Review: Pocket Chainsaw
Price: US$20
Tool type: Portable hand saw (cuts wood or PVC
pipe)
Applications: Camping, cutting in tight spaces,
portable tool kits, wilderness survival situations
Manufacturer: Supreme
Products
Rating: Excellent
In this review we look at the Pocket Chainsaw and compare
it to a generic single-strand wire saw.
I first heard about this saw when a friend told me an anecdote
about a group of wilderness medics who used it several of them
to fell enough trees to make a landing pad for a medivac helicopter.
Obviously I don't want to go around making clearcuts, but I was
fascinated with the idea of such an effective and portable saw.
This weekend my friend Erin and I decided to try one out. As
a "control" we compared the Pocket Chainsaw (right)
to a single-strand wire saw from a popular Canadian camping manufacturer
(left):
The portable chainsaw weighs about 93 grams (3.28 ounces). There
are several versions available which seem to be variations on
the same saw blade but with different handles and cases. The version
that we reviewed is the military version which comes in a nylon
pouch with parachute cord slings for handles. It is the lightest.
There is also a version with heavier but more ergonomic handles
for more casual "homeowner" use (see Unbelievable
Saw).
The saw blade itself bears a passing resemblance to a bicycle
chain, except flatter and with sharp triangular teeth on one side.
When not in use it coils up tightly into a pouch or pocket.
Erin and I took a walk in the woods to find a fallen tree we
could test the saws on. The Pocket Chainsaw cut through the log
we found in 10 seconds exactly:
At first I was fairly skeptical that the Pocket Chainsaw could
live up to its claims of cutting through a 4 inch log in ten seconds.
The first few times I used it took a little getting used to. But
with some practice I was cutting through softer woods almost as
fast as the website claims, and I'm not unusually strong. I found
that by putting one foot on the log I could sort of bounce up
and down with each stroke, using the force of my leg muscles which
are much stronger than my arms:
Erin and I both agreed that with a little practice our effectiveness
at using the saw would improve significantly.
In contrast, the wire saw didn't work so well. The packaging
suggests putting your thumbs in the wire rings, but this was so
uncomfortable and difficult that we had to find another solution.
We put some short sticks in the rings to use for handles:
Even with that the saw wasn't very effective. It got stuck constantly.
This wasn't even from the log bending and pinching, the wire saw
seemed to stick no matter how we used it. The Pocket Chainsaw
had taken only ten seconds on the same spot on the log, so after
I had spent three ineffectual minutes using the wire saw without
even getting halfway through I simply gave up.
Erin and I tried using the wire saw as a two person saw to see
if that was any better. We sat on opposite sides of the log and
pulled back and forth, but it wasn't really any more effective:
Because the wire saw had jammed so many times we decided to just
go ahead and pull on it as hard as we could. It broke when I was
pulling only about half as hard as I am capable of doing. Not
so tough.
In contrast the Pocket Chainsaw is quite ruggedly built and I
can't break it by pulling on it. It can be used with one or two
people. If the parachute cord slings aren't good enough you can
simple use sticks as handles. An additional use for the Pocket
Chainsaw is that you can tie ropes onto the handles and throw
this saw over a high branch that you couldn't reach with a hand
saw.
I contacted the manufacturer for information about care and maintenance.
They recommend putting a light coat of oil on the saw after use
to keep it in good condition. However, they note that the saw
would still be very functional even if rust formed. The manufacturer
says that the saw metal is very hard and most people will not
need to sharpen it. However if you do need to sharpen it you can
use a flat file with a fairly fine grit. The manufacturer says
that just approximating the original angle of the edge will be
enough to keep it working fine.
The saw may not be as easy to use or rapid as some larger and
heavier handsaws. But its purpose is to be portable; and by weight
and volume it is the most effective saw I've ever used. I'll take
it with me every time I go camping from now on.
Manufactured by Supreme
Products, phone 586-443-5450, toll-free phone 877-388-9474.
This version is not yet available at retailers but can be ordered
directly from the manufacturer. |
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