Farmer vs. Rucksack vs. 2 inch branches

[Lynn LeFey]

Between a few deadfall branches, and our neighbor hiring a tree service to cut a bunch of limbs (which then fell on our property), I had a couple largish branches to deal with. I mentioned this elsewhere.

I tackled the processing of the largest bits with a hand saw. once the task was down to easily carried pieces, and because I was feeling a need to play with MTs, I switched to the Farmer and Rucksack to cut the wood into manageable bits for burning.

When I did my saw testing, I found the Rucksack to be the best (for me). I noticed this again when switching from Farmer to Rucksack and back. It's not just the slight increase in length of the saw, it's also that the knife fills my hand better, making it easier to grip. This was also the case when trying to create wood shavings, and in fact in pretty much every task with the blade. The more sure grip made the Rucksack seem much more trustworthy in hand.

I tried another probably-not-brilliant stunt with both blades... Batoning.

I saw a video where someone batoned with the Farmer, and figured if i was gentle, it'd work. Also, keep in mind, I'm working with 2" pieces of wood here. Both knives did the task fine, but the Farmer kept trying to close while wiggling it in the wood I was trying to split. Not so with the locking blade of the Rucksack. I was concerned about breaking off the more delicate tips of the blades on both, but neither took any damage. I would really NOT recommend trying this stunt. In retrospect, I feel I was REALLY pushing the boundaries of use on both.

In one point, I have to give the Farmer the win. I much prefer the in-line awl to the t-handle of the Rucksack. The Farmer's Awl is an awesome beast.

I stuck my Farmer in a little Altoids Survival Tin kit I put together. While the Rucksack might be better overall as a tool, the Farmer is far more space efficient. I'm not sure why I don't see this knife more in these survival tin videos. For its size, it is amazing.

As a note sort of related to the 'what are saw's good for' thread. I had these 2" thick pieces of green wood, and they would NOT break, even if I propped up one end and hopped up and down on it. And I'm fat. But if I took one of those saws, and cut it about halfway, sometimes not even that much, it'd snap. And these were WAY beyond anything you could break with your hand. Once taken down, I found a few that were still too long to fit in my grill to burn. It didn't seem that hard to cut them down to size with these saws.

Both the 93mm and 111mm saws could get serious work done in the woods, in a pinch.

Not a whole lot of point here, I guess. Just rambling.

[PTRSAK]

Don't worry about rambling Lynn. 
We all know that your not happy just USING multi's, you've got to test/compare them too. 
It's all good info.

[Taxi Dad]

+1 on the 'farmer'
I would say it would be my first choice as a 'survival knife' definitely punches above it's weight (and size) as a wilderness survival knife it has all the basics IMHO (+ it's legal to carry even in this PC land, so it can live in a 'just in case kit' without too much worry)
would I want to have to survive with it ? no not really, I'd rather not have to do the whole 'survive thing' and if I did I'd rather have something bigger (or with more functions).
BUT you're more likely to have something small on you when it's needed

*see Lynn I can 'ramble on' more than you

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

I think there both fantastic woods knives too, although I do lean towards the good ole Farmer too as its such a punchie tool in a compact size

Sent from the astropathic choir.

[AimlessWanderer]

As a note sort of related to the 'what are saw's good for' thread. I had these 2" thick pieces of green wood, and they would NOT break, even if I propped up one end and hopped up and down on it. And I'm fat.

Lynn my dear friend, I know you love a good test comparison, but isn't a Victorinox Farmer vs Fat Lass Stomping a little bit too .....  ..... British for you maybe?

Wood is bloody resilient stuff, so it's no surprise it held up. I must admit I'm a bit "uneducated" as to most SAK and Victorinox saws, as I'm too big a fan of the Bahco Laplander (and Opinel saw as it happens) to give anything else much of a chance  Good to hear your views/ramblings as always though  although I'm not sure I'd attempt any kind of batonning with a folder unless I was really desperate, and even then I'd .... (lost for the right words) adopt techniques in keeping with the fact it's a folder type stuff

Bugger! Started so well but then the whisky won and words failed me

Whisky 1: Al 0

I still don't have a Farmer (Hey Mike   ) but have got a Harvester, and yes there is much that can be achieved with that saw if you approach the task the right way. I think the main lesson that people don't always grasp with tools (until it's too late - and often that includes me too) is that it's not the tool that will save the day, but the ability of the person/wielder to realise the potential of the tool when it matters most.

Whisky 1: Al 1

[Lynn LeFey]

Lynn my dear friend, I know you love a good test comparison, but isn't a Victorinox Farmer vs Fat Lass Stomping a little bit too .....  ..... British for you maybe?

Nothing, NOTHING I say, is too British for me. Monty Python, Mr. Bean, Young Ones, Tea and biscuits, Dr. Who, Lifts, Lorries, Flats, Boots, getting chuffed, getting pissed. Okay... wait... baked beans for breakfast is a bit much.

I think I need to take a Wenger out next time. Even as small as their saws are, those things are fantastic for their size, and I've got a little Evogrip 18 that hasn't been tested yet.

