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In designing the Bonesaw, G3 got together with guides and avalanche professionals to see which features were useful and which ones were useless. After months of design and testing with skiers who spend 100 days in the backcountry each year, they've got it dialed. The G3 Bonesaw has become one of the most versatile snow saws available. This burly saw has offset teeth that can cut snow, ice, and even wood. It comes with a durable sheath for easy carrying. The best part is that with two included straps, you can attach this saw to just about anything. Strap it onto your ski pole, avie probe, shovel handle, long stick, or anything else that's at hand to increase your reach for cutting test pits and Rutschblocks. For easy snow safety research there are measurements on the blade aid in making consistent cuts for tests and there are three different grids for determining snow crystal size.
Bottom Line: Everything you could ever want in a snow saw.
I can not claim to be a snow expert, but I was with a gentlemen the other day who is. When we were exploring the backcountry, we decided to dig a pit and this gentlemen as I say pulled this tool out. I was amazed how much more this tool did then just cut snow. It has crystal measurement scales, charts, and light weight too. Its pretty fun to cut perfectly shaped snow samples too.
As an avalanche forecaster, I'm always digging in the snow. This is my saw. The markings help to keep cuts straight, and the saw goes through anything, even the dreaded rain lens. I often use the included straps to attach the saw to the end of my shovel to isolate extended column tests in shallow snowpacks. I've never tried to quarter an elk with it but, for a dedicated snow tool, you can't beat the Bonesaw.
Judging from the picture it looks as though this saw is designed to be used with the right hand. First, is this true? And second, is there a left handed version for us southpaws?
I have trimmed lots of trees and brush as well as thousands of snow pits with this saw and it works great for that. Attaching this to a pole has never worked well for me at all, the connection is always sloppy, I just end up using cord to cut cornices.
I don't own this saw, but the question intrigued me so I asked a friend who is into geology and archeology, "Which is harder, ice, bone or wood?" (You figure if bone is softer than either of those, the saw will cut bone, right?) Her answer was "It depends. Ice, which is actually a mineral, probably has a Mohs scale hardness of about 3 or 4, which means it can be scratched by say a copper coin. (I haven't tried this, but I can't imagine that a penny can't scratch ice.) But it does depend on the temperature. At a colder temperature, ice would be harder.But as for the organic things .... Oak is much harder than pine, for example, and there may actually be types of wood that can't be scratched with a penny, but pine probably can be. And the hardness of a bone also varies, depending on which bone, from what animal, the age of the animal, the diet of the animal, and so on...not really an answer, I know." Maybe there's someone out there who owns this product who has tried to cut bones with it.-- It's a catchy name - oak is 8 or 9 on mohs scale, femoral cortical bone (stiffest bone in the body) is about 10-12. It "could" cut it, but it's not designed for it. Bone saws have finer, sharper teeth and are stainless steel; this is made of much softer aluminum. I wouldn't plan on cutting dog bones[?] with it unless you want to wind up with an fairly expensive ruler.
Being a guide up here at valdez heli camps, i've put the g3 to the test. everything from cutting wands for lz's and pz's to cutting columns pit after pit, the g3 seems to hold up just fine. i haven't used it to cut cornices, so i can't say how the attachment system works. the only thing i wonder is if any one has has issue with it bending? i haven't yet so overall a great tool
It works reasonably well. The straps are the stiff rubber backwards-thumb-buckle type straps that you often find at ski mountaineering shops for strapping your skis together. Usually they strap tight enough around and most things aren't completely smooth (even probes have a bit of a bump at the end) to keep it from sliding off. The curved handle works well to help staying on too. But as with any saw-attachment, it can be sort of bulky (i.e. difficult if not impossible to push through the already-sawed slot) and hard to saw with from a pole-length away.
Personally I am a fan. This is a great tool for snow science. One of my favorite features is that it has a measuring grid on the side. As we all know, snow is constantly morphing due to temperature changes. I used to use the plastic case that my magnifying glass sits in or a plastic card to look at snow crystals, but the variable speed that they degrade was sometimes frustrating. The beauty of the aluminum is that if you keep it out of the sun it will be nearly the same temperature as the snow which is good for a quick analysis of crystal types.
Other than that I think it is perfect for cutting a profile, building a table, or cutting a small cornice. The handle is great and doesnt slip out of my glove.
If you are looking for a versatile snow saw, this is the one, lightweight and compact. Cuts very well. The only thing that can be improved is the handle ... if they can make it a little bigger, it would fit our gloves/mittens better.
I love the saw. Hard crusty snow, ice, wood, the saw can handle it all and still comes out sharp. No joke; it works as well as it is described.
I noticed in a comment by someone else that it's flimsy and small. The G3 Bonesaw is just as long as Life Link's but much stronger so it will last longer.
A word of advice, if you let your bare hand move up past the rubberized handle while youre using the saw, it is very possible for that edge to cut you.
I like the printed on squares but I already have those with my study kit. I will keep using my saw that fits into my shovel handle. It just didn't feel as good as other saws I have used. Good idea but just not for me I guess.
I used this saw recently for both digging snow pits and brush on a brushy approach. In both situations this saw performs flawlessly. I like its small size and surprisingly the grip is well designed over other saws I've used. The sheath is dainty, but stays on most of the time. Left handed folks could find the grip uncomfortable.
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