Axe or Saw? Neither?

Wilderness Tripping
#61

Overstreet, I have a hydraulic cylinder top link on my three point hitch, which makes it easy to raise or lower a rear implement simply by nudging a lever. When I’m not using my rear implements – brush hog, finish mower, back blade – I lift them while driving. The brush hog cocks up quite far.

In that picture, I was showing off the “weapons” I had at my disposal the first (and only) time I saw a bear quite near me. I wrote a rhetorical piece about the bear episode and my edged tools HERE.

#62

The Agawa 21" folding saw is so slick. You can have a solid smooth cutting blade that is held tightly in place. No wobbling or bending blade. You can cut smaller or larger pieces with no problems. I have a Silky Gomboy too, but of all the different saws I have tried over the years this Agawa saw is absolutely the best. It folds down easily and safely stows in my pack. This saw does 90% of the wood procurement needs as it can cut standing dead trees up to 6" thick easily. Or fallen dead wood.
Anybody can use it and no special skill required.

#63

Am sure this is what you’re talking about, but the military did have several types of bolos produced over the years.

Pictured is mine that I bought cheap and restored.
BOB
![WW I era bolo|690x388](upload://pN0OkXEmPnLypWQzCR0BxTZU9py.jpeg

#64

It is the WW2 Marine bolo.

#65

Mine is marked PLUMB
St Louis
1918
I don’t think it was stored until 1941and reissued?

Some bolos were made for WWI; some for WWII, and there were a variety of styles.

Up until his passing, an uncle who served in the Phillipines during WW2 had in his possession a bolo he carried. I believe he served with the 25th Infantry Division “Tropic Lightning”. I think one of his sons now has his bolo.

#66

My Dad was a SeaBee. The only thing he ever said was he was a landing craft driver. And he wasn’t impressed with hand grenades.

#67

In the book “The Survival of the Bark Canoe” by John McPhee. A crooked knife was used extensively to build traditional birch bark canoes without the use of nails, screws or rivets. Just a crooked knife and natural materials.

#68

Right. I read it, an excellent book. (How could a book by McPhee about canoes not be?)
It just struck me as odd that in the video someone just happens to have a couple crooked knives in their pack in case they break a paddle. I’ve known a good many very experienced and skilled paddlers, backwoods savvy, who might not know what a crooked knife is and I know nobody who carries one. Struck me as, well, staged.

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#69

I think maybe we need to start carrying one and learn how to use it. It is a lost art!

#70

Agreed. And maybe a wood rasp, too. (And even carrying such tools on a trip would requite some special care, maybe something like a leather wrench roll: You wouldn’t want to just toss it in your #3 Duluth with the tent and cookware.) It hurts to just think about having to fashion a paddle with a hatchet or axe and then paddle for a couple days out of back country with a rough-hewed paddle shaft. Makes one a tad paranoid about caring for your paddle, no?
I’ve thought, admittedly briefly, about making a crooked knife and realized that doing so without screwing up the temper of the steel and, further, keeping an edge on one is a specialized skill that I lack. Thought maybe someone here might have some experience to share in that area…
There’s probably a “Forged in Fire” episode in here somewhere…

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#71

buy a hoof knife…for trimming horses feet. Any equine supply should carry them . It will give you all the practice you will want.

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#72

It might also be just the sort of incentive that could lead one to take up the lost art of poling. Bet a lot of us haven’t practiced that lost art either…

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#73

There are a number of them available, here are a few links:

http://www.birchbarkcanoe.net/crooked-knife.htm

I went to school for fine arts and have done a lot of wood carving from tree trunk and limb. I think with an Axe, draw knife and a crooked knife you can make a fine paddle. I like the idea of a custom leather roll for the blades.

A crooked knife is not deadly enough for a Forged in Fire episode.

#74

Very nice! Thank you.