INDEPENDENT REVIEW
Survival saws come in a variety of styles in two primary categories, straight
blade or flexible blade. Of the straight blade designs, there are either short
folding saws, such as the Gerber or Sierra Saw, or a bow saw style such as the
Sven or Survivor. In the flexible saw category there are the various wire saws
(which we'll be looking at in a follow-up article) and the link or chain saw
style.
The original of the this style was the Pocket ChainSaw (formerly known as the
Short Kutt Pocket ChainSaw) by Supreme
Products. Until recently, it was the only one available. Now, another chain
saw has debuted, the Saber Cut from Ultimate Survival (Survival, Inc.).
A brief recap is in order. One advantage of the flexible saws is that the are
small, light and compact. The wire saws are smallest and lightest, but don't cut
as fast as any of the other styles. Sawing anything very large is a real effort.
The chain saw style, on the other hand, is very fast, cutting on three sides
at once. You can easily fell a six inch diameter pine tree in a matter of a few
minutes if you apply yourself to the task. While heavier than a wire saw, they
are still fairly light weight and compact. The disadvantages are that they the
cannot easily be used one-handed like a straight saw can, nor do you have very
much control compared to a straight saw. No matter what type you select, a small
pocket saw, part of your folding knife or multi-tool, is still very useful and
none of these is really a replacement for that. Only the small saw can be used
for fine work and that comes in handy around camp or on the trail.
Both these saws perform essentially as a human powered chain saw. It is
absolutely amazing how fast you can cut decent sized wood with these saws. Easy
enough so that you can easily use it for constructing more secure shelter than
might otherwise be possible.
Pocket ChainSaw
The Pocket ChainSaw stores in a small can ( 2 3/4" Diameter x 7/8" High) with a
screw-on top. Weight is 5.04 oz. (143 grams) for the saw, 1.13 oz.(32 grams) for
the tin and 6.17 oz. (175 grams) total. The saw is 27 inches long. A "utility"
version (the Supreme Utility Survival Saw) is available at 22 inches and comes
without a storage can or ring style handles. The utility saw is equipped with
simple nylon line loops which attach with split rings to the saw and a
zipper-lock plastic bag storage pouch that saves a few ounces (total weight 3.49
oz. (99 grams). Its supposed advantage is that it won't rattle in the can as the
original style will, annoying to hunters and the military, but packing some
cloth in the can before closing it solves that problem for us. Without the
storage can it is also more compact and that can be important to some, though
the difference is small. Optional nylon rod handles are also available that fit
both saws, but add considerably to the size of the package and must be stored
separately.
The "flat" links are riveted together. Dual teeth alternate sides on each link,
making a 1/8 inch wide cut. The teeth are similar to those found on a
conventional carpenter's saw, though symmetrical so they cut on both strokes.
Metal ring handles slip onto the ends for handles, but work best if a piece of
wood is slipped into them for a more comfortable grip (as illustrated in the
accompanying instructions. While seemingly a little
stiff at first, it works very well once in use. It doesn't hurt to keep it well
oiled, both from a functional standpoint and also to prevent rust, but we've
never had a problem with it even when not well oiled
