Backcountry Stock Wilderness saw set up…what do you use?

[Dixie]

Was going through saws as a friend needed a saw and thought I would show what I use.
46” cutdown Crosscut / scabbard and a old school Connecticut 4 pound axe.

What’s your favorite wilderness setup.

 

[Grassymike]

What are you doing ? Building log cabins ?

 

[Grassymike]

Nevermind. I see this is the backcountry stock forum.

 

[EvanG17]

I use a Wyoming saw set. Easy to pack and has a fine and heavy cut blade included

 

[taskswap]

This is insanely opinionated and I expected you're about to get 20 different opinions. A lot depends on your needs. I started out wanting to do more "bushcraft" as far as making basic benches and such to sit on around the fire. I carried a Silky Gomboy for that.

Later I was doing a little light "trail clearing" but not wanting to carry a chain saw. For that, a Katanaboy is really hard to beat. If you're in shape, you can get a 14" aspen off a trail in about 3-4 minutes.

Lately I'm trying to pack as light as possible so I can be more nimble getting around, and go farther (plus I'm 50 now). Last year I 3D printed a custom fixed handle for a Silky Tsurugi 200m blade, and even cut about 3" off the tang. I use electrical tape on the blade, and I doubt you could find anything lighter that's even remotely as capable (there's a thread here on ultralight saws and I posted the design and my weights there). I use it pretty much just for processing firewood, and (once) as a bone saw (which worked fine, although it clogged up a lot).

For firewood, I would go as small as a Victorinox pocket knife saw blade. A lot of folks think you need to cut all the way through but you really don't. If you a 2-6" branch about a third of the way deep it will break easily, if it's dry enough, and if you whack it hard on a rock right at that point, the split will often carry part/all the way down the stick, so you don't need to split anything.

In the past year or two I haven't even bothered with a saw. We've had so many red-flag warnings here in CO when I've been out that I haven't wanted to bother. I'm definitely a "drown it out" guy and it's one less camp chore to go collect the water, so most nights I'll just skip the fire and read my Kindle in my sleeping bag.

 

[wyodan]

Was going through saws as a friend needed a saw and thought I would show what I use.
46” cutdown Crosscut / scabbard and a old school Connecticut 4 pound axe.

What’s your favorite wilderness setup.

Where did you find your saws and axe? I like the old school big cross cut saws.

 

[Dixie]

Where did you find your saws and axe? I like the old school big cross cut saws.

Been collecting for years and have quite a few saws/Axes. Make the cutoff ones from ones with no value other than a user.
Cut the ends and some of the back so they’re not so thick and then sharpen.
If you are looking something special PM me
I have saws from 4’to 10’

 

[bisblue]

I've really like the silki saws.

I got to use an electric Stihl this year packing in food for a trail crew. Was awesome to take out stuff I didn't want to go around. We were in a 15 year fire scar with tons on downed trees and it did amazing with 1 1/4 of the 300 Amp batteries.

Our local backcountry horsemen chapter has some awesome saw mounts. I'm getting one for my burro as we had 325k acres burn this season on my forest. I'll be busy the next couple years.

 

[Legend]

Was going through saws as a friend needed a saw and thought I would show what I use.
46” cutdown Crosscut / scabbard and a old school Connecticut 4 pound axe.

What’s your favorite wilderness setup.

Silky saws are amazing. The USFS in the Bob Marshall uses them. I bet if you tried one you would leave the old crosscut at home.

 

[actionshooter]

This is the "Backcountry Stock" forum.... but this is the saw I carry while rafting, same concept I guess... lol

The Sven-Saw is bad ass...

Sven-Saw | The Famous Campfire Folding Saw

Sven-Saw is the perfect folding saw — perfect for camping, backpacking, hunting, and yard work. Proudly made in Minnesota since 1961.

svensaw.com

 

[Wiscgunner]

Silky F180 for me. Lightvweight, packs small, handle fold up out of the way to cut directly on the ground. Inexpensive

 

[Dixie]

Silky saws are amazing. The USFS in the Bob Marshall uses them. I bet if you tried one you would leave the old crosscut at home.

I have a Katana and still do use Silky saws, but a properly sharpened CC in the bigger stuff IMHO is better.

 

[Dixie]

I've really like the silki saws.

I got to use an electric Stihl this year packing in food for a trail crew. Was awesome to take out stuff I didn't want to go around. We were in a 15 year fire scar with tons on downed trees and it did amazing with 1 1/4 of the 300 Amp batteries.

Our local backcountry horsemen chapter has some awesome saw mounts. I'm getting one for my burro as we had 325k acres burn this season on my forest. I'll be busy the next couple years.

