Toggle sidebar

Anyone remember wire saws, 40+ years ago, that cut?

Ascobis

Ascobis

Forager
Nov 3, 2017
146
77
Wisconsin, USA
Today's wire saws are rebranded Gigli surgical saws. Gigli saws are used to cut skullbone for brain surgery. They comprise three or four stainless steel wires wrapped and woven. They are easy to sterilize. They cut thin bone cleanly enough for surgery. They are mass produced and are therefore inexpensive. Gigli saws are not survival saws.

I have a real survival saw, probably from the US discounter CampMor, probably from 1980. My saw is made of dollhouse-scale bandsaw blade, three strands wrapped together. It has actual sharp cutting edges. Every few decades I add some preservative oil.

Has anyone seen such an object for sale in the present? I'd like to keep one in each kit.

Cheers,
Australopithicus strobis
 
  • Like
Reactions: Aarond
J

Jared

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 8, 2005
3,569
745
51
Wales
Thought most cheap wire saws were farmer's dehorning wire. Can get reels for cheap.

As for more substantial wire saws, have no idea.
 
Pattree

Pattree

Full Member
Jul 19, 2023
2,118
1,140
77
UK
This sort of works. Shoot paracord over a branch and attach carabiners to the loops.
If I can reach the branch I’d rather use my folding saw. It’s very light and compact though.

IMG_5416.jpegIMG_5417.jpeg
 
Broch

Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
8,461
8,336
Mid Wales
www.mont-hmg.co.uk
Ascobis said:
Today's wire saws are rebranded Gigli surgical saws. Gigli saws are used to cut skullbone for brain surgery. They comprise three or four stainless steel wires wrapped and woven. They are easy to sterilize. They cut thin bone cleanly enough for surgery. They are mass produced and are therefore inexpensive. Gigli saws are not survival saws.

I have a real survival saw, probably from the US discounter CampMor, probably from 1980. My saw is made of dollhouse-scale bandsaw blade, three strands wrapped together. It has actual sharp cutting edges. Every few decades I add some preservative oil.

Has anyone seen such an object for sale in the present? I'd like to keep one in each kit.

Cheers,
Australopithicus strobis
Click to expand...

Aren't these the same as the ones we were buying decades ago? Or am I missing something? I've no idea how good these are though.

www.military1st.co.uk

Helikon Wire Saw

Stainless steel wire saw from Helikon is available now at Military 1st, the UK based online store. We offer comprehensive range of quality Helikon branded survival gear and camping accessories. Delivery across Europe.
www.military1st.co.uk www.military1st.co.uk
 
K

Kav

Nomad
Mar 28, 2021
452
360
71
California
The original, RAF escape kit saws were hidden in a collar lining and meant to cut seasoned small dimensional lumber ( Stalag seventeen bed boards for tunnel shoring.
Get a bowsaw blade, sew up a sheath and thread it over your belt.
 
O

ONE

Full Member
Nov 21, 2019
270
125
54
N. Ireland
Survival Aids offerings worked okay, you weren't going to cut lumber with them but they worked. We used to take (electric) jigsaw blades, wrap an end in tape and sharpen the blunt side. If you were working with small pieces of wood that was better.
 
Ascobis

Ascobis

Forager
Nov 3, 2017
146
77
Wisconsin, USA
Thank you all for your responses. I have photos but B-IK isn't accepting my URLs for them. Text replies follow. Will post my pics when I figure out the tech.

I have always carried the little coil saw only to prepare splints for wilderness first aid. Dead and down wood for fires requires only leverage. "Give me a lever long enough and a place to stand: I will break the lever."

Gigli saw~=dehorning saw: Interesting, thanks.

Bandsaw blade: True. That's what I used in building a hand scrollsaw. Won't wind easily into a small coil and requires a (field expedient) handle to orient the blade.

Jig- or scroll-saw blade: Indeed. I folded a bit of brass sheet, made a brass rod rivet, and encased a jigsaw blade. Inspiration was a Japanese woodworking knife.

My trails don't lead to boreal forests. If they did, I'd wear a Mors Kohanski saw-in-belt with a couple nuts and bolts in my pocket.

I have a Lapplander, hand chain saw coil, collapsible aluminium bucksaw, knock-off Svensaw, and modern medium quality "commando" saw. I use a gas chainsaw to get through forest roads which have had no other traffic for a while. (That's so I can get to the trailhead.)

Cheers,
Australopithecus scobis
 
Nice65

Nice65

Brilliant!
Apr 16, 2009
6,852
3,269
W.Sussex
@Ascobis. If you want to WhatsApp the pics to me I’ll host them for you. Let me know and I’ll PM a number.

As a non subscribing member, the only way you can post pics is by using a third party hosting site like Imgur or Flickr and getting a forum friendly URL. Years ago most of us used Photobucket.

Do you have what looks like a little postcard at the top of your message box, between the link and 3 vertical dots symbols? I can drop pics in there from my library, not sure if you can or not.
 
Ascobis

Ascobis

Forager
Nov 3, 2017
146
77
Wisconsin, USA
Nice65 said:
@Ascobis. If you want to WhatsApp the pics to me I’ll host them for you. Let me know and I’ll PM a number.

As a non subscribing member, the only way you can post pics is by using a third party hosting site like Imgur or Flickr and getting a forum friendly URL. Years ago most of us used Photobucket.

Do you have what looks like a little postcard at the top of your message box, between the link and 3 vertical dots symbols? I can drop pics in there from my library, not sure if you can or not.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your reply.

I thought I was a member, but nobody told me there was a secret handshake.
I tried the little postcard. That's what rejected my URLs.

I've been searching this site for photo upload rules, "640x480 jpg under 10 kB", or whatever.

Photobucket put up a paywall. I left. Searched "free photo hosting", but B-UK doesn't seem to accept https URLs, only http. Weird.

I did data analysis for a marketing firm. I've pulled the personal data of Facebook users. No thank you, I won't use any Facebook-owned app. Too bad, WhatsApp was good. Friend, I recommend that you switch to Signal. Better encryption and no tracking.

Cheers,
 
J

Jared

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 8, 2005
3,569
745
51
Wales
https://imgur.com (reddit's image service) should work fine.

Click "New Post" on top left, and click "..." after uploaded an image, pick "Share Links", and copy & paste the BBCode into here.
 
Ascobis

Ascobis

Forager
Nov 3, 2017
146
77
Wisconsin, USA
saw-Cropped640.png

Scaled down to 640 px wide from 4,000. It's been through a few dips in de-rust solution over the decades. Note the barbs. This is three plies of barbed ribbon twisted together. Current Gigli/dehorning saws are various gauges of round wire woven together. Sharp tooth >> round bump.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE
Top Bottom