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8.2 oz UL Saw Machete/Zombie killin’ Tactical Saw (“Saword”?)


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Home Forums Gear Forums Make Your Own Gear 8.2 oz UL Saw Machete/Zombie killin’ Tactical Saw (“Saword”?)

Viewing 21 posts - 1 through 21 (of 21 total)
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  • #3711319
    David Gardner
    BPL Member

    @gearmaker

    Locale: Northern California

    Years ago I put an edge on the back of a UL saw I made so I could also use it as a knife. The Corona steel took an edge well and I even carved our Thanksgiving turkey with it that year, but the grip was awkward since it was designed to function primarily as a saw rather than a knife.

    I’ve been musing about it for the past couple of months, ever since I got an order for a large UL saw that starts with a 24″ Corona hand saw:

    I was struck by the size of the blade and how much material there was to work with if I wanted to try and make a grip that would work well both for a saw and a knife.

    Then I started thinking, this thing is huge for a knife. Why not make it more than just a knife, make it a zombie-killin’ tactical saw/sword (Saword?)…er….um…uh…

    I mean, make it also function as a small machete. Granted, the blade is very light and would likely work well only on smaller stuff (the same limitation that titanium hatchets have), but it is also very thin so I figured I’d go for it.

    I played around with some ideas that provided a full length knuckle guard but ultimately decided they weren’t strong enough either as handles or guards:

    So KISS, just use the standard style sword…uh…heh…machete grip.

    Disassembled the saw by removing the plastic handle, freehanded the design on the blade with a thin Sharpie, carved the basic shape with a Dremel and #420 (perfect for me) abrasive cut off discs. I set aside the larger pieces of steel that I cut away as I always do, thinking I might use them for something someday.

    After the basic shape was cut I went at it with coarse and then fine stones on a 6″ bench grinder, and finished up with a 1/2″ diameter coarse grinder bit in the Dremel. Roughed up the area where the cork handle will be glued using a sanding wheel in an angle grinder, so that the E6000 will bond well.

    Rough cut 1/2 cork panel for the handle and glued with E6000. Sliced the rough outline of the grip:and then hit it with a 1/2″ detail belt sander: Dipped it in Plasti Dip

    Shaped a couple pieces of the steel cut from the original blade to use as a hand guard:and then glued them to the top of the cork. Put an edge on and voila!

    These are the bits that make it “tactical.” The hand guard:

    The blade catcher at the base of the blade, above the guard:And the back edge of the tip has been sharpened like a saber or cutlass:

    For comparison:

    If I can’t find any zombies I’ll hack on some branches soon and report back.

    #3711328
    Michael B
    BPL Member

    @mikebergy

    What the – 😂😂😂

    #3711345
    David Thomas
    BPL Member

    @davidinkenai

    Locale: North Woods. Far North.

    “You better hope I take your arm off in one swing – it not, I’ll saw it off!”

    Can quarter a caribou in 50 seconds.

    Needs a Picatinny rail, red dot, and a spotlight.  For the tacti-cool factor.

    #3711350
    David Gardner
    BPL Member

    @gearmaker

    Locale: Northern California

    Oooo, a red dot sight, hadn’t thought of that!

    All kidding aside, a “non-tactical” version would probably work well for trail maintenance.

    #3711390
    MJ H
    BPL Member

    @mjh

    It’s too short. Make it 32″ long so you can save weight by using it as the rear pole on a ProTrail.

    #3711411
    Joshua B
    BPL Member

    @leukos

    Locale: Indy

    I thought the days of Rambo knives for backpacking were over, but never say never!

    This could have some practical uses when hiking in more tropical areas in place of a machete, but probably doesn’t quite have enough mass to be as useful.  The cork handle was a good lightweight choice, but I wonder how well it will hold up with use.  I have cork handles on fishing poles and filet knives, but on a hard use saw/machete I’m skeptical.

    #3711465
    David Gardner
    BPL Member

    @gearmaker

    Locale: Northern California

    It took care of some 1/2″ – 3/4″ branches pretty easily. I’ll try something bigger shortly.

    As a saw it’s awesome. Goes through a 3″ diameter green branch in less than 30 seconds.

    Although it lacks mass the blade is very thin which helps it penetrate, and because it is light it can be swung very fast, which gives it more kinetic energy to do more work than a blade twice as heavy but moving only half as fast, because kinetic energy increases as a square of velocity. Though it isn’t twice as fast and is less than half the mass of a real machete and is therefore not equivalent, for fast work on the trail anything you can’t chop can easily be cut.

    The cork I used is pretty dense, and the Plasti Dip prevents the surface from abrading. But we’ll see how it works IRL.

    #3711652
    Joshua B
    BPL Member

    @leukos

    Locale: Indy

    Does it float?

    #3711654
    David Gardner
    BPL Member

    @gearmaker

    Locale: Northern California

    Ha!
    Seriously though, that would be nice. Haven’t checked yet, but I doubt it. The cork handle doesn’t look like it will displace 8 oz of water. Pretty sure my 10” 1.9 oz saw would though if I put a cork handle on it.

    #3711687
    David Thomas
    BPL Member

    @davidinkenai

    Locale: North Woods. Far North.

    Does it float?

    Yup.  In mercury.

    #3711731
    Daniel Oxnard
    Spectator

    @danieloxnard

    Locale: Appalachia

    @gearmaker

    Would Polystyrene Panel Insulation work as a handle?

    Pretty light stuff, and cheap.

    #3712779
    David Gardner
    BPL Member

    @gearmaker

    Locale: Northern California

    @danieloxnard: I’ve worked with polystyrene panel insulation quite a bit and unfortunately it crushes too easily.


    @leukos
    : The tactical saw doesn’t, but this 10″ 3.5 oz saw does:

    [for some reason the site won’t let me upload photos this morning]

    #3712782
    David Gardner
    BPL Member

    @gearmaker

    Locale: Northern California

    #3712783
    David Gardner
    BPL Member

    @gearmaker

    Locale: Northern California

    #3712858
    Joshua B
    BPL Member

    @leukos

    Locale: Indy

    Proof of concept!  That version looks pretty nice with the blaze orange handle.  Looks like it would make a great all-around outdoorsman’s saw.

    #3712888
    todd
    BPL Member

    @funnymo

    Locale: SE USA

    It looks great David!

    #3712940
    David Gardner
    BPL Member

    @gearmaker

    Locale: Northern California

    Thanks guys. I was mostly making it to see if it would work, and it turned out well. I’ll add a thread over on the MYOG forum. Maybe add it to my retail line up too.

    #3713685
    Daryl and Daryl
    BPL Member

    @lyrad1

    Locale: Pacific Northwest, USA, Earth

    Wow.  You are really good at designing and making things.

    #3713698
    David Gardner
    BPL Member

    @gearmaker

    Locale: Northern California

    Thank you … sir(s)? I have a lot of fun making useful things, especially challenging ones. Always up for something new.

    #3717475
    . Callahan
    BPL Member

    @aeronautical

    Locale: London, UK.

    That’s really very nicely made!

    I particularly liked how you made the handle from cork and then Plasti-Dip coated it.

    The entire tool looks to have been professionally constructed, you do really nice work.

    #3717545
    David Gardner
    BPL Member

    @gearmaker

    Locale: Northern California

    Thank you very much. I do my best.

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