OK, first off, head over here and watch the video. I’ll wait until you are done.
All done? I know, when I saw that video, I thought it was at least 1.5 speed. I have been using wire saws since I was 4, and have never seen one that came even close to being that fast. Well, that video is actually kind of slow.
I picked up a pocket chainsaw from EDC Depot several months ago. Of course, as soon as I got it, I went out in the backyard and cut down a tree (it was dead, hippie treehuggers). I was suitably impressed. It cut through a 5″ tree in maybe 15 seconds with minimal effort.
With my initial success, I was worried about how well this thing would hold up. Not that it was really an issue, since at $18, I could just buy a new one every few trips, but I prefer tools that last. I have since used the pocket chainsaw on several trips, cutting up dry and wet, soft and hard woods, and it performed admirably every time. The only problem I ran into was that it would seize up in some logs, but that was easily fixed by putting pressure on one side of the log to create more space to cut. It has an added bonus in that people think it is neat and want to try it out. My girl saw me using it, wanted to try it, and proceeded to cut 2 10′ long 4″ wide logs into 18″ sections.
The blades were not really “sharpened” when it arrived, so it is still in the same basic condition as when it arrived. They are basically just triangles of steel. The links still feel very solid, and the handle cords show no signs of fatigue or wear. Grab one and try it out. Make sure you get the military version, since the one with the wooden handles packs larger and is not as comfortable. If you are disappointed, then I will send you a free smiley face emoticon.