John McCann - Stay Alive - The Best Knives and Top Tools for Survival

A small folding saw is something I am never without in the field. It starts with the small folding saw blade on my Victorinox Farmer and One Hand Trekker and goes up from there. Small pruning saws are invaluable for cutting wood to lengths with a flat end to facilitate batoning. They are also great for building shelters and many other purposes in a survival situation. Most can be carried in a small to medium sized survival kit, and when used wisely are safer than swinging a sharp tool.

One of my favorite pruning saws is the Bahco Laplander. This a robust folding saw and really cuts. Another option I have carried that is less expensive is the Gerber Sportsman’s saw. This saw is very light and fits in any medium size kit.

Larger folding saws can make cutting wood a pleasure as opposed to a chore. Two of my favorites are the Trailblazer Sawvivor and Take-Down Bucksaw. The Sawvivor is one of the strongest saws for its weight and I carry the 15-inch version in my pack. It assembles in seconds, is easy to use and is an efficient tool. A unique tensioning system and a box frame provide for superior blade tension. This is a lightweight saw that really cuts. The rustproof aluminum handle is padded and stores two blades when they are not in use. This saw is available in both 15- and 18-inch lengths.

The Trailblazer Take-Down Buck Saw is one of my favorites, but is heavier than the Sawvivor. I carry one of these in my truck and when I am canoeing. The Take-Down Buck Saw is modeled after a classic wood saw design. The aluminum saw has a tension rod that tightens the blade until it twangs like a guitar string. The Swedish steel blade can be put to work cutting pieces of wood as thick as 15 inches. For transport, the saw collapses and its parts all fit inside the 19-inch round handle, along with up to two blades. Available in 18- or 24-inch length.

Another way to have a buck saw in the field is to carry just a blade and make one when you get there. A good friend of mine, Rod Garcia (remember the Skookum Bush Tool), carries a saw blade in a leather belt that holds the blade safely so he can wear the belt as a normal belt. He then makes a buck saw from available wood in the field. My wife fell in love with the saw when we were with him for a week in the field, and he was kind enough to gift it to her when we left. It was fun taking apart to fit in a bag for the flight back.

Before moving on, I would like to mention saw safety. A saw can quickly bite you, especially if you use it incorrectly. I have had more than one saw blade jump out of a cut being made and skid across my hand. This always occurs when not paying attention.

When using a buck saw, place the off hand (the one holding the work being cut) through the opening between the saw blade and the frame. If the blade bounces out of the cut, the back top portion of the blade will bounce off the inside of the arm holding the work. The blade will not skid across the back of your hand.

A tip that will seem like common sense deals with cutting a piece of wood supported on something in order to cut it. The piece you are cutting off should hang over the support. If you try to cut the wood between the support, and where the other end sets on the ground, the downward pressure will bind the saw blade because the pressure applied to saw closes the cut against the blade. I have seen this many times with students and find it a tip worth mentioning.

If you plan to be in snow country, a snow saw is a recommended item. A snow saw made by Life-Link is extremely light and carries well on a pack.

Another tool that can be handy in a survival situation is a multi-tool. I recall when they first came out and there was only one to choose from. That was the original Leatherman tool. I still have a few of the originals around. Now there are hundreds to choose from. I won’t elaborate on them, but personally prefer a good pair of pliers with a cutter for wire, and various options like a file, scissors, etc. which aren’t available in any of my Victorinox knives. My preference is still the Gerber, as it allows you to open the pliers with one hand using a fling forward motion with the hand holding the tool. The choice is yours in regard to how many tools they contain, but they can be a handy item in a survival situation.

Small trowels are handy for everything from digging edible plants to making a trench fire pit to preparing a cat hole or digging a seepage basin to collect water. Although not a necessary tool, it can be useful. They are made in plastic and stainless steel. Although the plastic models are lighter, I prefer the stainless steel trowel made by U-Dig-It, which comes with a nice cordura belt pouch.

Although larger shovels are normally reserved for vehicle kits, they are useful for survival. The size and shape are limited by how much weight you are willing to carry. The old military folding shovel is still a viable option as well as a new smaller version made by Gerber called the Gorge. Although they are all heavy, the Gorge can be carried in a pack or large kit.

If you anticipate being in a snow covered area, then a snow shovel can be real handy for making snow shelters. There are many types, made specifically for carrying on a pack, where the handle separates from the shovel portion. I highly recommend one in snow country.

My preference is the Voile T6 Shovel w/Saw, in orange. The orange T6 scoop is one of the most durable shovel scoops I have found. It uses premium 6061-T6 heat treated aluminum. It also has deadman holes for use in a rescue sled or as an emergency anchor. The shovel houses a hi-tensile steel saw blade which is a do-all saw blade of amazing toughness. It can be used for avalanche pit work, shelter building or to cut just about anything. The blade stows inside the shovel shaft and is held in place with a double pop-button. The saw easily attaches to the telescoping shaft for extended reach. The effective cutting length for the saw blade is 10 inches. The shovel can be used with the handle short or extend. I keep one of these in my truck and it always goes on my sled when snowshoeing.