Camping - Firewood Gathering Tools

[lysol]

The recent cool weather has sparked up my brain on cooler-weather camping again.

I just want to say that the bow saw I bought las year has been amazing. I can get a decent 30-minute workout and net a decent amount of firewood for my wife and I. We usually don't burn much until the end of the night when we want to enjoy a decent fire. That's where the larger wood pieces come in to play so I'm not constantly replacing wood in the fire. Now if a downed tree is close enough, I'll just drag it up to the fire pit and give it a nudge when the tip is burned through, but if not I gotta cut/carry it. We try to make as little noise as possible and the bow saw is where it's at.

I would like to see some more of your setups!!

 

[Chili]

The recent cool weather has sparked up my brain on cooler-weather camping again.

I just want to say that the bow saw I bought las year has been amazing. I can get a decent 30-minute workout and net a decent amount of firewood for my wife and I. We usually don't burn much until the end of the night when we want to enjoy a decent fire. That's where the larger wood pieces come in to play so I'm not constantly replacing wood in the fire. Now if a downed tree is close enough, I'll just drag it up to the fire pit and give it a nudge when the tip is burned through, but if not I gotta cut/carry it. We try to make as little noise as possible and the bow saw is where it's at.

I would like to see some more of your setups!!

Good to hear positive feedback on the one you got. I assume that means the blade holds up well? I used one my brother-in-law had at his deer lease and it was terrible. The blade flexed all over the place. That was a from Harbor Freight though.

I've taken my chainsaw in the past, when I knew I would be collecting a fair amount, and it was really nice to have. That said, I think I am going to go ahead and pick up a bow saw for future use.

We took our "annual" trip up to Colorado in July and I took our propane fire pit with the intent of using that instead of messing with gathering wood. I'm glad we had it for the nights we had rain, but we ended up gathering wood a couple of nights anyways since a couple of the sites had plenty of downed wood around. While I wouldn't have wanted to bring the chainsaw for the little use it would have gotten, a bow saw would have been perfect. And seeing as how they are so light and take up such little space, I kicked myself for not having one.

 

[libarata]

The frame is manufactured in the United States, but the blades are imported(like every other bow saw blade). The whole thing, blade included, folds up.

http://fourdog.com/bobs-quick-buck-saw-24/

 

[lysol]

Good to hear positive feedback on the one you got. I assume that means the blade holds up well? I used one my brother-in-law had at his deer lease and it was terrible. The blade flexed all over the place. That was a from Harbor Freight though.

The flexing/stiffness of blade was one of my top priorities in choosing a bow saw. I ended up getting one that's around $20. It's the Bahco 30-inch with the "green wood" blade. It has an adjustable tension screw so you can set it where you like it. All I can say is the thing rocks... I've never really been excited for something that only costs $20, but this thing has given us so much free firewood... And it cuts so fast... Just a little pressure with this thing goes a long way.

This is the one I got:

http://www.amazon.com/Bahco-10-30-23-30-Inch-Ergo-Green/dp/B0001IX7TW

There are (2) popular blades for this saw; dry wood & green wood. After my research, people said that the green wood blade does a better job at releasing the cut wood pieces keeping the blade clean during cutting fresh wood (i.e. downed trees in the woods).

Here's my picture of it from page 4:

 

[lysol]

The frame is manufactured in the United States, but the blades are imported(like every other bow saw blade). The whole thing, blade included, folds up.

http://fourdog.com/bobs-quick-buck-saw-24/

I was actually looking for a decent folding bow saw. That one looks slick.

 

[libarata]

I was actually looking for a decent folding bow saw. That one looks slick.

I am considering buying one today. I still need to ask if generic blades can be used, or if they are custom.

 

[lysol]

I am considering buying one today. I still need to ask if generic blades can be used, or if they are custom.

It says "•Takes any standard 24" bow saw blade" on the webpage.

 

[libarata]

It says "•Takes any standard 24" bow saw blade" on the webpage.

