Saw's with their sharp teeth require a blade cover. Protect yourself and your saw with this simple, inexpensive saw blade cover that’s easy to use and prevents surface rust.
The covers supplied on saw blades are often lost, damaged over time, tight fitting thus trap moisture, plus they are tedious to use (especially when wearing gloves).
They can cause the saw to prematurely rust and become blunt, thus reducing the life of the saw blade.
Carrying a saw without a cover is dangerous to both you and the saw. A cover also serves as a tooth guard, preventing the teeth from being damaged.
Making a tooth guard/cover that air can circulate and the blade dry out naturally will help offset surface rust, especially when a saw lives in the woods with you at camp.
Measure out how many saw blade covers you require. Allow for each segment to be a few inches longer than needed. Get a section of plastic pipe from the local DIY store or shop online.
LIST:
Plastic tubing (~20mm diameter).
Tape measure.
Hacksaw.
Sharp Knife.
Masking tape.
Drill.
Metal drill bit. (or a twist gimlet).
Pair of straps.
The saw/blade to you'll be covering.
Cut the plastic pipe a few inches longer than required; this will help you later. You can trim it down to size afterwards. A hacksaw will make a clean safe square cut on plastic tubing.
NOTE: Sharp pointy tubing can be as dangerous as a spear point.
Place a strip of masking tape neatly along the length of the plastic tubing; this will be your straight edge to follow in the next step
Use a drill bit slightly wider than the saw blade tooth set (kerf). If you don't own a drill, use an inexpensive twist gimlet.
It may be wise to experiment with hole size on any off cuts you have left over and try some test pieces on your blade.
Drill the holes along the edge of the tape, evenly spaced and close enough to each other so that you can cut across the connections with a knife later.
Using a sharp knife and a sawing action slice through the pieces of plastic between the holes. Then saw off the excess material at the ends. If using the tube on larger cross-cutting saws, you may want to keep the rough edge it will grip the saw blade with a friction fit.
A pair of straps will secure the cover to the saw.
TIP: If you frequent mossy habitats, you may prefer straps with buckles or clips, as bryophytes seem to relish in clogging up hook and loop material.
Fit the cover, strap it on, and job done. Your saw's teeth are now covered up safely and ready for use when you are.
