Which Saw

[warthog1981]

While out playing in the woods I thought it might be a good Idea to give my opinions on the saws that I use :)

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m60/warthog1981/P4210087.jpg
Top To Bottom Closed
Bob Dustrude Quick Buck Saw
TRT Pruning Saw 330mm
Bacho Laplander Saw

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m60/warthog1981/P4210088.jpg
Top To Bottom Open
Bob Dustrude Quick Buck Saw
TRT Pruning Saw 330mm
Bacho Laplander Saw

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m60/warthog1981/P4210086.jpg
One of the many cutting tests ive done :rolleyes:
Cutting Seasoned Birch for fire wood :D
The Bahco Laplander took around 60 seconds .
TRT Pruning Saw 330mm took around 25 seconds
Bob Dustrude Quick Buck Saw only took 20 seconds

Bob Dustrude Quick Buck Saw
Pros
Takes standard bow saw blades
Good Length of cut
Fast to assemble and disassemble
No part of the blade is exposed when packed
Light weight
Simple design less to brake

Cons
It costs around £35 not cheap
Comes with a Peg and Raker Blade (easy to change for a peg tooth blade )


TRT Pruning Saw 330mm
Pros
Cheap £14.28
No moving parts to fail
Good length of cut
Fast to use
Good grip
Easy to find if you lay it down
Hell of a lot cheaper than a Silky saw

Cons
Some people might be put of by the Colour
Belt clip on the sheath could be better ( I put a leather one on )
Thin blade care needs to be taken when getting used to it, only cuts on the pull stroke
Probably wont last as long as a Silky saw


Bacho Laplander Saw
Pros
Tough
Hard wearing
Reliable
Small pack size

Cons
Easy to miss place
Take a while to cut thicker branches
Short length of cut


Ive used the saws on many different occasions cutting lot of different woods from hardwood to soft wood both green and seasoned.
And I would say that they all have there place but would recommend them for the following.


Bob Dustrude Quick Buck Saw a well worthy addition to take along on overnight trips or longer gives you access to larger fire wood :D

TRT Pruning Saw 330mm
A great saw on a budget works well and cuts fast what I used before I got my Bob Dustrude Quick Buck Saw. Mine still shows no sign off wear and still gets used excellent saw for wrist size wood and bigger.

Bacho Laplander Saw
Best saw for taking when out for a walk for lighter cutting

That's my first attempt a a review so please be gentle on me :o

Bob Dustrude Quick Buck Saw
http://www.tamarackoutdoors.co.uk/dispdetails.pl?filtera=Outdoor %20Equipment&filterb=Duluth%20Duluth%20Fold ing%20Saw&filterc=4789

TRT Pruning Saws
http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-TRT-Pruning-Saws-481012.htm

Bahco Lapplander Saw
http://www.workshopheaven.com/eStore/cgi-bin/cp-app.pl?usr=51F8706359&rnd=2071838&rrc=N&affl=&cip=&act=&aff=&pg=prod&ref=BAHLAPSAW&cat=Bahco+Saws&catstr=HOME:Saws:Bahco+Saws

[Gailainne]

Interestingly, Ive been looking at a more substantial saw to add to my kit, a buck saw type, I have a couple of Silkys, the 170 and the 300. I was drawn to the Sven saw, comes in either 15" or 21" but it doesnt look like you can get them in the UK, unless someone knows better ?.

The Bob Dustrude looks like a good bit of kit, I'll check out the web site, cheers mate.

BTW Not bad for a first review, not bad at all. :D

Regards

Stephen

[warthog1981]

Thanks :D

Ive just had a look at the Sven saw online I'm not a big fan of triangular saws they limit the thickness of the wood you can cut to much :o


cheers Russ :)

[Simon H]

Thanks for the review.

I need to get a buck saw too, that one looks good to me.

[Toddy]

Good review and excellent to see commonplace, easy to buy tools listed too. :approve:

I think I might acquire one of those TRT ones for slightly bigger stuff, or more intense use, than my Bahco handles. I've got a couple of bowsaws if I need anything any bigger than that.

Thanks for posting.

atb,
M

[Bernie Garland]

Excellent review Warthog

Bernie

[MagiKelly]

I do not have the TRT but do have both the Quick Buck Saw and the Laplander and I agree completely with Russell. The quick buck saw is definitely the choice for an overnight camp and the Laplander a superb saw for the size.

All I need to do is get round to making the canvas slip case for the Buck Saw. I better make one for Russell at the same time as I have been promising it for ages :rolleyes:

[warthog1981]

Hi :)

I just thought id post a little update :D
Ive been using my TRT Pruning Saw 330mm A Lot recently on a mixture of seasoned and green Birch and masses of Alder I'm amazed to say that the blades still incredibly sharp and its still cutting very well Ive even cut seasoned ash 8inch diameter with it to .I'm surprised at just how well the saw cuts Its certainly a good option for getting the fire wood in :D It does take a little getting used to only cutting on the pull stroke though.

