Wood Harvesting Tools - Saws, Axes and Knives

[Eric Billard]

Hey guys, so I went for years simply foraging the forest floor for firewood; generally always having success gathering enough dry dead sticks, small logs and natural firestarters like birch bark or old man's beard to start small fires for everything from cooking meals to late night comfort & good times, even when wet. I also have had a few instances (although very few) where I would roll up on site to find that it's been picked clean by other visitors, especially late in the season, on island sites in particular. Now to tell you the truth I pretty much always bring something, whether it be a saw, small axe or both.

It all depends on the trip, on shorter trips or with trips with a lot of portages I often will opt to bring less (usually only bringing a small saw and knife), where as on longer trips I'll often up the anti by bringing a more substantial saw and adding a small axe of some kind to the mix.

I actually have a lot of varied gear on this front, from various saws to an assortment of axes and knives. I'll usually mix and match to cater to a variety of trips. But to tell you the truth, my favourite piece of gear for processing firewood would have to be my Silky 330mm hand saw. The thing is a beast, especially for it's size and weight, while not being to cumbersome. I particularly like it because of how efficiently it cuts through wood, requiring very little physical effort on my part. In my mind it's definently worth it's weight.

Check out this video I put together on the various Wood Harvesting Tools available and please let me know what you think.

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62wuRsOEjfo&t=74s

Also please put in your 2cents on what kind of tripper you are, along with the gear you use: are you into saws, hatchets, knives or tomahawks? Or are you the kinda of tripper who prefers to only use what you find on the forest floor, prescribing more to the "Leave No Trace" philosophy? I seem to go through phases, and am usually rather sparing with what I collect while I'm out there (despite what you see in the video, as I'm trying to show case the things you can do with the various tools available).

I'm the kinda guy, who now mixes it up with different gear options based on the needs of the trip. But have a long background in being one with nothing but a sturdy fixed blade knife, with a mind to leave no trace camping. Still holding true to that philosophy. Also feel free to speak up if you enjoy machete's as they can be very useful in more southern regions, I'd would definently be interested in your input as I primarily paddle in the northern forests of Ontario.

Cheers everyone, enjoy and make sure to leave firewood for the next visitors after you leave.

 

[recped]

Went on a 51 day trip this summer.....brought a Bacho folding saw (similar to the Silky)......

Never used it! Didn't pick up twigs from the ground either because in 51 day I never made a single fire.

I usually travel solo and in places where the bugs are horrible so I stay in my bug shelter and forego fires. Even when I'm travelling outside of bug season I rarely have more than one fire during a trip. Fires used to be a part of the trip for me but not so much anymore.

Forgot to mention....I did use the saw a couple of times to trim some bushes inside my floorless bug shelter.

 

[sweeper]

I bought a Silky, tried some frame saws and ended up with 18" Fiskars Pruning Saw. It's cheap enough to use it for a couple years an then buy a new one. I prefer a straight saw as opposed to a folding saw.

 

[Holmes375]

I always go with a Silky and a small forest axe. I like fires and fire-making. Use the tools a lot.

 

[Canotrouge]

I never go anywhere w/o my axe, I never cook on anything other than fire, don't even bring a gaz stove anymore. I never leave w/o a knife that is a given, I always have one on me always. I never use a knife for fire wood processing. I do use a saw, I have a few type but the one I've been using the most lately is a Silky gumboy large teeth!!

 

[Iskweo]

Ok, I will be the first one to say it. I love my chainsaw, it comes on pretty much every trip with me. I generally have to clear portages as I go so using a hand saw or axe is pretty tedious for an old lady like me. Sometimes my trips are strictly done to open up a disused route again, or after a particularly bad storm. I also am a forager when it comes to fires and will often take wood from old beaver lodges and deadfall off the forest floor. I am always scavenging decent looking pieces of birch bark when on terra firma.

I like my evening fire but as Recped says, the bugs can be fierce so once it is dark we are usually inside. There are times when the fire is to warm up with too.

Due to the crew on here expounding the virtues of a machete I have begun taking one with me instead of an axe. They are really good for clearing trails through the bush. My Granfors axe now sits in the living room with my snowshoes and 12 ga. They are all retired.

