The pocket saw which is essentially a chain saw chain with two pull handles on either end is a great invention. I forget the brand but there are a few companies making them...they're easy to DIY too. If long enough you can get around a fair size tree and really chew through smaller pieces of wood. Not as efficient as a bow saw though. You really have to be in shape to get much done with one.

Hi,

I have some experience with wire saws. The cheap ones with what look like electrical connectors on the ends are very poor quality and hardly work at all before they break (Coghlins brand). The best I have used so far are the 8 strand Commando type saws (Coghlins also sells these), they work better with wrist loops or with fist length T-sticks instead of the finger rings. Sap and binding are a big problem with green trees.

About a month ago I used a Commando wire saw to cut a 16" long, 2" diameter piece of maple to use as a handhold for dragging a deer out along a marsh. The saw did not want to cooperate and bound in the green wood when I was about 1/2 way through, my son had to grab the stem of the tree and bend it over to allow me to finish the cut. The next morning I had to drag a second deer out of the same location, this time I cut a similar stick with my Leatherman Wave saw with no trouble. The "Pocket Chainsaw" is a much superior product in a flexible saw, but not near as compact.

If I suspect I will need to saw something and want a fairly compact, efficent saw I normally bring my Bahco Laplander, it is a quality saw tool.

I EDC's a SAK with a saw for years and it is amazing what that little saw can cut, this is why I prefer the SAK Farmer over the Soldier (nothing personal C_S).

Mike

For a small saw I use the one in my leatherman charge or Victorinox Trekker. For a large saw I've got a Sawvivor. Never had a problem with any of them.

I haven't tried the British one yet, so it might be the exception, but I think I've tried everything else. I've concluded they come in two varieties- sucks, and really sucks.

The manual chainsaw is good, I've played with one. I have a folding pruning saw- blade is about 10" long, and I've taken 6" material with it. It isn't always happy with oak or some maples, but if you stick to the little stuff you're good. But what I usually have on me is the saw of a SAK or my Leatherman, and for most things I've done in terms of shelter building they are fine.

If you want something actually useful (for camping, etc) get a wyoming saw. Pretty light (18 oz) but infinitely better/safer than gerber exchange a blade, etc. It is also easily collapsible. I am thinking about playing with some carbon fiber to make a lighter version (hehehe...)

cabelas

I second the Wyoming saw, I have never used one on wood but it does a good job on game with the meat/bone saw blade. I have the larger version and you are also able to pack some survival gear into the cordura belt pouch.

Mike

If by DIY you mean make one from a chainsaw chain, remember that a chainsaw runs in one direction and all the teeth are sharpened to cut in only one direction. The Pocket Chainsaw is designed with bi-directional teeth. That doesn't mean that a Stihl or Husky (et al) chainsaw chain couldn't be resharpened to cut both directions, but I'm not sure how that would be done -- don't have one in front of me.

Perhaps in some places all the dead wood is under nine feet of snow, but personally, I never felt much use for ANY saw.

My area of operations seems to have plenty of "dead and down" wood. Live boughs can be cut quickly bending them down and a applying a chop or two with a good fixed blade knife, as the OP noted.

Sawing wood can use a lot of energy that may be better off conserved in a survival situation.

I think that it kinda depends on what you want to do with the wood. Firewood can be snapped, broken with a big rock (or foot), left long and one end shoved in the fire as needed, etc. "Construction," on the other hand, could require a more precise division of the wood. And even if you have an axe, a GOOD saw usually requires less effort than an axe, and is much quieter to boot (which might be a concern in some situations)...

I would never put myself in a situation where I expect there to be wood just laying around. I always presume that I could have to take down some perfectly good trees...especially when it's winter. You need A LOT of wood to keep a fire going for days.