Trees down? pocket chainsaw? Nordic? user experience?

I've got a Bahco Laplander folding saw. I've used it to cut fallen trees up to about 10" diameter - that takes a while but it's good exercise

Got a few on our trails that need a chain saw. Got one last night but there are more.
Am assuming the drought has weakened a lot of trees as the number down this year doesn't relate to the amount of wind.
Expecting a bad winter from fallen trees.
My silky saw works well on anything up to about 12" or so but is hard work

We used to have one of these in the scouts i was in. Army trench saw.

I’ve got a Bahco Laplander folding saw. I’ve used it to cut fallen trees up to about 10″ diameter

Same here. Can fit it in my hip pack too so easy to carry just in case.

I bought a cheap version of pocket saw to cut down a couple of high branches that looked a bit ropy but were too high to fit ladder to comfortably.

Shot arrow and string over then pull up webbing and saw. Easy enough to keep the teeth the right way and did cut well. Guess weight of branch kept the groove open as it cut deeper. Probably ably did up to about 8” branches though.

I’d try a cheap version befor shelling out £160 though.

Its a constant battle just now trees from last yrs storm are still vulnerable to high winds, given the size of trees just use the cordless chainsaw

The great thing about the pocket chainsaws is, they're fun. People see it and want a go, it's ace, gets loads done.

But a foldy saw is generally better, especially if you're a backpack person. Or a non-foldy saw, they're not generally much bigger. This is probably my most used trail tool:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184965132560?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338365712&toolid=20006&customid=EB78522966&

Cheap as chips, has a good solid sheath, fits in my camelbak and the extra blade length makes things so much easier. Obviously there are much nicer saws that are similiar, Silky and so on, especially since this is STW but this one's done me proud.

A pocket chainsaw is very useful and very cheap. They shouldn't cost anywhere near £160. Mine was less than a tenner.

I was going to say, they usually put those pocket chainsaws in a massive bin next to the register in many DIY stores here.

Metre of chain, two orange toggle handles and about 8-10 quid.

Though, since the rise of battery chainsaws, I'm seeing then a lot less often.

Thanks everyone.
Good to know the pocket chainsaws can work.
And yes I imagine passers by want to try it, saves a bit of energy.
Over enthusiasm can easily bend a straight saw.

I did see a review by an ex Marine who said that the pocket chainsaw type started out hood but gradually they got cheaper and cheaper and as quality fell, the reputation fell away. His 2p was that the Nordic saw brings that reputation back.
The standard Nordic pocket saw is more like £50. Probably ok up to 8”. It’s the XL arborist version in a more capable kit with teeth both sides that costs big bucks.

Advantage - good to take in the pack (although the fixed blade CE-UK Trojan 330 just fits in there ok.)
A battery chainsaw looks great but is costly. Battery life limited and possibly dangerous. Not a “carry in the pack” tool but part of a proper trail maintenance session kit.

I don’t like repeatedly riding past or around fallen wood that’s do-able with a bit of graft. Nice to pay back a tiny bit to the trail builders by keeping trails clear. You could thinking it as the forest bikers civic pride. .

Following with interest as I have a related question. What’s the best type of manual saw to go through a large fallen tree trunk?

I have a roughly 18” trunk across a trail that I’d like to make a few cuts through, first to clear the trail and then to use a few sections to build a catch berm. I’ve actually managed one with my hand saw but it wasn’t an experience I’m keen to repeat!

I don’t mind something unwieldy to in this case because I won’t be carrying it all the time, but I can’t use a chainsaw because of the noise and attention it would attract. Do I want a big bow saw? Or one of these pocket chainsaws maybe?

Maybe a long blade handsaw like the https://www.ceuk-intl.com/?product=trojan-600-pruning-folding-saw
It’s expensive but their quality is very good.

Or a rechargeable chainsaw.

Maybe the Nordic portable chainsaw 2 man XL version.
X-Long Chain length: 93 cm (36,6 in) Mention in my previous post.
That’s a big log tho - be careful of it moving. Valiant effort mate.

That big handsaw looks ideal although definitely more than I'm hoping to spend. Maybe I'll see if I can find a cheaper version.

