What cutting tools to take?

[gunnix]

Hi, I'll be going on a school in Sweden for a year. I'm going by plane and can only have a limited amount of stuff with me.. It's a school about outdoor life, trekking, handwork and leadership. I'll be living in a tipi most of the time. I was packing my stuff together, but I was really wondering now which tools I'll take with me.

I have now selected these tools:
-SAK, normal size 95 gr
Use it for cutting food, the small knife is handy to carve. Scissors to cut nails, etc. Saw for small things in woodworking, opening wine bottles....
-Mora sheath knife 10cm 70gr, easy to draw out from my belt, for when I need a knife quick..
-Martindale Golok nr2, for splitting wood, and other stuff. It is heavy at around 690gr with sheath, but with the mora I can only split small stuff..
-Pocket Chainsaw 140gr, for cutting wood (I think it's way more efficient then the machete at this)
-Crooked knife (...)

I do have a bigger sheath knife, a solingen hubertus hunting knife of around 12cm long and 195gr. It's much better at splitting wood (as the blade is almost 4 times thicker then the mora), but still the golok is way way better at it ofcourse

I'm guessing on the school there will be axes available... Would an axe be much better at splitting then the golok? I've never really used an axe!

When trekking (there are many trekkings planned, on foot, canoe,.. -also ski in winter) I'd like to make lots of fire.. But I don't know if the golok will really be necessary... I've never found it necessary to split wood for the small fires I use on trekkings.. As I only use it to cook and not to heat me during the night.. Small sticks can still be split with the mora to make it easier to start the fire.. It seems i could use the golok as a small shovel as well, perhaps handy in winter..

What do you think? Would the golok be a useful tool and be worth the 500gr extra?
How many of you take an axe or a machete with you on trekkings? What do you do with it?

 

[sxmolloy]

Hi Gunnix. Personally I would swap the Golok for an axe, around the size of the GB SFA, I would also swap the hand chain saw for a folding saw, similar to the Bahco Laplander. Just my personal opinion, and I have never been to Sweden, so can't advise you any further. I hope you enjoy yourself. ATB....Stu

 

[Fallow Way]

If it is the school I know, taught by the person I know, you are going to have one of the best years of your life.

 

[gunnix]

I might get this axe, after what I read about it from British Red, and what Old Jimbo has to say about such small axes.. I don't see me carrying much heavier axes.. I'd like to keep it light

http://www.toolshop.de/product_info.php?products_id=2951&XTCsid=b590190383f39cf2efaf6d6f216c31e3

Ah well... I've decided for now not to take the golok with me, and practice with axes from other people (the school ) and then I'll see which axe I want. Seeing the best brands to be made in sweden I hope they're cheaper over there

For what reason do you suggest to replace the pocket chainsaw with te laplander?
Have you used the chainsaw?
I've never used the laplander but I find the chainsaw very fast cutting. And as I use both arms to saw I don't get so exhausted. Also you can use the saw with two people for bigger logs, which makes it really easy. It can also saw much bigger logs then the laplander.. I'm curious as to why you prefer the laplander?

EDIT: Fallow Way, it's the Sjovik folkehogskola. You've been there? I'd love to hear what others find about the school.

 

[Squidders]

small folder for cooked food and personal stuff

fork for eating with because making cuttlery is cool but if you're going to eat every day for a year... forks rule!

sheath knife for carving, game prep and all other general cutting that doesn't have to be clean.

Scandi forest axe for chopping and splitting, SFA is good because it goes in a ruck sack but if you're living it daily, you may want a bit more oomph

spoon knife for making any kind of hole or groove in things

 

[benp1]

what squidders said i reckon

plus a laplander or other saw

not that i know much myself!

