and is not made for heavy duty cutting, at least not like the other. With work, the Supreme Products can and will do better with larger logs and branches.

Preparation: Goes to the Fiskars. Slide out the blade, tighten screw, start cutting. Easy. Not the case with the Supreme Products. Removed from case (or can), figure out where the blade is kinked at. Continue to unfold, remove next kink. Attach handles. Remove next kink. Start cutting. After complete, try to roll it back up to fit in that can…yeah, just give it a try and you will learn some new words or use your Fiskars 8 inch hatchet (that’s another quality Fiskars product) to hammer it home.

Ease of use: I would suppose as someone got more proficient with the Supreme Products, this could be a tie. But for straight out of the box, no training or directions required, this goes to the Fiskars.

Sharpness: Goes to the Fiskars without a doubt. I couldn’t get a decent close up of the cuts themselves, but the Fiskars was very efficient and had a smooth surface after cutting. The Supreme Products area looked like your typical chainsaw had been at it, rough and jagged.

Ergonomics: Leans towards the Fiskars since it is a more conventional design. The Supreme Products has to be pulled towards you and worked back and forth a little more. The handles make it easier to use, but the Fiskars just feels more natural. This might be more of a personal thing, so your mileage may vary.

Cost: Supreme Products can be had for $19-$25 online. The Fiskars (or Gerber) can be had for $15-$20. Advantage goes to the Fiskars.

I can’t comment on durability since they both are relatively new and I haven’t had them for years. However, Fiskars products are known for their longevity.

Overall thoughts…

I liked the feel of the Fiskars as soon as I picked it up in the store but I also thought “no way this thing will hold up to more than a few minutes.” But I also knew the Fiskars reputation and let’s face it; a company that has continued to be in business over three hundred years has to be doing something right. It’s light, easy to pack and handy to have around. The overall weight is not an issue in your typical BOB or GHB and it will shoehorn into just about any space in your pack. Now the Supreme Products also packs away decently in your pack, but I would personally keep it in some form of case like the ALICE pouch I had it in.

I was excited after reading all the nice things about the Supreme Products online and seeing the way cool YouTube videos of sawed logs. I also liked the fact it was Made in the USA as opposed to the Fiskars being made in Finland. But as soon as I picked it up, I knew it might be more trouble than it was worth. It’s heavy. But sometimes heavy can be good. (like the canteen cup for instance. Heavy, but takes a nuclear blast to break one) Overall, it just felt clunky in my hands and took a while to get unraveled to prepare to cut. While not a huge issue as it was warm out the first time, this could be a disadvantage if the user has cold and wet fingers and is trying to cut firewood. I managed to not get wet the second time around, but it also makes you exert a lot more and you end up sweating, which is a killer in cold weather. The Fiskars has it beat hands down in this department. Sure you still end up getting a workout, but not quite as much since the blade is sharper and more efficient.

I would be perfectly content with the Fiskars in my GHB (which it currently is) and would highly recommend it to others for theirs. Is it a piece of kit I feel comfortable having as my only option of cutting firewood? Absolutely. Is it a piece of kit I would be willing to bet my life on? You bet it would be until someone invents a lightsaber.

Would I be content with the Supreme Products Pocket Chainsaw in my pack? Probably not. The weight being the first drawback and the cutting edge the second. I just found the Fiskars to be better than the Supreme Products. But, being the packrat I am, I will probably toss the Supreme Products into my car camping gear as a “just in case the chainsaw, bow saw, axe, Leatherman saw and hatchet breaks” item. I mean, it does work, but not as effectively for my tastes.

Others might disagree with the test I have done, but for now, I can be content with the smaller blade and more reliable cutting. IMO, you won’t go wrong with packing away a Fiskars 6 inch pruning saw in your pack.

[Icculus]

I guess this is bumping an ancient thread but I didn't see it mentioned and thought I'd throw it out there. I've used the Sawvivor saws with success. Very similar to the sven saws I guess.

http://www.campmor.com/trailblazer-sawvivor-saw.shtml?reviewPage=2

[xanderzuk]

Sven Saw 100% - used it many many times with great success!

[fiddly_foo]

When I did landscapping I used a Corona folding saw and was the best out of all the others I tried.. http://www.coronatools.com/folding-saws

[way_ky]

I've been using the sawvivors for a while now and it has been great!

[Dave L.]

I've been using the sawvivors for a while now and it has been great!

What is great about it? What are you comparing it to? Is there anything you don't like about it? How long have you owned it?


(when people post that something its just "great", the next thing that should be done is to list some personal experience (facts and logic) to help make you case)

[Redhat]

Von Rheydt is right. I'm an Arborist and use silky handsaws. Their razor sharp and cut real smooth and fast. You might get a better deal @ http://www.SherrillTree.com

Looks like just what I need. What tooth size do you recommend for general purpose use?

[way_ky]

What is great about it? What are you comparing it to? Is there anything you don't like about it? How long have you owned it?


(when people post that something its just "great", the next thing that should be done is to list some personal experience (facts and logic) to help make you case)

Well I have had it for going on a year now. I'm in the woods prob 3 to 5 nights a month year round. there isn't much to say other then its light weight durable and 100% does what its intended to do Cuts wood.

[krm375]

Solkoa has made these grips for a Sawsall blade, I have not tried it out yet, but I have one on order, replacement blades in any home depot or lowes.

http://www.fast-fire.com/index.php?p=products&prod=4

http://www.woodsmonkey.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=560:solkoas-grip-s-grip-survival-review&catid=67:tools&Itemid=80

[Dave L.]

Solkoa has made these grips for a Sawsall blade, I have not tried it out yet, but I have one on order, replacement blades in any home depot or lowes.

http://www.fast-fire.com/index.php?p=products&prod=4

Good post man. I've been looking for that for almost a year. I forgot where I saw it and who made it. Looks like a great kit. Maybe you could do a review of it when yours after you play with it for a while.

[krm375]

Good post man. I've been looking for that for almost a year. I forgot where I saw it and who made it. Looks like a great kit. Maybe you could do a review of it when yours after you play with it for a while.

I added a review link I found, I am overseas and wont get mine for a little bit.

[krm375]

Well, I got my SOLKOA a bit ago and was able to give it some use after IRENE, I sawed up a few limbs outside and it worked like a champ.
I picked up some pruning blades for outside and some Dewalt rescue blades for the Emergency kit.
I don't think the drill bit would be fun to use, but I have not tried it with a bow yet, (think fire starter type bow)
The screwdriver attachment is handy in a pinch, but with a larger emergency kit I have a dedicated multiple tip screwdriver.

All in all a good tool for a Hunting pack, Emergency kit.

[Tortuga]

I've used the Sawvivor saws with success. Very similar to the sven saws I guess.

The school's experience with both the Sawvivor and Sven show they are far from similar. The command bought 25 of the Sawvivors, of that, 20 were KIA over the course of 2 winters. Of the 10 Svens currently fielded, only 2 have had mishaps, and that was only blade replacements.

I'm also interested in trying out Solkoa's offering. It looks like good BOB kit.

[Tortuga]

Looks like just what I need. What tooth size do you recommend for general purpose use?

I've had good luck with 6 and 8 blades. The finer blades (12+)are great for making traps and snares (triggers and such).

[Ouroborous]

I really like my Bacho Laplander. Very durable and cuts easily.