You're not wrong it's a big log, its also extremely long so multiple cuts are going to be required to do anything with it but it's right across a great trail so it needs sorting!

Cheaper tools aren’t always cheaper if you have to buy twice and they don’t do the job. But I agree it’s a lot.
Foresters would likely use a chainsaw now but traditionally a great long 2 man crosscut saw like these https://www.flinn-garlick-saws.co.uk/product-category/saws/one-two-man-crosscut-saws/

Silky have a big one but it’s shorter than the CE-UK intl one I mentioned
https://silkysaws.com/silky-katanaboy-500-folding-saw/
The hand held a a do get expensive at long sizes.
Is it too thick for a rechargeable reciprocating saw?

You’re not wrong it’s a big log, its also extremely long so multiple cuts are going to be required to do anything with it but it’s right across a great trail so it needs sorting!

Or build a ladder bridge over it...

Yeah point taken about cheap tools, that's definitely a thing I've done in the past. I reckon it is too big for a reciprocating saw.

Here's a photo of the first cut I made, I need at least two more cuts and if it was easy enough then I'd go for three.

A longer cross cut saw like you suggest could be a good compromise though.

With the cross cut you’d all need to dress like Monty Python’s lumberjacks.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=70Npi6PccBk

Or get the smaller Nordic chainsaw (cheaper) & test it for me. ‘;~}

I did see a review by an ex Marine who said that the pocket chainsaw type started out hood but gradually they got cheaper and cheaper and as quality fell, the reputation fell away.

They started out as a cheap hack with a heavy duty chainsaw chain, a punch/hammer and a couple of spare hours on a night.
Not sure how quality can fall from that!

A battery chainsaw looks great but is costly. Battery life limited and possibly dangerous. Not a “carry in the pack” tool but part of a proper trail maintenance session kit.

Yeah, we usually take them for "stealthy" trail clearing, slow ride (or walk) and stop to clear stuff up.
Mainly so we don't get busybodies asking why we're cutting without permission. Couple of the guys have those alligator things as well, no bloody use for anything sizeable, but when it's just lots of smaller bits and wind blown branches etc. you can clear 100m of trail in 30 minutes.

Once we're on a proper trail day, the big 2 strokes come out. Probably enough horsepower to actually clear a forest 😀

Thanks Mert, I think the good "Portable chainsaws" generally have blades that cut in both directions, unlike a std chainsaw. Is that what you're using, a repurposed chainsaw chain?
Or you've tried the Nordic?

The "pocket" offerings have largely variable numbers of cutting teeth it seems.

thanks

I measured my nemesis tree trunk today and it turns out (not for the first time) that I overestimated the number of inches.

It is more like 14" diameter so I'm thinking I could maybe get it done with a 360mm saw like this Trojan or this Silky.

With the cross cut you’d all need to dress like Monty Python’s lumberjacks.

I'm not against this idea at all.

I think I’ve done done a 14” tree with the straight Trojan 360 I mentioned. It’s hard tho as it’s a14” saw, so not going right through so you kinda cut all round. Remember they are “pull” saws.

Good value. Worth a try.
About 50% of silky price.

Thanks Mert, I think the good “Portable chainsaws” generally have blades that cut in both directions, unlike a std chainsaw. Is that what you’re using, a repurposed chainsaw chain?
Or you’ve tried the Nordic?

The “pocket” offerings have largely variable numbers of cutting teeth it seems.

thanks

The DIY ones i've seen are usually chainsaw chains which are effectively beyond use on a chainsaw, with alternate cutting sections reversed and then the chain rejoined and sharpened. So cutting in both directions.
TBH i wouldn't fancy using a rejoined chain on an actual chainsaw, but cutting a branch by hand, no worrries. They have a few old handmade ones at the local scouts, and when we have a workday on the street, all the old guys seem to have one somewhere.
The cheapy ones i've seen have the same thing, cutting in both directions. And no, haven't used a Nordic one. I wouldn't spend 50 quid on a chainsaw chain and a couple of handles 😀
Though a ten second google does show that they sell the original nordic for 300-350sek over here, and the cheap ones for about 150sek.