> We also put out a chainsaw, because you don’t want to go through a 2x4 with a hand tool.
I don't think buying a chainsaw is practical, buy a proper carpenters saw (AKA cross-cut saw) and you'll be able to get through a 2x4 in less time than it takes to even start a chainsaw. It's easy to maintain (about once a month a spray down with WD40 will keep it from rusting, which rust will only become a pain in the ass if you've left it in direct contact with water or after about a decade hung up in your average garage). A 24" (full-draw, why full-draw? Because you'll have to work 3 times as hard with a 15" half-draw as you're spending 1/2 your cut moving slowly and keeping alignment) carpenters saw will run you around $30 for a top-notch brand.
If you're going to buy a chainsaw don't. You can get a battery operated sawzall (reciprocating saw) for a similar or lesser price. It would likely be cheaper and safer to buy a miniature generator and a sawzall. The sawzall also has the nice ability to be used for precision and with a metal-cut blade can be used for other things (IE cut open a jammed lock). You can get a hackzall (one handed reciprocating saw) for around $130 MSRP and sawzalls for around $200 MSRP both often include two batteries and a charger.
If you're going to have a generator, you can go as low as $70 for a 9A sawzall.
Chainsaws are dangerous for even trained users. Sawzalls are hardly dangerous when operated by idiots. A fullsize sawzall can be operated with one hand. A hackzall is easily operated with one hand (I'm talking an electric knife level of easy).
Carpenters saws are the safest you can get. Aren't effected by power and last a solid decade in a good location with zero maintenance. WD40 it once a month and it'll last your lifetime if you're keeping it solely for emergency use.
Sawzall is good for it too, plus you won't damage your blades cutting up bone in case it was actually a neighbour who'd contracted rabies shortly after being scalded by falling into a deep fryer during the earth quake.
Plus, you could spend the difference on a battery powered nail gun, which if you tape up the guard you'd be able to use as a make-shift rifle.
That way you've got a nailgun for range and could have an easily used hackzall for melee (just make sure you use a nailed-wood blade so it'll cut flesh and bone adequately). Plus both easily store in a tote bag.
...battery powered nail gun, which if you tape up the guard you'd be able to use as a make-shift rifle.
I don't think you were being serious, but just in case anybody thinks you were: that wouldn't be accurate enough to hunt small game, nor would it be powerful enough to reliably take down large animals, humans or zombies.
I have confidence in humanity that some people can still interpret a joke. My friend cleared a compressed air nail gun's chamber whilst we were building a dock, it managed about 30ft and was visibly tumbling the entire way. I would be surprised if a battery powered nail gun managed 10ft.
Plus, a nail is essentially a flachette and has virtually no stopping power. You're aiming for the head or nothing. You'd likely be better clubbing the zombies (or bunny rabbits) to death with the nail gun than actually trying to kill anything with it.
It would, however, get you into a good position when the New World Order sets in an crucifixions become all the rage again. You'd be able to crucify at a significant person-per-minute rate! Say hello to the executioners job.
The (excellent) "Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead" reminds us: "You don't need to reload a machete." A chainsaw will run out of gas and a gun will run out of bullets, but a machete will never let you down.
Agreed! The utility of a chainsaw is greatly limited by the fact that it can only be safely used by a trained operator. No way I'm going to hand over my (small sized) chainsaw to just any helper at a campsite. In an emergency scenario, it's important to have tools that can be used safely by most anyone, lest your skilled and experienced operator is injured.
If you want something with good cutting ability that is safe and self contained (i.e. no generator required) consider the several variants of saws that "cut on the pull". The advantage of a pull saw is that the blade is kept in tension during the cutting stroke, and therefor will not buckle no matter how thin its steel. Also, typically the pull stroke of your arm is stronger than your push (back and biceps vs chest and triceps).
There are aggressively toothed folding camp saws and non-folding tree trimming saws that would be great additions to a survival kit. As the parent commenter suggests, get a larger one and avoid the frustration of short strokes!
My all time favorite kind of pull saw is the Japanese style carpenter's saw. Shaped kind of like a long (unbent) spatula, it's capable of incredible speed and accuracy, well beyond that of a western hand saw in my experience. You can get a decent one at Home Depot or Sears with alternate edges for cutting wood (across the grain) or ripping it (with the grain). I'd recommend one of these for every home repair toolkit, but unless you're going to repel zombies with finely mitered woodwork, get the other kind of saw for your survival kit.
A chainsaw is more of a tool for long-term survival in the woods than for waiting out a brief disruption of civil infrastructure. It's a pretty important thing to have if you are going to be spending months in the woods though.
I don't think buying a chainsaw is practical, buy a proper carpenters saw (AKA cross-cut saw) and you'll be able to get through a 2x4 in less time than it takes to even start a chainsaw. It's easy to maintain (about once a month a spray down with WD40 will keep it from rusting, which rust will only become a pain in the ass if you've left it in direct contact with water or after about a decade hung up in your average garage). A 24" (full-draw, why full-draw? Because you'll have to work 3 times as hard with a 15" half-draw as you're spending 1/2 your cut moving slowly and keeping alignment) carpenters saw will run you around $30 for a top-notch brand.
If you're going to buy a chainsaw don't. You can get a battery operated sawzall (reciprocating saw) for a similar or lesser price. It would likely be cheaper and safer to buy a miniature generator and a sawzall. The sawzall also has the nice ability to be used for precision and with a metal-cut blade can be used for other things (IE cut open a jammed lock). You can get a hackzall (one handed reciprocating saw) for around $130 MSRP and sawzalls for around $200 MSRP both often include two batteries and a charger.
If you're going to have a generator, you can go as low as $70 for a 9A sawzall.
Chainsaws are dangerous for even trained users. Sawzalls are hardly dangerous when operated by idiots. A fullsize sawzall can be operated with one hand. A hackzall is easily operated with one hand (I'm talking an electric knife level of easy).
Carpenters saws are the safest you can get. Aren't effected by power and last a solid decade in a good location with zero maintenance. WD40 it once a month and it'll last your lifetime if you're keeping it solely for emergency use.