Cross-Cut Two-Man Saw Competitions Look Ace!

I couldn't resist posting this video of a ‘Cross-cut saw competition’ because it’s something I wouldn’t mind trying myself, although I'm not sure how popular such a pastime is over here in the UK. The video has a number of people coupling together to take on the two-man saw to cut through a fairly chunky looking piece of wood.

Some of the couples in the video clearly having been doing as much training as the others, but it’s quite a tough art to master given that you both need to get the timing and force required right so your saw doesn't end up lurching to a halt in the middle of the cut (it can be hard to learn how to use a normal hand saw to begin with). Others have clearly been cutting wood for quite a while; given the blazing speeds they can cut through the wood!

I remember using a cross-cut two-man saw when I was a child. As a member of the scouts we obviously tended to do a lot of outdoor activities, and on one camp we had to use the saw as part of a teamwork exercise. Given that I was a skinny young un’ with a real lack of any decent muscle back then we didn't exactly beat the few seconds that some of the people in the above video need for the wood to hit the floor. In fact I remember it being at least 3 minutes before we finally reached the end, sweating and aching for what seemed like an eternity afterwards. Thankfully I've put on a bit of meat since then, although I've not had the opportunity to try the two-man saw since those fun days in the scouts.

Is anyone up for a little impromptu competition? I can’t promise I’ll cut through it in 5 seconds flat, but I’ll give it a good go!