Now that's a hand saw

[Lee Schierer]

While looking for places to see on a recent trip to Northern California to see the redwoods, I ran across this photo.
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That crosscut saw has to be every bit of 20 feet long. I'd have to get a larger shop to hang it on the wall.

[Dave Anderson NH]

Since I don't see any handles Lee you might be underestimating.:D

[Joe Wood]

why don't those guys have bulging muscles??

[Dave Zellers]

After the horizontal cut was made, the notch was chipped out with axes. You can see the ax marks on the tree and the chunks on the ground. Whew.

[Joe Bailey]

why don't those guys have bulging muscles??

If you're seriously asking, I would direct you to google something like "anabolism vs catabolism" for an answer.

The short version is that the muscles are constantly being worked (broken down). This is the catabolic phase.

Muscle building (bulk) requires an anabolic phase, during which they're rebuilt.

The anabolic phase is basically non-existent for these guys.

[Mark Rainey]

If you're seriously asking, I would direct you to google something like "anabolism vs catabolism" for an answer.

The short version is that the muscles are constantly being worked (broken down). This is the catabolic phase.

Muscle building (bulk) requires an anabolic phase, during which they're rebuilt.

The anabolic phase is basically non-existent for these guys.

i would assume both of these men were in excellent physical shape & lean sawing machines. As Neanders realize sawing is more highly repetitive and endurance based as opposed to high force. This activity is similar to distance biking or running. Their muscles are healthy & well developed, but not bulky. Heavy power lifting develops bulk. A power lifter would peter out after 10 minutes on that tree.

[Scott Clausen]

Yeah, I never see a runner with big legs.

[Tom Bussey]

getting the tree down was the least of their problems, Just think of all the work to get it into usable lengths of lumber.

[Mike Allen1010]

Those guys are studs and ambitious at that! Strikes me a little like two mice trying to eat an elephant.

[Kevin Jenness]

For a vivid description of what it was like being on one end of that saw check out Logging and pimping and "Your pal, Jim" in A River Runs Through it ​by Norman Maclean.

[Tom Bender]

There might be a family resemblance between those two.

[John K Jordan]

For a vivid description of what it was like being on one end of that saw check out Logging and pimping and "Your pal, Jim" in A River Runs Through it ​by Norman Maclean.

Thanks for the book reference. I just ordered a copy after reading some reviews.

JKJ, book junkie

(Lee, you reminded me I have a (shorter) saw like that under a shed. rescued 10 years ago from an old barn coming down. I should get it out and hang it up, or give it to someone who would appreciate it more than I obviously do. :))

[Christopher Charles]

Amazing picture. That must have been a tough living. And the tree is at least as remarkable as the saw.

[Mel Fulks]

Yeah, I never see a runner with big legs.

The Lilliputians reported seeing one …but I’m not that Gulliverble

[Kevin Jenness]

Taking another look at the photo... how did they manage to chop out that tall notch? Are there mortises for springboards that I don't see? Seems like a long reach with an ax even if they were standing on the bottom cut.

[Dave Zellers]

I wonder if they made 2 or 3 horizontal cuts and worked their way down. Some of those chunks on the ground are huge and seem to have flat ends.

[Mike King]

https://www.thevintagenews.com/2018/11/24/1940s-lumberjacks/

[John K Jordan]

https://www.thevintagenews.com/2018/11/24/1940s-lumberjacks/

Incredible!

The video half-way down the article is well worth watching: redwood felling, hauling, sawing.

[Kevin Jenness]

Incredible!

The video half-way down the article is well worth watching: redwood felling, hauling, sawing.

Yes, that was great. Thanks for posting that, Mike. It reminds me of when I was living in Oregon and first saw logging trucks on I-5 carrying only two or three Doug Fir logs- amazing to a young man used to the second-growth forests of Maine.

For tales of the same era of transition between hand and mechanized logging in the Northwest check out Never Chop Your Rope by Joe Garner. Stories of logging during the river drive days in northern New England can be found in Robert E. Pike's Spiked Boots and Tall Trees, Tough Men. The modern era of logging huge trees can be seen in Big Timber on Netflix. And of course there's the classic Sometimes a Great Notion​ by Ken Kesey.

[John K Jordan]

For tales of the same era of transition between hand and mechanized logging in the Northwest check out Never Chop Your Rope by Joe Garner. Stories of logging during the river drive days in northern New England can be found in Robert E. Pike's Spiked Boots and Tall Trees, Tough Men. The modern era of logging huge trees can be seen in Big Timber on Netflix. And of course there's the classic Sometimes a Great Notion​ by Ken Kesey.

Oh boy, more books to buy!

[Ed Mitchell]

Another question...how many board-feet of lumber do you think came from that single tree?

[Mike Henderson]

https://www.thevintagenews.com/2018/11/24/1940s-lumberjacks/

It's sad to see those old, giant trees cut down.

Mike