axe vs folding saw- what do you use and why?

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ASharpCanadian

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What do you carry around/when and why? seems that a saw can section wood quicker and safer than an axe can, but obviously
cant split that well. One could baton with a knife for this purpose fairly safely albeit with a bit more energy use. For a backpacker I would think that it would be best to leave the axe at home for the lighter saw + survival knife for finer work/fuzz sticks. what do yall carry with you?
 
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When I'm backpacking, I usually take a hatchet. I actually use the hatchet many times more than a saw because it's quick and easy. That's because I'm not trying to process nice, perfect pieces of firewood. I'm more like a scavenger taking advantage of easy kills. The hatchet allows you to quickly knock off dead branches, split kindling, shave fuzz balls, etc. I tend to only use the saw if I'm trying to make something, like a pot holder or whatever. I could certainly get by without the hatchet, but I prefer to have it. I would take the hatchet over the saw. Little saws are relatively light, so I take it anyway.

When horse packing in the back country, it's a whole different ballgame. We take bucking saws, axes, plastic wedges. Mostly because we have the beasts of burden, but we nearly always have to clear trails in the back country to get horses through. Well, frequently you can find your way around dead falls, but clearing the trail is a good thing to do anyway.

Matt
 
My preference is a big saw, a medium size axe and a small knife. If I could only take 1 tool though, it would be an axe (3 pound, 30" handle, double bit). That can fulfill the duties of all three better than either of the others.
 
The subject certainly depends upon the weather conditions, the area, type and availability of firewood, and how far you are walking etc.
 
For backpacking, I'll go folding saw and knife that's long enough to baton. The saw definitely is more efficient and faster vs chopping. I did a quick test just last week sawing and chopping with a hatchet a piece of log - saw took 12secs, while hatchet took 2mins.

If weight was not an issue, I'll pack a good sized axe. Chopping is a breeze with an axe :thumbup: And heaps of fun too!
 
Saws are great, thought most blades are now sold like disposable items and AFAIK it's difficult if not impossible to resharpen the closely spaced induction-hardened teeth.

Axes and hatchets can obviously be used for generations and resharpened with a stone.
 
M3mphis said:
When I'm backpacking, I usually take a hatchet. I actually use the hatchet many times more than a saw because it's quick and easy. That's because I'm not trying to process nice, perfect pieces of firewood. I'm more like a scavenger taking advantage of easy kills. The hatchet allows you to quickly knock off dead branches, split kindling, shave fuzz balls, etc. I tend to only use the saw if I'm trying to make something, like a pot holder or whatever. I could certainly get by without the hatchet, but I prefer to have it. I would take the hatchet over the saw. Little saws are relatively light, so I take it anyway.
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Same for me. I find that most of what I do is limbing and splitting which the hatchet is great for. Cross cutting is easier with a saw but then again you have to ask yourself, why am I cross cutting? Cross cutting is for suckers. The only two reasons I can see for cross cutting is if you're making something as a hobby or you have a fire inside your shelter and need to have smaller bits of wood. Otherwise I see no need for cross cutting. For fires you just feed the ends of the log in and let the fire do the cutting for you. Or, if a log is too heavy to drag back to camp, split it length wise or just go for smaller bits of wood.
 
up until the last season I only really ever packed alone-this meant I took the tool that was right for the job depending on the season and other environmental conditions. All summer I've been backpacking with people, most with little to no experience processing any kind of wood. They were given the folding saw while I had at it with the axe or machete. That means more time reclining lazily by the warmth of the fire stargazing and listening to coyotes and less time tripping through the scrubs like a banschee. As small and light as most folding saws are I see no real harm in carrying both, though I think for a long term survival situation or in cold winter an axe will get you farther-it can be sharpened and doesn't have any moving parts. The more working parts, the more room for damage or failure.
 
Hey there. I would say a hatchet or even both, mainly due to the fact that while the folding saws are a great tool i don't find most of them particularly good in the woods with their overly flexible blades. Even my recent purchase of a silky 130 is a bit too flexible for my taste but better than my gerber gator exch-a-blade. Even with bow or buck saws the main gripe people have is keeping the blade from flexing and binding by tightening the tension nut or lever as much as possible. Barnel brand folding saws are a little better and is more like the older style saber saw (now called a Compass Saw or the electric type called a saws-all) and have a tri-tooth blade one set being used as rakers. The Sawpreme folding saw by trail blazer (made in Canada) has a nice rigid blade if not a little on the thin side.
 
