Saw

A camp saw is the companion to the camp axe — the saw is what you use to make the logs you then split with the axe.

Most camp saws fold into the handle and are not particularly long. It is wise to choose one with a blade that saws both ways (both forward and back). Make sure the saw has some form of guard that locks the blade when it is opened out — you can cut yourself badly if you are unlucky.

Saw blades bend and snap easily. Choose a saw, therefore, whose blade can be replaced.

Mind the rules

You are not allowed to fell standing dead trees for firewood without the landowner’s consent. In many national parks and protected areas, standing and lying deadwood is wholly protected. Often it is just as well to leave the saw and axe at home — the twigs you gather from the ground will usually go a long way.