My favorite woods tool is my wetterlings axe. I usually never need it enough to justify carrying it with me until winter when all the fire bans are lifted.

Then I would be happy if that was the only cutting tool I had.

There are times when a saw if just the tool you want. That is why I routinely carry a Wave. There have been times it was just the ticket - cuts fast and straight with no binding....

IMHO, any saw is pure evil, because almost every solo-use saw will drastically limit your survival capabilities by simply limiting the size of wood you might just consider using in your mind.

For example, it's weird for me to see survival experiments videos on YouTube, when after dunking in the ice cold water people (under the wise guidance of survival instructor) are making fire out of just 3-4 inch "logs" maximum (some were feeding their miniature "survival" fire by kindling only!), and that's for fighting the really deadly hypothermia overnight... That's so silly! I'm used to creating at least a three-log fire in such a situation with 12 inch logs minimum! Find just 1 dead tree and chop it down to pieces. Same apply for the shelter building, animal snares making, water distilling, etc.

You need more wood - find and cut a large tree. I understand, - firewood gathering prohibition, fire bans, etc... but keep that in mind when you need to survive for real.

Well, I dunno. I have had to make fires on several occasions when it was really critical, and I have always gone with small stuff - usually something I could break by hand, by stomping, or by dropping a large rock. Worked every time. In my youth, I routinely cooked over open fires, employing the same techniques. The best use for a saw in my experience has been to clear out a helispot.

Even then on one memorable operation, as I was dutifully setting about to fell a nice healthy pinon (8" diam.) my companions persuaded me to try and just push it over. Moral of the story: A motivated rescuer is better than any tool.

Of course, it is true what is said about sawing - it warms you twice - once when you are cutting, and again when you burn it.

The Standard issue NATO UK Super Army Soldier (SAS) survival saw NSN 5110-25-147-4344 works pretty well for cutting up firewood.

Can't fit one inside pocket kit. :p

Has anyone tried the American issue one? Looks like a real thick solid wire with welded on sharp teeth, never seen it for sale, at least places that will sell to me.

Sounds like the ones from the Boy Scouts back in the late 70's/early 80's. One of the current online stores only lists the Coghlans version.

Or using the fire itself to do the work. Is the log too big to chop or saw? Set it in the middle of the fire and let it burn in half. Insert the 2 halves again into the fire. Its not very often that a person's only option is a huge log that can't be cut in the first place -- the smaller tinder and branches usually burn best anyway.

I've seen Mors Kochanski use a simple Mora knife to take down a wrist sized tree in less than a minute almost negating the requirement for a small saw at all. That said, I purchased a Gerber folding saw because I am not as skilled as he is.

From what I've seen, a small saw, whether it be Leatherman, SAK, or even a simple wire saw, makes it possible to take down surprisingly large trees. They give you the ability to create a fault plane and then apply main force to finish the job. IME, the strength of a tree is mostly of the outer third of its diameter. A small saw (or a small and sharp knife, wielded with skill) punches far beyond its weight.

In terms of sustaining a reliable fire, I suggest that regional differences apply. There is no simple rule. In my part of the world, putting three 12-in. logs over a bed of coals would almost certainly fizzle in a most inconvenient way. We (obviously) have to adjust our techniques to the materials at hand.

No it's a lot stouter than coghlan's version.



I've also seen people use what appears to be carbide impregnated scroll saw blade, I'd imagine those hold up to heat a lot better.