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What company makes a good bone saw for cutting elk antlers from the head? What is the best method for removing the antlers from the head?
The very best saw is a Dewalt "Saws-all" but unfortunately you likely won't have electricity? In the field I have used a Knapp saw with about a 12" blade. The longer the blade the better for a skull the size of an elk. Short interchangeable blades on knives will likely work but you are in for a tough job of sawing from different sides due to the short blade.
I really like european skulls on elk but if you are mounting a head I would cut as follows: I would start my first saw cut directly between the middle of the eyes on top of the nose side. Once you have made a shallow 1-2" cut start a new cut that angles from that cut directly to the back of the skull in line with the middle of the ear. I usually leave plenty of skull plate because once I only left a small skull plate area between the antlers and it split when I dropped it! You (or the taxidermist) can always cut a smaller skull plate with saws-all once home.
Obviously it is a juicey job but will save a lot of work hauling an entire skull out. It may be a little easier if you skin the hide away from the bone where you will be sawing.
jims give a good description of the process. It doesn't have to be perfect in the field. Easy to touch up when you get home. Just make sure you leave enough of the skull plate that the antlers don't split when you go to snap the skull.
I really like the Wyoming II saw. The original was just too small for the skull, backbone, etc, but the newer version is just the ticket.
wyoming saw if in the field. at camp or home, i use a chain saw, stihl 440 to be exact :)
stihl makes the best one :) might want to put you chaps on though :)
I pack a cheap drywall saw. It takes some effort, but it works.
Fwiw my taxidermist likes to have the tops of the eye socket when cutting the skull plate if you intend to have a shoulder mount done... Says it helps him orient the horns on the form...
Wyoming saw works best of any that I'm willing to carry while hunting.
Wapiti, LMAO to that "chaps" comment! How true.
I used to pack a Wyoming saw, but I didn't like the weight. The last couple years I've used a $20 Gerber folding saw and I've been pleasantly surprised. Last fall I cut the antlers off a mature Alaskan bull moose in less than 10 min. It's not as handy as the Wyo saw, but the light weight is worth it for me.
I did, however, have a blade break while cutting the end of the femur off a muley buck???
I also use a Gerber folding saw. It is very light weight and it is surprisingly effortless to cut through both wood and bone. I also had a blade break but that was after several years of using the same blade for camping and hunting - lots of firewood, etc.
I like the gerber saw were the blade slides up in the handle.It will do several skulls before getting dull.
jims and gil_wy hit the nail on the head. Always better to leave more skull then not enough. Leaving some of the back portion of the eye cups will save your taxidermist a little time and help him/her make your cape fit the exact way it did when it was alive!
I use whatever folding wood saw is in my backpack at the time. Light weight, takes work though. Having a buddy to help hold it all still helps a lot. I have used the Gerber folding saw that seems popular out West with two blades. However, my recollections are that the "bone" blade didn't work well and I switched to the wood blade instead.... thats my story, and I'm sticking to it! :-)
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The one instance I needed it, I used a Wyoming saw. I prefer my "saws-all", but I couldn't find a long enough cord.
I got the gerber folding saw with 2 blades last year. The button mecanism that locks the blade open broke the first time I used it. Can't find Gerber anywhere on the net to get a replacement part. Mine is a piece of junk and can't be fixed because parts are not available.
I finished the job with my $5 Harbor Frieght chinese saw. It's a little dull but has lasted about 5 years so far.
I love my Wyoming 2 saw for big jobs. I backpack a lot and didn't like the weight of the saw however.
I found a great little saw at home depot. I think it is made for the drywall trade, but it is a plastic handle that accepts sawz-all blades. I have seen them at Sears as well. They make them in plastic or metal; I went plastic to save weight.
I just purchase a few 8-10" sawz-all blades for wood and coarse metal. It works great for sawing bone, or switch the blade for wood around camp. The blades remove for compact carry, and it saves a lot of weight. It also has a few crewdriver tips in the handle for tightening up scopes or bow parts.
Not as good at cutting as the full Wyomings saw, but great to have in a fanny pack or on a bivy hunt.
Matt
Matt that looks like a great idea using that handle with the 10 inch saws-all blades. I'm going to look for one next time I get to Home depot.
Thanks for the idea.
The gerber saw works well, but the WY saw works better IMO. Your hand position is better on the WY saw, less cramping and fatigue. The thinner narrower blade makes a smaller kerf and less resistance when sawing. The gerber is more of a "pull" saw. The "push" action is more natural to me, but maybe that's just me. The Gerber saw is lighter and much quicker to ready for use, no doubt.
Both are good. My buddy carries a gerber, I carry a WY.
That little saw of Matt's looks like a good tool if size and weight were a major concern.
Wyoming Saw, very good product with replacable blades.
The Home Depot saws-all blade and handle look like a great combo. Do you happen to know how much it weighs? You could likely cut the weight/bulk in over 1/2 if you leave the case and screwdriver tools behind.
I have a Multi-plier that has a couple knives, saw, file, screwdrivers, can opener, etc and it may weigh less and be less bulky though?
Drywall saw ...ouch!! talking about taking some "effort"
I use a double sided saw I believe works the best for me one side for muscle tissue the other for bone it works awesome and only weighs 1.25lbs. It's very easy to carry and it's about 14 inches long and about 4-5 inches wide.
I use a double sided saw I believe works the best for me one side for muscle tissue the other for bone it works awesome and only weighs 1.25lbs. It's very easy to carry and it's about 14 inches long and about 4-5 inches wide.