Christy

 

[lowangle al]

I take either a small forest axe or a hatchet and a Schmitt pack saw. I've been thinking about replacing the Schmitt folding saw with a 15' carpenter saw that i've been using to cut wood at home, or I might check out the Fiskar that Sweeper recommended. If I were taking a trip where weight and space didn't matter It would be nise to have a Fiskar titanium hawks bill snipper that kan kut through an almost three inh thik branh.

sorry for the spelling y keyboard is srewing up

 

[Sweetfancymoses]

I'm a twig stove (Kelly Kettle) kind of guy. I carry my What-a-Saw (a.k.a. Coughlan) mostly for minor obstacles on the portages or on small creeks. I know, I know, it looks a little flimsy and it has this acute angle in the front, but I'm on my 2nd replacement blade, so it can take a licking. Best of all, I got it at an outlet store for $5. Amazon wants over $30. - Sorry, a good deal always get's me excited. - I don't have much to compare it to other than a bow saw and a Silky knock-off so take this with a grain of salt.

My $.02 ($.015 Canadian)

 

[sweeper]

+1 on the KK

Wouldn't Canadians have to pay more for their input?
My 2¢ (2.66¢ Canadain {based on today's exchange rate})

 

[Cruiser]

I mostly do wilderness/canoe camping and have settled on the Silky(bigBoy)/hatchet combo, after trying a lot of other gear, this has the best balance for me.

Very few saws cut as well as the Silky's IMO ..... I look at gathering firewood as a chore, not a career, this combo is the easiest I have found so far.

 

[Rippy]

I'm 61 and other than lower back pain, I'm in average shape for my age. My trips consist of solo trips to the BWCA in the Spring or Fall . I paddle a tandem from the bow seat and bring enough gear to be comfortable ( I double port). I sleep in a hammock and cook on a Coleman single burner stove. Have used several folding saws but have settled on a Silky. I bring a Husqvarna forest axe.

 

[memaquay]

Chainsaw and axe. All trips are on Crown Land, unmaintained ports. Clean them as we use them. Nice to have split wood for fires too.

 

[Marten]

I am a chainsaw carrier too. It's all about cleaning the old portages as I use them. Never have campfires so no need for an ax.

 

[hidden_lo]

for me a folding saw and my becker bK-9 take care of most of my fire wood processing, unless i am expecting to use a lot of wood, then i add a small axe. The BK-9 has been the best knife i have ever bought. i always find new one to try, but the bk-9 so far has seemed the most comfortable to use, which i didn't expect. it splits wood superbly and make nice curls. Very comfortable to chop with, more so than the hatchets I used to use. I usually bring a smaller knife as well to try out, or to use for minor tasks like string cutting, but if could only take one it would be the bk

 

[Guest]

please put in your 2cents on what kind of tripper you are, along with the gear you use: are you into saws, hatchets, knives or tomahawks? Or are you the kinda of tripper who prefers to only use what you find on the forest floor, prescribing more to the "Leave No Trace" philosophy?

OK, I am admittedly a heavy packer in terms of comfort gear, and a Leave-less-trace-than-when-I-arrived supplicant. I bring minimal wood processing tools on most trips.

I have a lovely small forest axe that I refurbished and rehung a few years ago, with a nice sheath. It has yet to come on a trip, although I have used it a bit around the house.

At the most I bring an inexpensive (non-folding) bow saw, with a DIY’ed sheath for the teeth. And hope someone else wants to labor at the firewood sawyering. At the least I bring a folding Fiskars, mostly as insurance for small strainer limbs, and rarely for processing wood in camp.

On most companion trips I know my peoples, and who will relish being the wood gatherer & fire tender, and will bring the necessary tools. Thankee very much, whatever makes you happy.

On solo trips I don’t need much of a fire, even if I am cooking over flames or in coals, and can usually find enough downed and dry deadwood to snap by hand. If I want some simple intermittent warming cheer in the off-season, or brief sit-a-spell come dark, I bring a Fire-in-a-Can.

http://www.canoetripping.net/forums...ussions/diy/23273-​fire-in-a-can-no-5-and-6

That the FIAC lights to a blaze in seconds with the flick of a Bic, and goes out (bizarrely dark) in an instant, with no coals to attend after the cover is laid on, is a bonus. See also anywhere a fire pan is required, or even some venues where “No open camp fires” are permitted.

No ashes, no coals, no hot pocket under the sand or unsightly scar left on the beach.

I also have had a few instances (although very few) where I would roll up on site to find that it's been picked clean by other visitors, especially late in the season, on island sites in particular.