When it eventually wears out i,ll definitely be buying another one and it doesnt look like its going to wear out anytime soon :D

Cheers Russ

[Surrey Yeoman]

Thanks for the info Warthog,

Can I be boring and ask:

1. How long is the folding buck saw when folded down?
2. How much does it weigh?

Cheers

[warthog1981]

Certainly sir

1. How long is the folding buck saw when folded down? just under 25 inches
2. How much does it weigh? 477 grams

no worries Russ

[Shewie]

I remember NickG putting up a folding saw he`d made

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27077

If you drop Nick a PM I`m sure he can send you the plans, if not I can probably find them somewhere

[Landy_Dom]

another one I've seen (but not handled) is the sawvivor:

http://www.tesco-shopping.com/trailblazerproducts.htm

anyone tried one? are they any good?

Dom.

[Nonsuch]

Am I the only one who finds that the Laplander bends very easily ? I've got two and bent both of them. You can always straighten them out but it's a nuisance. On the other hand my little Opinel saw is really tough and I never have a problem with it

[John Fenna]

My Opinel saw snapped!
My Laplander is still perfect after much longer usage...

[pwb]

Great review. I like the look of the TRT :cool: .
I've been using a Bahco saw very like it and find the extra length makes short work of certain tasks, like cutting fire wood.

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk274/PossiblesPete/DSC00616.jpg

Might have a go a making a buck saw.. someday :) .

[Kepis]

Been using the Bob Dustrude saw for a while now in fixed camps, works a treat, well worth every penny of the £35.00 asking price, every day saw is the faithful laplander

[bushtuckerman]

I have the large opinel saw. It cuts super quickly as it's a pull saw and therefore is allowed a thinner blade (never worried about it snapping for this reason, it flexes loads if you try to bend it but it's hard to break). I got mine new around the time my friend got the Laplander and it deifnately seemed faster with green wood, probably because it's a pruning saw and has larger teeth.

not cheap though, new blades you have to shell out for and are not easily available online. The teeth probably aren't as hard as the Lap either.

[fast but dim]

just ordered the shorter trt saw on offer, and a few bit/pieces.

ta for review

[gregorach]

A couple of things to remember about the Laplander:

1. There are 3 different blades available (if you can find them). The default greenwood blade isn't the best for cutting seasoned hardwood.
2. You can also get it in orange, which is much easier to find again if you put it down. Mine also has a bright pink lanyard for extra visibility...

[UCBerzerkeley]

Little bump to this thread with a new addition -

Over the holiday, I picked up a take down buck saw by Trail Blazer (18" and NOT the sawvivor, which I think looks cumbersome and delicate). Here it is

http://www.trailblazerproducts.com/images/product_images/85245031take-down-buck-saw.jpg

I am not an expert sawyer, but I can manage a 4-8 inch log quickly enough with this saw. It is VERY sturdy, as in very. The tube is also ingenious -- quite packable, store two blades, ~19" long (48cm), 1lbs (~500g), seems indestructible. The wing nut can not get lost, its secured to the tension rod

Old Jimbo has himself a quite favorable review as well: http://www.oldjimbo.com/survival/saw.html

Cutlery science has the old 24", which now has a metal wing nut lock, not the plastic one in the review: http://cutleryscience.com/reviews/trailblazer.html

If anyone is interested in the make or model, I can figure that stuff out, don't recall off the top of my head but Trail Blazer has a website. Also, if anyone wants pictures I can do that too


EDIT - I suppose price is in order. about $25-35 USD

[jerryo]

thought i'd post a few pics of my silky saw - i havent had it long, really got it for sawing up big bits of firewood but to be honest its nowhere near as good as a bowsaw. i also use a large opinel saw which i have to say is excellent.

I've got a duluth folding saw on the way, i'm hoping thats gonna be the perfect solution.

[IMG]www.web.me.com/omarcomarco/Site/17_Jan.html#0[IMG]


dam! cant do the picture thing

[warthog1981]

UCBerzerkeley Ive got a Trail Blazer 24inch Saw to there really nice saws :D Very comfortable to use :)
But there a bit slow to assemble and they tend to rattle a fair bit :(
That's why I prefer the Bob Dustrude Quick Buck Saw its fast to assemble
Nothing to loose on it
And mine doesn't seem to rattle :D

cheers Russ

[locum76]

I use one of these at work for pruning the bigger apple trees, its spectacularly good. a bit expensive compared to the trt though.

http://www.garden4less.co.uk/proddetail.asp?prod=Z610

worthwhile if you have to use it a lot because its very ergonomic. It comes with a detachable sheath too. :cool:

I'd like to get a better folding saw though, how do the Opinels compare? (i'd like one because Opinel is my preferred knife maker, but they tend to be fragile).

