I have a question. What hand saw would you recommend that is smaller than the traditional cross cut? Something that a lone individual could use capably?

there are one-man crosscuts that are available - again, i've heard and read that the vintage ones are probably superior.
a handle can be attached at the hole near the top of the handle for one-man use or moved to the hole near the tip for two-man use. the teeth at the tip allows for a final cut that doesn't bind the saw. they vary from 3' - 5' feet in length.


if you're referring to modern, lightweight and packable, the crews i've been with seem to lean towards silky saws - big boy . it is surprising how much damage a hand saw can really do when given the opportunity.

+1 on the Silky. I've carried a Sugoi for a couple years now and it's a fantastic (though pricey) saw. A simple 13" Corona pruning saw is cheap and will readily cut small stuff up to 8" or so. Can't beat the weight, but if you've never used one, they cut on the PULL stroke.

I've single bucked some pretty big trees on logouts, but in those cases I went into the woods with a larger saw knowing I'd use it. If just hiking around, I leave the crosscut in my truck and carry the Silky.

Thank you very much for the info. I had heard good things about the Silky, so I went down to the bank, got a second mortgage, and obtained a Pocket Boy. In the meantime, I used a locally obtained Corona to hack away at my shrubbery. Indeed, you learn right away it cuts on the pull stroke.

Now here's another question, one with some teeth in it. I really value the saw on my Leatherman Wave, but I use it sparingly in order to keep it sharp for those really critical jobs. How would one go about sharpening the saw blade on the typical multitool?

Leatherman's warranty service is nothing less than amazing. If you dull the saw on your Wave, I'm very confident that Leatherman will sharpen or replace the tool for the cost of postage.

But what will I do while my L tool is in the shop? I will probably exhibit all the classic withdrawal symptoms - shock, nausea, pallor, etc.

Nice to know though, thanks. (Actually I will be fine - I have a back up...)

Tsk! Send it away to be sharpened? What kind of manly-man response is that?

Okay, I admit it, it's pretty tough to sharpen those double-cut jobs by hand.

A crude job is possible: you can use a diamond-shaped file like these* or even a flat diamond file that's thin enough to reach in and sharpen each individual tooth. Without a perfect match between tool and saw, it's a bit of a butcher job -- but you can still make them cut better.

The rub: as you wear down the teeth, you also reduce the "set" that gives you a friction-free channel, keeping the blade from binding in the cut. So there's no free lunch here.

*http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=32951&cat=1,43072,43089

If you dull the saw on your Wave, I'm very confident that Leatherman will sharpen or replace the tool for the cost of postage.

I checked the Leatherman site, and they specifically exclude sharpening under their warranty service. No mention of what they might charge. i agree that the manly thing to do is sharpen it yourself. What kind of file?

For a knife or MT based saw, I like a slip stone like this:
http://www.spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=91
I do prefer the medium grit which is no longer available, but the fine will do an excellent job, just slower. Natural stones are also available in the same shape. Flat diamond sharpeners like the DMT that dougwalkabout linked above would also work. DMT makes several styles that will fit into small places. Others probably make them too.

With any saw wear will ultimately make it not work well. The loss of set is more of a problem with knife or MT based saws. On some of the Leatherman tools the blades are replaceable at home. On others you would have to send it in.

Respectfully,

Jerry

p.s. The owner of Spyderco is an old friend and I have helped them in their business for years.

if anticipating obstructions, my trail saw is a corona. already have a second mortgage - so no silky for me just yet.

if unanticipated obstructions - especially at eye level my archenemy - my leatherman has proven to be more than adequate. don't hurry the job and it works fine. obviously, no felling sequoias in its future.