Gerber Exchange-A-Blade Saw: Unfortunate Fail

Doug includes a Gerber Exchange-A-Blade Saw in his Aviation Survival Pack. Since everything in Doug's Aviation Survival Pack is supposed to be top quality, I expected no less from the Gerber.

This morning I watched this "Unfortunate Fail."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DnmyqMVAYQ

Perhaps Doug should replace the Gerber with something else.

Jeanette Isabelle

I find Gerber's quality control quite hit-or-miss. For the saws, the blades are always a little too thin for my taste. (The Coghlans sierra saws are actually better IMO.)

The supposed "fail" here looks more like operator error though.

This is a pull-stroke saw. Very thin blade with very sharp teeth, especially new. When using them, you use very little force on the pull stroke and let the teeth do the work, and use zero force on the return stroke.

I have to train users on the correct technique -- otherwise the blade ends up bent up like a pretzel. Guys who are impatient and accustomed to regular hand saws (push stroke) often break them.

Note that the saw was still functional after it was damaged. And, they had a spare blade in the sheath.

I’ve used those saws a lot and I like them. Something to consider in that video though is that the saw’s teeth are designed to cut on the pull stroke and from what I saw he had pressure on both pull and push. If used properly, the blade is in tension when cutting. Force a thin kerf blade into a bind and then keep pushing and yeah, it can break.

Since the failure was not recorded, my gut feeling is that there was a bit of operator error involved. Whatever...

FWIW

Edit: dougwalkabout — great minds think alike

PS: Folding pruning saws available at HD

I agree, op error is a distinct possibility. However, the Gerber folding saw is not of the best quality. I have owned two and one has been rendered inoperable, though not in the manner depicted.

IME, a much better product is a Silky saw, either the Pocket Boy or the F180. I have been using both of these around the house and they are great at pruning, etc. One of these would go into the field with me, if I plan on doing some cutting.

With any folding saw, it is a good idea to have a replacement blade, because all of them will dull with use over time. I don't believe the blade can be easily sharpened.

The Gerber was about the best available for the price at the time the kit was developed. It is up to the owner to improve the components as they see fit. Give me $10,000 and I am sure I can improve the items in this or any other kit.

The Silky and the Sven Saw are the two saws that, from what I'm hearing, are the most recommended, positively revied saws. Granted, I don't do a lot of sawing. I am far from an expert.

http://www.svensaw.com/

The two saws go with very different approaches. Silky, like other modern saws, unfold and go. Sven, being old school, it takes a few seconds to set up and a few seconds to fold it up again.

Also, the wingnut on the Sven saw has been known to drop and get lost. That is easy to fix by going to your nearest big box store.

Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with any company that makes saws.

Jeanette Isabelle

So, you are out sawing in the woods (or swamps, as the case may be) and you can stop activity and go to the nearest store (big box or otherwise?). Not at all feasible, in all too many scenarios, and way inconvenient, at best.

The easy answer is to be mindful of your wingnut. If that is not practical, keep a few wingnuts in your vehicle.

Jeanette Isabelle

I have the Silky and the Sven, and both have performed very well under difficult conditions for an extended period.