I often (on island sites usually) don’t even try to find firewood in established camps. Camping on an island site that has been denuded of small wood, presenting a deer-line browse where folks have snapped off every dead branch within reach is off putting enough, I don’t need to add to the insult.

Once camp is set and the canoe is empty I can usually paddle around to the next cove and find enough the dri-ki along the shoreline to fill the hull.

That wood hunt journey is one instance where I do like having a saw. And a sponge, to get all of the twigs, lichen, bark and debris out of the canoe once the wood is unloaded back in camp.

I do very much appreciate the tradition of leaving a small, tidy pile of dry wood near the fire ring, especially if I am late into camp, and leave the same at most sites.

I do not so much appreciate the scattered remnants of still leafy green or wring-it-out-like-a-sponge decayed and sodden wood that idiots have dragged into camp and left lying about.

 

[yellowcanoe]

I am not much of a fire person.. It takes a really cold miserable day to get me interested in that. I use a Dustrude Folding Buck Saw and a Gransfors Bruks Small Forest Axe. I need some safety pointers as I am much out of practice..

I hate the Sven Saw but for some reason after 40 years it is still in the garage.

I had a Gerber Saw that was a little like the Silky but not as vigorously built. That saw of yours Eric looks nice. But I can't find it on the Silky site

Now may I feed you valium ? You just talk too fast on the video.. Pauses are good for the watcher to process what they are learning

I think the video is useful for beginners thinking about what they should bring. Or in the case of axes should not without practice perhaps

 

[Holmes375]

for me a folding saw and my becker bK-9 take care of most of my fire wood processing, unless i am expecting to use a lot of wood, then i add a small axe. The BK-9 has been the best knife i have ever bought. i always find new one to try, but the bk-9 so far has seemed the most comfortable to use, which i didn't expect. it splits wood superbly and make nice curls. Very comfortable to chop with, more so than the hatchets I used to use. I usually bring a smaller knife as well to try out, or to use for minor tasks like string cutting, but if could only take one it would be the bk

That BK-9 is indeed an excellent wood processing knife. Its a nice balance of weight for chopping and splitting but still works rather well in the hand for smaller chores. My belt knife is an Ontario Blackbird. I love that knife but its a fairly thin 5" stainless blade better suited for other chores than wood processing. The two knives make a good combination and the BK-9 often goes out with me and the Silky while the Gransfors small forest axe stays at camp.

 

[Grandpa Paddler]

I do like having an evening fire. but... being old and somewhat lazy, I don't get excited about the processing of firewood. I like tripping with people who are willing to process what I collect. Most of my processing is small stuff for my wood gasifier stove but it doesn't provide much heat or atmosphere for evening sittin' 'round.

 

[Boreal Birch]

I'm in the same camp as lowangle al, I have had a 24 inch Schmitt Pack saw since maybe 1969, I have taken it on every trip except three that I have been on, for work or pleasure. On the three trips that I didn't take it on I took a 30 inch clone of it that I got from Pole & Paddle, as I knew there were some serious sawing to be done to open up a portage and our camp that had wind storm damage. I can't even imagine not having a axe with me either, but I grew up using one and understand peoples fear of them. I have watched with horror at how some people use axes. I also think that people who use hatchets are in more danger than they think they are. I have some hatchets, but I am afraid of them, I have the scars to prove why they are a danger too. I seldom leave the house without my birch bark handled Puukko in it's woven birch bark sheath on my hip. I would never consider beating on a knife with a stick to split wood, I'm pretty sure that is knife abuse, a knife thick enough to split wood, would not, in my mind be a knife worth having. In a knife, I like a thin, three to four inch blade for all the camp chores, something light and sharp, something hand forged, something with good steel, something with good hand feel, something beautiful in it's simplicity, something my Grandfather would look at and NOT say "Are you going to stab small bears and thick chested men with that thing"?

 

[Alan Gage]

Very few open fires for me but I cook almost exclusively over a twig stove. I carry a silky saw for clearing trail and cutting off larger branches for fuel. Most of the time a sturdy knife is enough to split those branches down to a nice stove size. Last trip I took a hatchet as well so that I could process larger/longer pieces. I didn't use it a lot but it was appreciated. Since it's usually cold and wet if I build an open fire it's nice to have something that can split open those larger pieces to get at the dry wood.

The hatchet was also much easier for stripping bark off the dead trees I'd use as shelter poles.

Alan