|
|
| Post Number: 1
|
city2outdoors 
Group: Members
Posts: 18
Joined: Jan. 2013
|
 |
Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 6:29 pm |
|
   |
Folding Saw vs. Pocket Chain Saw
What is your preference for cutting/processing wood on the trails?
~Phil
--------------
From the City to the Outdoors.
|
 |
|
|
| Post Number: 2
|
High_Sierra_Fan
Group: Members
Posts: 39511
Joined: Aug. 2005
|
|
Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 7:07 pm |
|
 |
If I intend to use it a folding blade saw. If I'm just going to carry the thing I prefer the wire saws weight.
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 3
|
TDale
Group: Members
Posts: 13111
Joined: Jun. 2005
|
|
Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 7:19 pm |
|
|
Hands and knee.
--------------
"Sure as I know anything, I know this - they will try again...They'll swing back to the belief that they can make people... better. And I do not hold to that. So no more runnin'. I aim to misbehave."
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 4
|
|
|
| Post Number: 5
|
Franco
Group: Members
Posts: 2696
Joined: Feb. 2005
|
|
Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 8:45 pm |
|
|
I tried the "pocket chain saw", lots of work...
Much prefer a folding blade.
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 6
|
|
|
| Post Number: 7
|
LyttleBryan
Group: Members
Posts: 549
Joined: Jun. 2009
|
|
Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 9:28 pm |
|
|
I own both a pocket chain saw (can't remember the brand name) and a Sven. I much prefer the Sven. My buddies prefer the Saw-vivor. I also prefer it to the chain saw, but not as much as the Sven.
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 8
|
city2outdoors
Group: Members
Posts: 18
Joined: Jan. 2013
|
|
Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 9:51 pm |
|
|
I guess the bigger question now is...how big are your fires?
I'm assuming backpacking fire are much smaller than campground fires, which is why they don't bigger tools (sometimes bare hands it seems like).
Is this because of LNT?
--------------
From the City to the Outdoors.
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 9
|
Montanalonewolf
Group: Members
Posts: 4786
Joined: Mar. 2010
|
|
Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 10:19 pm |
|
|
What do you need a fire for?
I haven't had a fire in several years, even in the dead of winter and below 0°F.
--------------
Ignorance is curable with education. Stupidity is refusing to be educated.
Those who don't read have no advantage over those who can't.
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 10
|
big_load
Group: Members
Posts: 21815
Joined: Jun. 2004
|
|
Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 10:54 pm |
|
|
Usually no fires for me.
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 11
|
|
|
| Post Number: 12
|
|
|
| Post Number: 13
|
Tigger
Woods Pouncer
Group: Members
Posts: 10474
Joined: Apr. 2005
|
|
Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 11:39 pm |
|
|
When I have had a fire, I've used the boot method. If it can't break with a boot, it doesn't belong in my fire pit.
--------------
If I'm going to be lost, in the woods is where I want to be...
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 14
|
AlmostThere
I must not be there yet, I keep hiking...
Group: Members
Posts: 4870
Joined: Apr. 2008
|
|
Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 11:43 pm |
|
|
If there is a saw in the pack it will be used to clear trail or get through dense brush. For leisure backpacking there is no saw, unless I am venturing into regions where trails are not maintained very well.
Break it with your hands, a rock, a boot - or leave it there.
--------------
All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking.
Friedrich Nietzsche
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 15
|
toesnorth
Group: Members
Posts: 2500
Joined: Jan. 2007
|
|
Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 11:53 pm |
|
|
I only have fires in the winter because of wildfire issues so I do carry a saw then. Sometimes a real fire, sometimes just enough wood for the Tri-ti.
Just something about a wood fire..........in the backcountry....................... 
--------------
"Failure is never as frightening as regret."
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 16
|
AlmostThere
I must not be there yet, I keep hiking...
Group: Members
Posts: 4870
Joined: Apr. 2008
|
|
Posted on: Feb. 06 2013, 1:44 am |
|
|
In national parks, we can't build fires in winter - most of our trips go there.
