Bow saw or other for small firewood chores?

wahoowad

Rank III

Enthusiast III

830
Virginia, USA
First Name
Wilbur
Last Name
McGee
My battery operated chainsaw has been freakin' awesome but on some trips I kinda want to get a step or two away from the power tool easy way. I think I want a bow saw to handle light firewood duty. Fiskars makes this 30" model for around $15. Just curious what saws others are using and if there is a better solution.

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Giant heavy Stihl Chainsaw. I make sure any smoke or embers blow towards cali.

Going to have to get a tuned pipe for more fire and noise. I'd cut my watermelon with a chainsaw If I could. 'merica.
 
+1 to the Silky BigBoy.

I used a Sven Saw for about 15 years, but I didn't like the angle of the grip and the way I tended to bash my knuckles on whatever I was cutting. Another downside of bow style saws is that they limit the diameter of log that you can process based on the height of the bow.

After using the Silky saw on a few camping trips I'm really happy with it. The saw is faster to deploy than the Sven saw, it doesn't have any small parts to drop on the ground, and it cuts really well. We had an ~8" diameter tree fall in our yard and the Silky made fast work of limbing the tree and cutting it up into manageable sections.
 
I keep a agawa canyon folding bow saw in the truck. It's good for about 6" dia lumber. There are a few blade options as well. This is also my backpacking saw. I have cut a lot of wood with it over the last year + and still on original blade.

Agawa Canyon - BOREAL21 Compact Folding Bow Saw
 
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Since no has mentioned it yet, I use this one when we go camping and around the house. This is the 10 inch version. For $20 or less, its a good buy.
 
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Since I decided not to go with a RTT and I am using a Gazelle instead - I bought one of these hard shell chainsaw boxes that I can strap in my roof basket. It holds my 20" bar Husqvarna 320 saw, a bottle of chain oil, a bottle of 2-stroke mix, an extra chain, the little tools that go with it and this hybrid hatchet thing. It takes like 20 minutes to rip up a dead fall that has been pushed off to the side of the road. Lay on a ton of small stuff and then toss on some smaller diameter rounds and you'll have plenty of fire for a weekend.
 
I always have my Stihl chainsaw with in the back of my truck locked under my Diamondback cover along with some gas and oil. I also have a hand saw and a couple of hatchets that go with me when I go camping, two are my son's, he likes to help gather firewood and build fires with me! I'm on the hunt for a Grill that has collapsible legs that I can use for a fire pit and grill combo. Put the legs on up for grilling and down or take them off for a fire pit on the ground!

BTW, if I get one of those handsaws you guys are talking about I'll probably get the Hooyman extendable one, will work for camping and help when I need to trim branches for hunting lanes without making a lot of noise and stinking it up with a gas saw!

 
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I have an old bow saw I've used for 50 years, a couple of hatchets, an axe, a Pulaski and at least one shovel when I'm camping.
 
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I, like @slomatt have & carry a Sven Saw. It packs down & works well (I often take it Moto-camping) but I have to me careful to not bash knuckles. I may try out a Silky
 
My axe and machete with sawback are used to clear trails of fallen trees/branches. And i carry a cheap coping saw for metal that needs cutting.
For firewood i usually walk around gathering dead wood off the ground and break it by hand into campfire sized pieces.
For my wood stove at home i go through the whole sawing and chop/spitting wood logs but for a campfire nope.
 
I generally just buy wood or haul my own since I camp locally and most place I go are state or privately owned. I always have my axe in the rig if needed and a collapsible bow saw is on the list to get.
 
I have a very light duty option, but my good old swiss army knife actually has a saw in there.
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gerber folding saw and gerber machete...and if needed my hand/throwing axe.
Always in my van, always used. Not just on wood, sometimes to chop a tough steak to feed the crows.
........damned crows are my best friend in some camp spots.
edit.
Got the same saw in my bug out kit.