I've recently started collecting found wood for projects and picked up a budget-friendly folding Japanese saw for my car. I've already used it a couple of times, which got me thinking about what other tools could enhance my wood-gathering game. I'm not looking to haul a chainsaw around, but I'd love some recommendations for other hand tools that would fit nicely in my trunk. So far, I'm considering adding gloves, safety glasses, a hatchet, a sledge, gluts for splitting, a moisture meter, a folding whittling knife, and either some Japanese sawhorses or five-gallon buckets. What do you all think? Any must-have suggestions?
3 Answers
I'd recommend swapping out your hatchet for a boy's axe. It has a 28" handle and a 2-2.5 lb head. It’s versatile enough to use like a hatchet when needed but also great for limbing. The extra swing makes it faster, and it works well with a bow saw if you're cutting wet wood.
Don't forget to throw a decent wooden mallet in your kit! It's really helpful for driving wedges when splitting larger trunk pieces. A small metal wedge could also come in handy for that purpose, especially with your collection of hatchets and saws.
I totally get where you're coming from! If you're considering more power, I've been really impressed with my 40v Ryobi electric chainsaw. It’s super user-friendly for making quick cuts and then easy to store. But if you want to stick with hand tools, definitely consider a bow saw, which is perfect for cutting green wood.
Great suggestions! I didn’t think about the mallet and wedge. Thanks for the tip!