Niftyprose

Thanks again Muddy. Should have said that I've used a bowsaw for years but don't like the Bahco blades as well as the old Sandvik ones, and *really* don't fancy them for the size of timber I'm dealing with. I hope the cross-cut saw turns out to be a better solution. I'll post here with an update in due course, in case anyone's interested. (Will omit any further discussion of clothing styles.) NP

Tchah! Lidl own-brand head-to-toe. (Two Ts in "Carhartt", too.) Stere, thanks for the Forestry Service guide. It's good on what I think is called the Champion tooth pattern, but not so forthcoming on the so-called Great American, which is what I've got.

Aha! According to Wikipedia, this tooth pattern is properly called "Great American" -- which is a bit odd, since I've seen non-US instances from the 19th century. Anyway, I've been able to find a filing guide. Happy to discuss if anyone needs it, otherwise I'll just get on with the job. NP.

Hello guys, I posted recently seeking advice (chainsaw options for part-timers, basically) and got some really interesting responses. I will update that thread in due course, as I promised. This is a spin-off query and I thought it was best to post it as a new thread. I need to be able to get into a difficult-of-access patch of woodland, so my original post concerned small, light chainsaws suitable for extended use. SBCK, one of the respondents, suggested that I might like to try using a really good handsaw instead. I had never considered doing such a thing but the idea grew on me. I spent a couple of weeks reading up on hand saws, in particular cross-cuts, and then started trawling Ebay and Gumtree. Those sites are mixed blessings. On the plus side, there's a lot more old saws on the market than you might imagine. On the minus, it's hard to assess things like tooth wear and degree of pitting in a photo, plus you're up against people who will pay £30 for a piece of junk to hang on a pub wall. I assumed I'd turn up a Disston or Atkins with "cutter" and "raker" teeth, and I read up on how to sharpen those designs using jointers, spiders and so on. But mercifully I didn't yet shell out good money for a raker gauge! I turned up a 33" Tyzack saw, UK-made I believe, with a non-US tooth pattern that had no rakers. I'd call it (probably incorrectly) a "W" pattern -- see attached photo. From what I can see, this was the favoured European design in the nineteenth century and was still preferred by some on this side of the pond in the last century. Can anyone give me any pointers (ahem) on sharpening? I'm guessing that the basics of filing the cutters are the same as for a US saw, but that the system of setting teeth left and right is different. TIA for any help. NP.

Thanks everyone and esp. Muddy (who didn't need to apologize -- my old day job in IT taught me how few people actually listen to the advice they've asked for). This was an invaluable exercise because a. we ruled out the likes of the ParkerBrand and b. I realized that I can't justify buying one of the "pro" Stihls for a few days' work each year. It looks like there are still a few old-stock petrol MS170s for sale, but Steven's note prompted me to check out cordless saws, an option which I hadn't previously considered and which will need a lot more research. I'm a few weeks from purchase and will follow up here in case anyone happens to have hands-on. NP

Thanks guys, esp. Muddy42, who has the instantly-recognizable tone of one who has given good advice to a lot of idiots over the years. (Muddy, I grew up with a Rayburn solid fuel stove as our only heat source and we used to dry wood for two years on rotation in a big shed. These days I lay it down in early summer for winter burning. I miss that shed, but I use a ventilated store, stick to fast-drying woods and cut pretty small. Also I wear safety glasses, protective trousers and gauntlets, honest. I'll omit checking off on all the other points you and Decro raise but I'm 60, in pretty good shape, and long past the age of risk-taking.) Back to the original matter. I'm aware of Stihl's dominance in the chainsaw market, and I've long used Stihl strimmers and a Viking (Stihl-managed) lawnmower. I posted here because I guessed that higher-end specialist models would be available, but you're right -- given my likely usage an MS1* looks like a better fit than an MS2*. NP

Thx guys. My plan is to cut to 3ft lengths in situ then carry it out. It will be resawn&chopped in the back garden before going on an open fire, so I figure a chainsaw is the best option. (Wouldn't rule out the branch logger under other circumstances.) The Stihl 12" looks great but I hadn't realized how much it would cost!

Hi guys, my first post here. I'd better spell out that I'm a civilian, looking for advice from specialists. Hope the topic's of interest. I grew up in the country, where I saw my dad fell full-grown beech trees with a 60s Remington monster many times. I haven't needed a chainsaw of my own 'til recently and have been cutting up my firewood with a plug-in Titan cheapie from Screwfix for a few years. (It does the job, but...) I've now been given access to a patch of part-cleared scrubland, which will easily supply all the fuel I need for the next few years. The problem is access: getting in to the wood is a scramble, and I'll have to lug any tools I'm using several hundred yards, so small is good. OTOH, some of the wood I'm cutting goes up to 5"/12cm or more. What I need is a small chainsaw, very robust, likely petrol-powered although I could be sold on a rechargable. I've been looking seriously at that Chinese model with the 10" bar and 26cc engine (it's sold under various brands over here, ParkerBrand being the most familiar). It's cheap, but there are mixed reports on its reliability and the vendors don't seem to publish a recommendation on its capacity -- how big a branch could it handle? I don't mind paying more if that will save hassle. I figure some of you guys will keep a small saw for awkward jobs and I'd like to know which models you favour. Best, NP