View attachment 803136View attachment 803137

I’ve seen the top setup working with TR BCH and works pretty well for carrying a chain saw. I have a MS220 and you are correct they sure work nice but mostly where I go is Wilderness so there is that.

 

[bisblue]

I’ve seen the top setup working with TR BCH and works pretty well for carrying a chain saw. I have a MS220 and you are correct they sure work nice but mostly where I go is Wilderness so there is that.

For sure, I got a one man crosscut with the two handles this fall. Excited to give it a try next year.

 

[Mike 338]

That saw is the ticket! I was toting around a Estwing axe but this season, I got halted and turned around by a 22" tree that fell across the trail. That axe just wasn't up to the task and I ran out of daylight so I turned the mules around and camped elsewhere. Since then,I upgraded to a 4# Council Tools Velvicut axe for when I go back to finish off that tree after the snow melts. I'll probably also haul a Silky Katanaboy just because I have it but that crosscut you have would really be what a person needs for the big stuff but I it just doesn't seem practical on the back of a stock animal. I'm very interested in this thread.

 

[Mike 338]

I've really like the silki saws.

I got to use an electric Stihl this year packing in food for a trail crew. Was awesome to take out stuff I didn't want to go around. We were in a 15 year fire scar with tons on downed trees and it did amazing with 1 1/4 of the 300 Amp batteries.

Our local backcountry horsemen chapter has some awesome saw mounts. I'm getting one for my burro as we had 325k acres burn this season on my forest. I'll be busy the next couple years.

View attachment 803136View attachment 803137

I'm officially impressed!

 

[Dixie]

This is insanely opinionated and I expected you're about to get 20 different opinions. A lot depends on your needs. I started out wanting to do more "bushcraft" as far as making basic benches and such to sit on around the fire. I carried a Silky Gomboy for that.

Later I was doing a little light "trail clearing" but not wanting to carry a chain saw. For that, a Katanaboy is really hard to beat. If you're in shape, you can get a 14" aspen off a trail in about 3-4 minutes.

Lately I'm trying to pack as light as possible so I can be more nimble getting around, and go farther (plus I'm 50 now). Last year I 3D printed a custom fixed handle for a Silky Tsurugi 200m blade, and even cut about 3" off the tang. I use electrical tape on the blade, and I doubt you could find anything lighter that's even remotely as capable (there's a thread here on ultralight saws and I posted the design and my weights there). I use it pretty much just for processing firewood, and (once) as a bone saw (which worked fine, although it clogged up a lot).

For firewood, I would go as small as a Victorinox pocket knife saw blade. A lot of folks think you need to cut all the way through but you really don't. If you a 2-6" branch about a third of the way deep it will break easily, if it's dry enough, and if you whack it hard on a rock right at that point, the split will often carry part/all the way down the stick, so you don't need to split anything.

In the past year or two I haven't even bothered with a saw. We've had so many red-flag warnings here in CO when I've been out that I haven't wanted to bother. I'm definitely a "drown it out" guy and it's one less camp chore to go collect the water, so most nights I'll just skip the fire and read my Kindle in my sleeping bag.

That saw is the ticket! I was toting around a Estwing axe but this season, I got halted and turned around by a 22" tree that fell across the trail. That axe just wasn't up to the task and I ran out of daylight so I turned the mules around and camped elsewhere. Since then,I upgraded to a 4# Council Tools Velvicut axe for when I go back to finish off that tree after the snow melts. I'll probably also haul a Silky Katanaboy just because I have it but that crosscut you have would really be what a person needs for the big stuff but I it just doesn't seem practical on the back of a stock animal. I'm very interested in this thread.

The scabbard in the picture hooks to the dee's and sets under the loads nicely.
Handle to the back and a little higher than the front
I do run it on the back animal so no chance to get a lead rope around it.
Fast to get the saw in/out and no worries about the saw causing problems like packed bent over the top.
For new axes Council is about the only option... good choice.

 

[bisblue]

That saw is the ticket! I was toting around a Estwing axe but this season, I got halted and turned around by a 22" tree that fell across the trail. That axe just wasn't up to the task and I ran out of daylight so I turned the mules around and camped elsewhere. Since then,I upgraded to a 4# Council Tools Velvicut axe for when I go back to finish off that tree after the snow melts. I'll probably also haul a Silky Katanaboy just because I have it but that crosscut you have would really be what a person needs for the big stuff but I it just doesn't seem practical on the back of a stock animal. I'm very interested in this thread.

Looks like this got asked previously, the saw I have looks very similar to this, but probably a touch shorter.

https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/pack-saw.131628/

 

[WyoHuntr]

This year, I picked up a Fanno 19". I was pleased with the size vs performance