I need a bone saw that does not have the massive rippers that I have been getting. All I use it on is the pelvis and brisket of black bears, black-tailed deer, and feral hogs. I do not want a combo package or a pocket knife with a saw blade.

HELP!

It sounds like you want something packable though (rather than a full sized 30" type bow saw - one of the more effective types.)

Believe it or not - I just discovered this- the #8400 Folding saw from Coughlan's actually cuts bone quite well. It has one of those wood cutting blades, a Japanese type wood cutting tooth I think, which isn't very sharp to bump against. I have known they cut wood like crazy but I also discovered that they work very well on bone. I used one to make quick work of the brisket on a recent moose (after first cutting through several dozen 3-4" alders along a path to the animal.) I also cut the spine in several places. Finally, I used the same blade to very cleanly remove the antlers and skull plate from the animal. It cuts solid bone very well, if a bit of patience is required. You could easily remove the brisket from any of the smaller deer in under two minutes and a pelvis wouldn't likely take much longer. I have noticed that the teeth on this type of blade don't work well when clogged with tissue or hide when sawing heavy bone - ribs okay, but not scalp- consequently, it works better to cut soft tissue away first.

http://www.coghlans.com/catalogue/productList.php?catID=23

It's worth a look and the price is right on these. Real handy for cutting trails, etc. too, if needed.

If you are looking for maximum portability and a fine cut get yourself an 18 inch cable saw. Packs in a can about the size of a snuff can , cut real fast with no ripping.

Knives of Alaska makes a nice lightweight bone saw.

http://www.knivesofalaska.com/catalog/prod_display.aspx?from=Hatchets%20and%20Saws&cat=Saw

I like to use a regular hacksaw with either 12 or 18 teeth per inch. Butchered my deer with one that had 18 tpi and it worked great.

+1

I picked up one years ago, then found that it really does an excellent job on bone. Cuts on the pull stroke like a Japanese saw, cuts even green wet wood very quickly (a very thin blade), and leaves a very smooth cut in wood or bone.

Highly recommended and can be picked up here for $US 6.99



Buy two and leave one in the truck all the time!

John

John,

I carry that saw and/or a Fiskars hand ax in my hunting bag at all times. Both are there primarily to cut alders which is usually a back-saving or even survival deal. (Overflow on rivers, along with snow, can really get a fellow in trouble. Adding willows, alders or other brush to the mushy mess really stabilizes it.) Our recent effort to produce meat was successful in the form a a good moose. I hade never attempted that little Coghlan's Saw on bones thinking it probably wouldn't touch them. Well, after seeing how it worked so quickly to take out the brisket, where I normally just cut the cartilege "joints" with a knife, I decided to try it on more solid bone when we decided to bring out the antlers for my young son who was part of the trip. (That's a job I usually use a chainsaw for!) That kind of saw cuts wood, especially as you pointed out wet wood, superbly. It does even heavy bone nearly as well, if a bit slower. (You do have to clear the hide away first though since those teeth do plug with tissue of that kind.)

After many years of carrying the cheap, little "brush saw" simply because it was light and handy, my respect for it as really useful tool is several notches higher after my recent experience with it.

Hi Klikitarik

Well, maybe between your posts and mine a few more people will try this unlikely looking little saw!

My first copy of this saw was a gift, and I thought it looked like a toy. I almost didn't try it on bone or wood, which would have been too bad!

I've cut more than a few moose vertebrae with mine, and it is my second choice for that job. My first choice is a chainsaw lubricated with olive oil on the chain to avoid tainting the meat!

John

Gerber has a nice little palm sized saw that I bought for my son, also. Perfect size for deer and antelope.

Here's one on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Gerber-E-Z-Hunt...825QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

SS