Ahhh, our culture has lost so much, what with the young people not knowing how our loggers used to have contests “rolling logs”, or better known as log rolling. Two loggers got on a log, in the mill pond, and used the spikes on their boots to manipulate the log, attempting to knock the other guy into the water. It was dangerous and done for fun. Other loggers used to have to free up log jams on the rivers, risking their lives for a paycheck. The Japanese have nothing on Americans, except our guys did it for a living and they do it because the Saki takes hold!
The two-handed saw event was a classic. In this event, two guys use a two-handed saw to cut through a log about two feet thick -- with the added challenge of making sure that the slice they cut wasn't any wider than a certain size (maybe two inches). And "cutting out" (i.e., having the saw cut out through the end of the log before getting all the way through) meant an automatic disqualification.
There were about 15-20 pairs of contestants in this event, and as the event went along the times got better (and very few were disqualified). 55 seconds, then 50 seconds, then 43. With about five pairs of contestants left the fastest time was 42 seconds.
The next pair was a couple of guys sitting off to the side of the rodeo area where the event was held. Both of them were about 6'6" tall, and the two of them combined must have weighed about 650 pounds. With their denim overalls, long scraggly hair, and giant work boots they looked like cartoon characters. Next to them was a long, narrow object wrapped in canvas.
When it was their turn, they got up and unwrapped their "tool" . . . it was a massive saw with the largest teeth I had ever seen. When they moved it into position the first thing I noticed was that it didn't flex even a fraction of an inch. It was a solid piece of steel that had to be almost an inch thick.
They cut through the log in less than seven seconds. I think it took about a half-dozen strokes for them to do it. The remaining competitors didn't even bother taking their turns in that event. LOL.