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For day hikes I will carry one or the other but probably not both. It depends on what trail conditions I expect. I enjoy clearing the trails as I hike. I'll choose a machete almost as often as the folding saw with the hatchet getting the least amount of carry time.

For backpacking I like to carry both a folding saw and a hatchet. I'm not exactly an ultralight back packer. Rather than through hiking I prefer to hike to a destination and set up camp for a few days. I like to practice bushcraft while I'm out. For that you need tools.

If I was through hiking I'd go lighter and probably just bring a knife.
 
Well, I never owned a folding saw (though I own three chainsaws - but thats not the question here). When I go for backpacking not an axe nor a folding saw is my way to go. I like it lighter and smaller. So a hawk or a hatchet is my way to go. I can´t see the reason for taking a folding saw with me, when a good hawk or hatchet is there anywhere in the working shag...

Kind regards
 
When I fly out to the bush in Alaska for 2 weeks and am limited to 50 pounds total not including the clothes I have on, I carry a folding saw that weighs a few ounces and my knife that I need for skinning, gutting, and cutting up meat. Any other time I prefer to have an axe or hand axe with me. If I have a vehicle or large plane (ie. Beaver) to transport me, I prefer to have all three available. The folding saw also cuts through the skull cap on kills if I am saving horns and cape for the taxidermist.

Howard
 
I have a mid weight axe that I love, but on most of my kayaking or hiking trips, I leave it at home, opting instead for a short machete for chopping (parang, bolo or kukri with a blade of 11-14 inches depending), a folding saw and my folding knife. I keep a Mora on my backpack for utility and for backup. A short machete -- a good one, anyway -- will make quick work of smaller wood and is functional on medium stuff, plus it's great at trail clearing and brush cutting and weighs less than a hatchet or axe. I often use my machete to process firewood. Plus it's good for fine work right above the handle and for working my fire steel. I concede: it's not as good if I want to chop down a medium tree, but between the machete and the folding saw, I feel as if I can accomplish more than I can with an axe, though, again, YMMV if you have specific tasks in mind or if you're an accomplished axe man.
 
I don't use a hatchet anymore. Nor do I use a saw either. For backpacking I carry a mora/neck knife and throw a saw in the pack with the intention of not using/needing it. I'm no longer all that gung ho about survival and buschraft and doing work around camp. Now I just want to enjoy the weekend hiking and sipping tea around camp with my wife. ;)
 
jaxs said:
For backpacking, I'll go folding saw and knife that's long enough to baton. The saw definitely is more efficient and faster vs chopping. I did a quick test just last week sawing and chopping with a hatchet a piece of log - saw took 12secs, while hatchet took 2mins.

If weight was not an issue, I'll pack a good sized axe. Chopping is a breeze with an axe :thumbup: And heaps of fun too!
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12 seconds vs. 2 minutes? What were you doing? I have a hard time imagining a piece of wood I could saw through in 12 seconds (with anything other than a chainsaw) that would take more than one axe stroke to chop through. Did you spend 1:59 trying to hit the branch and missing?

I don't want to come off as a jerk, I just really am curious what was going on there.

For myself, if I had to pick just one option, I would probably go with my Gerber Gator machete. It's a machete with a saw on the back. A machete is not quite as good for some things as a real hatchet, and the ergos are not as good as for most designated saws, but I use a machete a lot, I'm good with them, and the saw back is handy.

Edit: Now conversely, if you said that it took you two minutes to saw through something that took twelve minutes to chop through, I would totally see where you were coming from. I've totally been there, especially with things like oak. Anything I can saw through in under a minute I can chop through a lot faster, but when hardwoods start getting thicker, a saw is the way to go in my experience.
 
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Two types of folding saw
Tensioned 15" or 21" blade like a Sven folding saw
Hinged 'pruning'saw like Silky, Bahco, or Opinel

Like to like
Tensioned saws with a 20" handle axe
'Pruning' saw with hatchet

My Sven 15" will cut a 5' round faster than an axe
My Opinel pull saw will cut a 3" round faster than a hatchet

A saw:
  • is much less effort
  • needs much less training
  • can be used at night
  • can be used easily one handed
 
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