The Commando Wire Saw claims the ability to cut through a variety of materials including wood, plastic, bamboo, and bone. A Special Forces sergeant introduced me to the wire saw in jungle survival training in 1970 and said he always kept one in his pocket in case he needed to clear a landing zone.
Fortunately, I didn’t make the wire saw the cornerstone of my personal survival kit, because years later when I tried one out, I discovered the sergeant was just kidding. The 48-kilogram breaking strength of the Commando Wire Saw seems like it ought to be enough to handle tough jobs, but sloppy technique snaps the saw easily. Don’t buy just one; buy three and expect to break one in training. Use one if you have to, and keep a spare in the kit.
Bur teeth on the short length of steel wire cut best if you keep the saw straight. The most tempting approach, throwing one end over a branch and see-sawing your way through, places too much saw blade on the wood and quickly snaps the wire. Breaking strength drops dramatically when you put some sweat into it and heat the blade up. The steel ring handles are murder on the fingers, so keep your expectations small. The Commando Wire Saw might be a real lifesaver in some situation I haven’t found yet, but it’s more likely to be an interesting curiosity that makes you appreciate your camp axe and Bowie knife much more. It’s still a great gift for the younger survivalist in the family who will believe nearly anything, and you can all laugh about it later.
For a real survival saw built on the same idea, see the Ultimate Survival Technologies SaberCut Saw.
