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My homemade bucksaw experiment

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Oct 29, 2019
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Location
southeast PA
With a little free time and some cast off material from my recent barn renovation, I decided to make my first collapsible bucksaw. I cobbed together some bits and pieces without focusing too much on finish details, and made my first bucksaw with the intent to bring it along on a canoe trip for firewood processing. I had a collection of old Sven saws with 21" blades, both 'green' wood tooth patterns and 'dry wood' patterns, and I chose the dry obviously as the purpose was to process wood for a campfire.

Here's the result- pretty crude but remember it was a 1st experiment and not meant for close scrutiny! I only had one objection... the blade tends to bind in the deepest part of the cut. Admittedly, it was an old blade but I did sand off the minor corrosion on the blade before using it in the bucksaw. Maybe a new blade would do better, but it appears that the dry wood tooth pattern has little 'set' to the teeth, so the kerf is pretty narrow.

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I used the 21" blade from the gray Sven saw above. I ripped kerfs in the handles on the tablesaw to house the blade when folded, mortised the stretcher into the handles and routed a recess in the stretcher to accommodate the 'winder' so it wouldn't get lost when stowed in my portage pack- although any stick found on site would work as well. The whole thing folds pretty small - about 22' long - and is lightweight. With a new blade, I may try to make a more refined product next time. Does anyone else use these? On the whole, I see this as a decent alternative to the folding Silky saws or the Agawa folding saw.
 
I can't see your photos but I've made a couple of these which are shown in this thread (along with some that other members made). https://www.canoetripping.net/forums/forum/general-paddling-discussions/diy/75331-folding-buck-saw

My latest is the first I've equipped with a dry wood blade (Bahco) and it cuts like a hot knife through butter (on dry wood). Try cranking up on the tension if you are getting binding in the cut. Also make sure the cut is either supported so it won't close on the blade or that if it isn't supported, the cut opens.


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I started with the trailblazer aluminum bucksaw and went to a wooden one with similar length blade as yours. Very comfortable in the hand and efficient. But...I got chaffed at the screws used to secure the blade one too many times. I got two Silky Saws and after clearing hiking trails all summer have switched to them full time.

I have no idea what type of blade is on my buck saw, but I always kept the tension really tight and rarely had an issue with binding.

Nice work. I particularly like the kerf idea for blade and tensioner storage!

cheers,
barry
 
Nicely done. I can see the pictures now. For the binding blade maybe you can just increase the set with a pair of pliers.

You call our donor saws "Sven Saws" but they don't look like any Sven Saw I've seen. Is that used as a generic term for bow saw in some areas? I've only known it to refer to the brand name of collapsible saws.

Alan
 
I have made a similar saw for portable usage. I made the first one for duty clearing out strainers when preparing to run some mini creeks in suburban and semi-urban areas where I needed to sneak in and out wearing camo with all my tools in a little backpack. It was great fun as I recall. We ran some insane little runs on the 15 minute surge after thunderstorms.

I can see where a saw like that could be useful as a camp saw. Your's looks good.

You call our donor saws "Sven Saws" but they don't look like any Sven Saw I've seen. Is that used as a generic term for bow saw in some areas? I've only known it to refer to the brand name of collapsible saws.

Yeah, me too. The Sven saw had a threaded rod with a wingnut on each end of the blade as I recall, right?
 
Well, I’ve been schooled. In my experience any triangular metal framed saw with a replaceable blade was known as a Sven saw. Mr. Gage’s comment prodded me to look up Sven saw and now i know the difference. Thank you. I do try to be precise usually and appreciate the clarification! I think I may try to set the teeth with needle nosed pliers as suggested and report the result.

Pat
 
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