[warthog1981]

Felco tools are excellent :D

Ive never tried an Opinel saw before :rolleyes:

cheers Russ

[happybonzo]

I use one of these Wilkinson pruning saws (http://www.capitalgardens.co.uk/v3/lifetime-large-retractable-saw-p-9546.html). I have used Silkies and cannot for the life of me say that they are worth the money charged for them.

[helixpteron]

I quite like the Gerber Gator Exchange-A-Blade folding saw which comes with a fine and a coarse blade, both of which live in the belt holster, along with the saw.

The size, contour and material of the saw body gives a really good grip, even when wet, and the locking blade cuts wood with laughable ease.

The blades change without the need for tools, that too is easily done.

I got mine from these people, whom have given me good service, next day delivery, and the best UK prices on all the Gerber equipment I bought from them.

http://www.shop4gerber.co.uk/gerber_gator_1455_pruning_saw. html

The only thing which could improve this saw is a shorter name! (o:

[SkogKniv]

Little bump to this thread with a new addition -

Over the holiday, I picked up a take down buck saw by Trail Blazer (18" and NOT the sawvivor, which I think looks cumbersome and delicate). Here it is

http://www.trailblazerproducts.com/images/product_images/85245031take-down-buck-saw.jpg

I am not an expert sawyer, but I can manage a 4-8 inch log quickly enough with this saw. It is VERY sturdy, as in very. The tube is also ingenious -- quite packable, store two blades, ~19" long (48cm), 1lbs (~500g), seems indestructible. The wing nut can not get lost, its secured to the tension rod

Old Jimbo has himself a quite favorable review as well: http://www.oldjimbo.com/survival/saw.html

Cutlery science has the old 24", which now has a metal wing nut lock, not the plastic one in the review: http://cutleryscience.com/reviews/trailblazer.html

If anyone is interested in the make or model, I can figure that stuff out, don't recall off the top of my head but Trail Blazer has a website. Also, if anyone wants pictures I can do that too


EDIT - I suppose price is in order. about $25-35 USD

Been using this saw for a bit now, It is not delicate and works very well! Great bit of kit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJQeygcCN3s&feature=channel_page

[MagiKelly]

I use one of these Wilkinson pruning saws (http://www.capitalgardens.co.uk/v3/lifetime-large-retractable-saw-p-9546.html).

I have one of these and it cuts as well as the Laplander but I could not live with the way the blade retracts. If you tighten the screw enough to ensure that the saw does not slip into the handle while sawing it is difficult to undo.

[FGYT]

I quite like the Gerber Gator Exchange-A-Blade folding saw which comes with a fine and a coarse blade, both of which live in the belt holster, along with the saw.

The size, contour and material of the saw body gives a really good grip, even when wet, and the locking blade cuts wood with laughable ease.

The blades change without the need for tools, that too is easily done.

I got mine from these people, whom have given me good service, next day delivery, and the best UK prices on all the Gerber equipment I bought from them.

http://www.shop4gerber.co.uk/gerber_gator_1455_pruning_saw. html

The only thing which could improve this saw is a shorter name! (o:


Ive had the original version of this for many years now and its great cant fault it.

ATB

Duncan

[launditch1]

No-one has mentioned the humble turbosaw by Yeomans...I own one of these and i use it regulary to harvest walking sticks.Locking blade and very sharp teeth.Scroll down on the link.£8.44 as well.Id let it fight the Bahco anytime!http://interiorlandscaping.co.uk/yeotool.htm

[Peter_t]

Silky's folding 'Big Boy' - very little weight but awesome cutting power.
Size matters :D

silky saws are the muts nuts, i have a silky natanoko, a 33cm sheath saw which i use at college and work (tree surgery) but i never take it bushcrafting as it costs around £40:eek: and im scared of loosing it, great for pruning trees but nothing beets a good bowsaw for cutting firewood etc.... exept chainsaws of corse:D but thats not very bushcrafty

pete

[happybonzo]

I have one of these and it cuts as well as the Laplander but I could not live with the way the blade retracts. If you tighten the screw enough to ensure that the saw does not slip into the handle while sawing it is difficult to undo.

The only problem I've had is when I forget that its a pull saw. I also like the way blade is kept safe whereas with the majority of this type of saw, the blade folds over and it "don't 'arf 'urt Doctor" :)

[gsfgaz]

i use the laplander , it's a brilliant wee saw..

[huntsmanbob]

THE Silky Gomtaro 300 is a fine saw used one for many years when i was an arborist i prefer these over bow saw any day , the only downside is the plastic sheath where the teeth wear into it & also bit slack fitting:)