 

[KAE1]

Hi Gunnix. Personally I would swap the Golok for an axe, around the size of the GB SFA, I would also swap the hand chain saw for a folding saw, similar to the Bahco Laplander. Just my personal opinion, and I have never been to Sweden, so can't advise you any further. I hope you enjoy yourself. ATB....Stu

Totally agree, I am about to by a golok for bramble clearing and small suckers and scrub but I don't think its up to big stuff and chopping wood. For me I use a kukri for heavier stuff but an axe is better ar chopping wood.I use a gerber folding saw but the Laplander has a lot of fans

 

[gunnix]

Hey, yea I also got the golok for clearing weeds and cutting the hedge. As I don't have an axe I've used it quite a lot to split wood (with a batton). I've only used an axe very few times in my life and don't have much experience with one. That's a thing I want to change

 

[sxmolloy]

For what reason do you suggest to replace the pocket chainsaw with te laplander?
Have you used the chainsaw?

Hi Gunnix. I have used and owned the chain saw, and also use and STILL own the Lapplander folding saw. For me the chain saw wasn't efficient enough. I found that although it did cut quite well it needed much more effort to cut what a Lapplander would cut, althought the Lapplander was faster and easier to use.

The chain saw does have advantages like you say, it can be used by 2 people to tackle bigger jobs and get in more awkward places than the Lapplander ever could.

This is just my personal experience however, and if you have tried a folding saw similar to a Lapplander and find the chain saw better, stick with that, each to their own, as they say.

After using the chain saw for a couple of weeks I sold it on ebay and have never regreted it, to this day I still use the Lapplander. This is my personal choice.

ATB....Stu

 

[Matthew.Passmore]

maybe you could buy them when you are in swedon, might be abit cheaper as they havent had import charge and transfer charges added on.

 

[gunnix]

Hi Gunnix. I have used and owned the chain saw, and also use and STILL own the Lapplander folding saw. For me the chain saw wasn't efficient enough. I found that although it did cut quite well it needed much more effort to cut what a Lapplander would cut, althought the Lapplander was faster and easier to use.

The chain saw does have advantages like you say, it can be used by 2 people to tackle bigger jobs and get in more awkward places than the Lapplander ever could.

This is just my personal experience however, and if you have tried a folding saw similar to a Lapplander and find the chain saw better, stick with that, each to their own, as they say.

After using the chain saw for a couple of weeks I sold it on ebay and have never regreted it, to this day I still use the Lapplander. This is my personal choice.

ATB....Stu

Thanks! I never tried a laplander and I found that really interesting. Do you think the laplander works better because it's sharper? I noticed the chainsaw isn't as sharp as it could be, I might have a try sharpening it. I'll stick with the chainsaw because it's what I got.. but I'll hopefully get a chance to try out a laplander..

 

[sxmolloy]

I'm not sure about the sharpness to be honest, like I say it did cut Ok but the last thing I wanted to do was try and sharpen the small cutting blades on the hand chain saw. The Lapplander came sharp and is still sharp today despite being well used, and I have never had to resharpen it or buy a new blade.

It maybe worth trying a cheaper version of the folding saw first, garden centres knock them out for approx £3.00 I think. Or see if you can have a go with some-one elses. Hope this helps....ATB....Stu

 

[born2roam]

Gunnix,

Personally I learned to handle a parang/machete before I learned (still learning) to handle an axe.

Parangs are great tools, clearing pathways, cutting down trees, splitting wood, use for cooking so it seemed to me THE way to use in all places, not just in the tropics where I got introduced to them. But then again... why do the "natives" in colder areas use axes and not parangs/goloks....

This got me thinking so I started using an axe (in my case GB SFA) more. There has to be some reason for not using a parang after all ;-)

Maybe has something to do with the larger weight of the axe head and the chopping of trees and not just using one tool for more purposes... Just thinking out loud here. But back on topic.

To answer your question: Yes.I would bring the golok IF I had space and weight would not be an issue. Just to see/practise the tasks at hand.

For the chopping either bring or buy a local axe. Same with carving knife. Good souvenirs after a year ;-)

Sawing...mmm I would bring a folding saw (or similiar) and get a hand on a blade to build a buck saw (locally?)

The mora should do the trick for most if not all else. Splitting, feathersticks, etc.

Well just my 2 cts. Have a great time and keep us posted please!

Grtz Johan