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

As a note sort of related to the 'what are saw's good for' thread. I had these 2" thick pieces of green wood, and they would NOT break, even if I propped up one end and hopped up and down on it. And I'm fat.

Lynn my dear friend, I know you love a good test comparison, but isn't a Victorinox Farmer vs Fat Lass Stomping a little bit too .....  ..... British for you maybe?

Wood is bloody resilient stuff, so it's no surprise it held up. I must admit I'm a bit "uneducated" as to most SAK and Victorinox saws, as I'm too big a fan of the Bahco Laplander (and Opinel saw as it happens) to give anything else much of a chance  Good to hear your views/ramblings as always though  although I'm not sure I'd attempt any kind of batonning with a folder unless I was really desperate, and even then I'd .... (lost for the right words) adopt techniques in keeping with the fact it's a folder type stuff

Bugger! Started so well but then the whisky won and words failed me

Whisky 1: Al 0

I still don't have a Farmer (Hey Mike   ) but have got a Harvester, and yes there is much that can be achieved with that saw if you approach the task the right way. I think the main lesson that people don't always grasp with tools (until it's too late - and often that includes me too) is that it's not the tool that will save the day, but the ability of the person/wielder to realise the potential of the tool when it matters most.

Whisky 1: Al 1

Heathen :p

Sent from the astropathic choir.

[AimlessWanderer]

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Lynn my dear friend, I know you love a good test comparison, but isn't a Victorinox Farmer vs Fat Lass Stomping a little bit too .....  ..... British for you maybe?

Nothing, NOTHING I say, is too British for me. Monty Python, Mr. Bean, Young Ones, Tea and biscuits, Dr. Who, Lifts, Lorries, Flats, Boots, getting chuffed, getting pissed. Okay... wait... baked beans for breakfast is a bit much.

I think I need to take a Wenger out next time. Even as small as their saws are, those things are fantastic for their size, and I've got a little Evogrip 18 that hasn't been tested yet.

Nowt wrong with beans on a fried brekky 

Yeah the 85mm Wengers do punch above their weight. Though I tend to use a Ranger 14 in the garden, which again gives benefits to stroke length and hand hold .... *sigh* I feel a "that's what she said" comment coming now 

[Mr. Whippy]

Lynn my dear friend, I know you love a good test comparison, but isn't a Victorinox Farmer vs Fat Lass Stomping a little bit too .....  ..... British for you maybe?

Nothing, NOTHING I say, is too British for me. Monty Python, Mr. Bean, Young Ones, Tea and biscuits, Dr. Who, Lifts, Lorries, Flats, Boots, getting chuffed, getting pissed. Okay... wait... baked beans for breakfast is a bit much. :D

I think I need to take a Wenger out next time. Even as small as their saws are, those things are fantastic for their size, and I've got a little Evogrip 18 that hasn't been tested yet.

 

My daughter spent a summer at Oxford a couple years ago.   Some place in the first week, the group of them went out for breakfast and my daughter asked what would be a traditional English breakfast.

You guessed it.  She ordered a proper English breakfast and was shocked at the mountain of food that came to the table.

[Lynn LeFey]

coming now 

That's what HE said.

Yes, I'm 12.

[AimlessWanderer]

Lynn my dear friend, I know you love a good test comparison, but isn't a Victorinox Farmer vs Fat Lass Stomping a little bit too .....  ..... British for you maybe?

Nothing, NOTHING I say, is too British for me. Monty Python, Mr. Bean, Young Ones, Tea and biscuits, Dr. Who, Lifts, Lorries, Flats, Boots, getting chuffed, getting pissed. Okay... wait... baked beans for breakfast is a bit much. :D

I think I need to take a Wenger out next time. Even as small as their saws are, those things are fantastic for their size, and I've got a little Evogrip 18 that hasn't been tested yet.

 

My daughter spent a summer at Oxford a couple years ago.   Some place in the first week, the group of them went out for breakfast and my daughter asked what would be a traditional English breakfast.

You guessed it.  She ordered a proper English breakfast and was shocked at the mountain of food that came to the table.

Yeah sometimes a full English breakfast is too much for any rational person, but there are times when you just need to walk into the cafe and order whatever FBS (Fat B*stard Special) is on the menu in order to get yourself ready for the day ahead (or recover from the night before  )

There was a cafe near me at my last job that did a "belly buster" sandwich, which was an English breakfast between two honking great lumps of bread. Bacon, sausage, egg, tomato, beans, black pudding, hash brown, and mushrooms  add lashing of brown sauce and a big pot of tea, and you're good to go 

[firiki]

You guessed it.  She ordered a proper English breakfast and was shocked at the mountain of food that came to the table.

'Love me a nice English breakfast with the tea to go with it, I almost can't have enough of it  Not very healthy if had on a daily basis I think, still 

@Lynn, seriously, I was just starting to convice my self I should give or trade my Farmer. Now you got me thinking otherwise again. I say

[Lynn LeFey]

Nope, I'm afraid the Farmer is a keeper. 

 

[DazMechanical]

I don't have any 111mm SAKs but I do love my farmer! The saw is pretty awesome for its size, and I do keep a farmer in my PSK. I reckon as a last ditch survival knife it's a pretty good option.