I think that having the option to build a makeshift wood stove out of cans is a really good survival technique. Take a look at Japan right now - lots of wood debris after the tsunami and the earthquake. Initially some of the debris may be soaked with seawater, but it will dry out. It's going to take these people a long time to re-build. I'm sure they will be using wood for fuel for quite a while.

In the woods - foraging for tinder serves a very valuable purpose of removing dead undergrowth that is a fire hazard.

In the city, it's helpful to have some small stuff for tinder. Although bits of cardboard do kinda' work, it's not as good as actually having small bits of wood.

A saw is not so good for preparing tinder ... there's nothing like a small tomahawk for this purpose. But they're very heavy to carry in your pack. I have been wondering about getting one of the lightweight tomahawks, like the one in the link below. But have not tried it out, and am not sure if it's worth getting. The price is not bad, though ($52).

http://sogknives.com/store/F09.html

Pete #2