Saw Point

[Wayland]

Recently I took a new look at the saws I was carrying into the winter woods. For a long time I just carried a Laplander and a light weight wooden snow knife that I made based upon an Inuit design.

I own a classic Camp Snow Saw but rarely carry the thing because it is so heavy and only really has one use.

What prompted me to re-evaluate the choices was looking at a few YouTube vids on the subject of building igloos which I am planning to try on my next trip.

Most of the guys that seemed to know what they were doing were using ordinary panel saws to cut the snow blocks. I could see that the shape made the job easier but a full panel saw would be problematic in packing. We have to fly to get to any decent snow from this country.


I ended up looking at this stubby saw from Irwin. It has a good length and a wide blade. The teeth are coarse enough for green or dry wood and the handle big enough for working in mittens. Weight wise it sits between the folding saw and the Camp Saw but out performs them both in terms of usefulness.

So that and the snow knife have earned their places in my luggage for the next trip. What do you folks use?

[timdaman]

My kit consists of two edge tools.

• Agawa Canyon Boreal 21 Saw
• Morakniv Companion Knife

The saw is a "recent addition", I have only had it a couple years. I had used a few "bow" saws before that all worked but there is something about the Agawa that is better. I can grip it better, it's angles allow more usage of the blade, and I just feel like I can get trough more work at a time with it. I highly recommend it though there are a few others with similar designs that I suspect would work as well.

The knife is the first bush knife I have ever used but after 6 years or I am still very happy with it and works great. My friend has another that is a inch or two longer which is nice when batoning but that is only thing I have seen that could improve it.

[Wayland]

I've seen a few people using that saw, or variations on the same theme.

I have a bucksaw in my temperate pack but for winter I wanted something that would work as a snow saw as well.

[Heavy Duty]

I've got a modified Bobs quick buck saw that is 30". I like a big saw for hot tenting with my toboggan. When I'm hot tenting with my fatbike, I have a 21" bobs quick buck saw that fits perfectly on the top tube.