Axe or Saw

Darkworldxl - August 2, 2021

I live in the Northeastern USA and I’m wondering which tool is preferred. For context I have a bag that has both a saw and an axe but I want to reduce its weight. I decided I want to forgo one of them. I have a Gransfor Bruks Small Forest Axe and a Silky Gomboy. I want to hear the pros and cons from everyone. I am an Eagle Scout and have experience with axes and I’m currently leaning toward the axe.

7  

Good morning Darkworldxi,

Much depends on the topography you anticipate an evacuation to occur in.

One of my group members has a Gerber Gator Combo Axe II. It’s a short handle axe – but larger than a basic hatchet – and a saw is inside handle. This tool is for small utility work such as hacking through a softwood tree across evac road. I’d use the saw on balsa wood but not much else.

Remember, the geographic term “Northeastern USA” encompasses many different types of topography and geography. A hardwood tree covered with ice won’t be readily cut w/ a Gerber Combo. In the Green Mountains – much substantial wind – is location of the US Army (probably contractor operated now) research lab for Cold Weather (think of wind-chill work with pioneer tools) planning and gear development.

For more focus ref Northeast states / New England, think of metro San Francisco. This urban area is next to the … obviously … San Francisco Bay.  The San Francisco Bay is larger than our state of Rhode Island.

Again ,it depends on specifics. An evac alone is different than in a small group of experienced preppers.

 

I would say it depends on what you want to do with them.

• Are you planning on just using them for firewood, shelter building, or both?
• Are you wanting to cut precise notches for something like building an interlocking shelter? A saw might be better for that.
• I would assume that an axe is going to expend more energy having to lift that heavy head above your head.
• You have field repairs to take in consideration. An axe is pretty hard to break, and if it does you can sharpen it against a rock or craft a new handle. Where as what happens if you broke some teeth on the saw or lost the pivot screw that connects the blade to the handle?
• The axe is going to weigh more than the saw and take up more room.

Lots of things to consider.

 

Actually, neither i really crucial, but how and for what purpose, do you intend to use them?

 

To add this is what my bag currently looks like.

 

I suppose I should explain the use of the bag better. I keep it in my car, for the most part as I work close to 40 miles away at my job (mostly highway) to an urban town at a hospital. Most of the immediate area from there to my home is rural. Another location I go to which is over 40 miles away (in a different direction from my home/work) is a school on the outskirts of a city.

The most likely events that would cause the use of these tools is related to storms (thunder, ice/snow, and flooding) Where I would have to clear a road to get home. I large portion of the bag is related to dealing with extreme temperatures. A few instances where I might need to leave my vehicle without receiving assistance would most likely be riots near my school.

There are a lot of trails I could take to walk home from both of these locations. Under most circumstances the bag functions more like a GHB than a BOB but has the ability to do so. The location where I reside has my family, which would be the primary location to bug in. Only two real events would cause us to leave which would be a Forest Fire as we are very close to a forest, and civil unrest being very close to a urban city. In the event we have to leave I have friends south closer to my place of work I can crash with, and I have the same agreement with them. The other location is are my relatives up north in a more rural community than mine.

 

Good evening Darkworld xi,

Do factor into plans that a school riot and urban civil unrest will have the law enforcement authorities and responders out in full force all over the place.

Some trails …… consider all of them unless a police presence on a specific trail …… could be designated as prohibited areas. 

 

There is more risk of injury with usin an axe. All it will take is a missin your block of wood and you have a chunk of leg you need to mend now. I’ve hurt myself on more saws than axes though, but they were all little nicks and cuts rather than a deep wound that would require stitches. 

 

An additional point:

If cutting a downed tree across road with some flood waters, remember you’re wearing rubber boots/Wellingtons and it not the usual “fit” and “comfort” like the regular boots. Injury risks get magnified.