So we carry stoves.
--------------
All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking.
Friedrich Nietzsche
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 17
|
|
|
| Post Number: 18
|
AlmostThere
I must not be there yet, I keep hiking...
Group: Members
Posts: 4870
Joined: Apr. 2008
|
|
Posted on: Feb. 06 2013, 2:33 am |
|
|
(toesnorth @ Feb. 06 2013, 2:03 am)
QUOTE
(AlmostThere @ Feb. 06 2013, 1:44 am)
QUOTE In national parks, we can't build fires in winter - most of our trips go there.
So we carry stoves. Well, that's a bummer. Come on up and hike with us in the north country.
What, and lose the excuse to carry the down pants, hat, jacket, booties and Toasty Toes?
But I'd come to go hiking with you. 
--------------
All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking.
Friedrich Nietzsche
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 19
|
toejam
the high road is hard to find
Group: Members
Posts: 1455
Joined: Mar. 2002
|
|
Posted on: Feb. 06 2013, 8:41 am |
|
|
The good old Coghlan's Sierra Saw is cheap, light, and actually cuts small logs without wearing you out. If you really need to cut something it's much better than the chain.
Several of the guys I hike with carry a Silky Big Boy 2000, but that's for clearing trails.
Never mind these guys with their no fires. Geeeez.
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 20
|
JRinGeorgia
Group: Members
Posts: 294
Joined: Jul. 2012
|
|
Posted on: Feb. 06 2013, 9:09 am |
|
|
+2 on no fire. Because of a combination of LNT and PITA.
--------------
- JRinGeorgia
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 21
|
TrailTromper
Group: Members
Posts: 132
Joined: Mar. 2011
|
|
Posted on: Feb. 06 2013, 9:19 am |
|
|
Many years ago I used to take a sven saw on canoe trips.
These days I still like to have a small fire sometimes where appropriate, but have always limited it to "squaw wood" when doing any form of lightweight (i.e. non motorized) camping.
I have occasionally made an exception when bicycle touring and staying somewhere that I could buy a bundle of firewood, but I still didn't need a saw.
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 22
|
OverUnder
Group: Members
Posts: 185
Joined: Jan. 2008
|
|
Posted on: Feb. 06 2013, 9:45 am |
|
|
I don't always bring it but if I do its a folding saw. The cable saws are way to much work. If I don't have the saw then its the prop and stomp method. I enjoy the fires so unless I'm in an area that they are not allowed there will be one burning.
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 23
|
QCHIKER
Group: Members
Posts: 1728
Joined: Oct. 2009
|
|
Posted on: Feb. 06 2013, 9:51 am |
|
|
Usually I get wood that is easily broken over my knee or with a foot. My fires are very small and I usually have only fine ash with no chunks when done with it.
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 24
|
GoBlueHiker
Obsessive Island Hopper...
Group: Members
Posts: 14069
Joined: Jul. 2006
|
|
Posted on: Feb. 06 2013, 10:06 am |
|
|
I rarely have fires when not car-camping. The few times I do I just use what I can break, like others mentioned.
--------------
Wealth needs more. Happiness needs less. Simplify.
www.RainForestTreks.com
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 25
|
desert dweller
Greetings
Group: Members
Posts: 8845
Joined: Feb. 2002
|
|
Posted on: Feb. 06 2013, 10:10 am |
|
|
Haven't had a personal campfire in 25 years. Why, you ask? A campfire is the biggest single thing that separates you from nature. It commands all your senses and you miss everything going on around you.
Campfires are unnatural. They're great social glue, but for solo backpacking, I find a fire is unecessary and even dangerous because they attract attention and dislose your location. Of course, survival situations are an exception.