FYI, they make three sizes. I think the 24 is what I measured for myself. So if you have longer arms, they have a 30'' model. I only know of that saw, because I ordered one of their fantastic stoves.

 

[lysol]

FYI, they make three sizes. I think the 24 is what I measured for myself. So if you have longer arms, they have a 30'' model. I only know of that saw, because I ordered one of their fantastic stoves.

I would order one if my Bahco saw wasn't so good to me. I just slip it between the back seat and the cargo area when camping. I'm working on getting it fully mounted along with my hatchet.

 

[libarata]

Does the bahco say where it was made? I think their axes are foreign, so I assume the frame is as well.

 

[Chili]

The flexing/stiffness of blade was one of my top priorities in choosing a bow saw. I ended up getting one that's around $20. It's the Bahco 30-inch with the "green wood" blade. It has an adjustable tension screw so you can set it where you like it. All I can say is the thing rocks... I've never really been excited for something that only costs $20, but this thing has given us so much free firewood... And it cuts so fast... Just a little pressure with this thing goes a long way.

This is the one I got:

http://www.amazon.com/Bahco-10-30-23-30-Inch-Ergo-Green/dp/B0001IX7TW

There are (2) popular blades for this saw; dry wood & green wood. After my research, people said that the green wood blade does a better job at releasing the cut wood pieces keeping the blade clean during cutting fresh wood (i.e. downed trees in the woods).

Here's my picture of it from page 4:

I ordered that one yesterday. About 10 minutes later I got an IM from my wife: "why did we order a bow saw? lol"

Her email is the one we use on our Amazon Prime account.

 

[mike the welder]

I belong to a VW car club and we are pretty lazy, plus not allot of trees in Texas. So we usually buy wood and haul it with us. Inevitably some yahoo will bring half a magnesium VW engine case and throw it on the fire.........Oh wait, that was me. Takes about 20min to light up, burns for about an hour and lights up everything for about 100 yards.

 

[Chili]

I belong to a VW car club and we are pretty lazy, plus not allot of trees in Texas. So we usually buy wood and haul it with us. Inevitably some yahoo will bring half a magnesium VW engine case and throw it on the fire.........Oh wait, that was me. Takes about 20min to light up, burns for about an hour and lights up everything for about 100 yards.

Haha, interesting idea! My brother-in-law introduced me to how the magnesium fire starters react when tossed in the fire, and it was a little bitty thing!

 

[Jerry Ward]

My list is of firewood gathering gear for camping is pretty simple- 30" Swedish military bow saw, and a small axe w/ 26" handle and 1 1/2lb HB pattern head. Lived for months at a time with just these tools to provide warmth and fuel for cooking. Back at the homestead, I use a Stihl 441 w/ 28" bar to procure our winter's heat. This will be the 12th winter that the family and I have heated our home with wood.

 

[Jerry Ward]

Bob's Saws

I noticed that someone mentioned the Bob's Saws that Don at Four Dog Stove sells. I have used both the 24" and the 30"; own a 24" at the moment. Neat pieces of kit for sure-but not designed for extended heavy use. My 24" has a "tear" in the aluminum frame at one of the pivot points. Not sure when/how it happened, but it is about an inch long and I can only assume it's from working the piece through some hefty wood that stressed the angle too much. Wouldn't be a huge problem by itself, but the tear also changes the geometry of the whole unit and the blade binds up now due to a slight twist. No way to repair it I can think of. Not something you want to happen in the field on a long trip. Cool for sure as long as you are aware of the limitations.

FWIW- Don's stoves are amazing! I own the Four Dog size and it's traveled extensively the last 5 years. Originally purchased it for a fur trapping expedition to Alaska back in 2009/2010. It was the sole source of heat to keep our 12'x12' wall tent warm and dry for the months of December and January as we worked a trapline that season. Spent the entire 2 months living in the field and that stove ran almost constantly! Highly recommended...