--------------
Seek Higher Ground
Can you feel the silence
Photobucket
Flickr
YouTube
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 26
|
GregF
Group: Members
Posts: 4
Joined: Feb. 2013
|
|
Posted on: Feb. 07 2013, 1:57 pm |
|
|
I use my hands. Do not need a saw or hatchet. Before starting a fire I make sure I have a large pile (3' x 2') of 0.5" to 1" sticks. These you can collect without a tool. I also collect 8-12 big pieces of wood (4" to 6"diameter) to serve as long term heat holding coals. These will last 2hrs or so and are easy to collect by just finding a downed tree of that size and breaking the pieces off. This is easy in the woods as there are usually pairs of large trees (ideally a single tree with multiple trunks) where you place the firewood tree between the two upright gree trunks and break it off in small chunks. This is easy if the wood is dry and the lemgth of the wood is long (10ft) which provides plenty of leverage to break the wood into chunks.
A SHARP hatchet is a dangerous tool in a wilderness situation where you are many hours or days from civilization. It does have value if it has been raining as you can split the wood to get at the dry interior easily but this is still not really necessary as there is usually plenty of small dry twigs availabile if you look hard enough and in the right places.
I have used a plastic handled foldiong trr trip saw that only weighs 6oz which can also be used as a knife by using a sweeping motion to trim bark from a branch... or waterever. 6oz is sure better than the 19oz that a Fiskars X5 w/sheath weighs. And th Fiskars is to small to handle anything larger than 1-2" diameter anyway.
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 27
|
wcolucci
Group: Members
Posts: 1752
Joined: Feb. 2005
|
|
Posted on: Feb. 07 2013, 3:06 pm |
|
|
What do you need a fire for?
I think fire was invented by hardshell and tent manufacturers. Fire throws off these sneaky little embers ya see that are attracted to nylon...
I could do w/out although I do like the idea of a fire at night.
My hiking partner? He will burn a couch if he could carry it in.
but for solo backpacking, I find a fire is unecessary and even dangerous because they attract attention and dislose your location.
who ya hiding from 
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 28
|
|
|
| Post Number: 29
|
desert dweller
Greetings
Group: Members
Posts: 8845
Joined: Feb. 2002
|
|
Posted on: Feb. 07 2013, 5:53 pm |
|
|
(wcolucci @ Feb. 07 2013, 1:06 pm)
QUOTE What do you need a fire for?I think fire was invented by hardshell and tent manufacturers. Fire throws off these sneaky little embers ya see that are attracted to nylon... I could do w/out although I do like the idea of a fire at night. My hiking partner? He will burn a couch if he could carry it in. but for solo backpacking, I find a fire is unecessary and even dangerous because they attract attention and dislose your location.who ya hiding from
1. When I go solo backpacking my goal is not see anyone for as many days as I can. That's just the way I like it. The idea is not about hiding but about solitude.
2. More than once when sitting by a fire, back when I had campfires, I've had someone come up to my camp without my even knowing anyone was around. It's quite startling to hear a voice emmanating from the pitch black when you're out in the middle of nowhere. Who could be out there that I'd be concerned about? Here are few.
Malcontents
Bandits
A family
Someone with a boombox
Entrants
3. By not having a fire, I will stand a better chance of not being seen and therefore not receive company. And, without a fire to command all my attention I'll be able to hear approaching people, horses, vehicles, drones or cows.
Solo backpacking is about meshing with nature. You can't do that with folks around.
--------------
Seek Higher Ground
Can you feel the silence
Photobucket
Flickr
YouTube
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 30
|
TDale
Group: Members
Posts: 13111
Joined: Jun. 2005
|
|
Posted on: Feb. 07 2013, 6:04 pm |
|
|
John Wayne used a big fire and a partner as bait.
With a group, I do whatever the group wants to do. Alone? Either a squaw fire(hands and knees) or no fire. No fire leaves me free to fish, wander, wonder,whatever.
--------------
"Sure as I know anything, I know this - they will try again...They'll swing back to the belief that they can make people... better. And I do not hold to that. So no more runnin'. I aim to misbehave."
|
|
|
|
|
|
Survival Skills 101 • Eat Better
