It's not everyday you run into a guy toting along over 100 chain saws but anyone venturing to this year's Threshermen's and Seniors' Festival held over the weekend in Yorkton had the opportunity to do just that.
Among the many displays was a collection of vintage chain saws owned by Pelly resident Kevin Krotenko. What started as a small interest has grown into a full blown hobby and there's no stopping Krotenko now when it comes to adding to his stash.
"I have a collection of saws from almost the get go of gas powered chain saws in Canada - from the very early 40s, to the mid 60s," he says adding, he was a logger for 20 years and has long been familiar with chain saws. "One day I found an old one in my uncle's shop and the next thing you know, one turned into 300."
Three hundred is his best estimate as to how many he has on hand and display at home. He brought with him to Yorkton just over 100 as trailer space limited the number with which could travel.
It's plenty of work to pack up heavy saws and to cart them around the countryside but it's become a hobby Krotenko says he has a passion for and he has no intention of stopping now.
"This is my first time displaying in Yorkton but I've been to a few other museum days events, antique steam shows... we actually travel all the way out to Wisconsin to a big steam show out there.
"A lot of people really get a kick out of seeing them. Nobody gets to see anything like this and nobody really knows where chain saws come from... so this is now my hobby that's kind of gone out of control - that's what my wife says anyway," he chuckles.
While he will collect any piece that's old and unique, Krotenko says he's particularly fond of IEL (Industrial Engineering Limited) saws that were built in Canada years ago.
"I've almost got them all," he says. Aside from these he points out another favorite, a diesel saw he owns that he says is one of only a handful available in Canada. He is also the proud owner of one saw that is the only one of it's kind in the world. Built as a prototype that never made the final building stage, Krotenko found it two weeks ago in Winnipeg. "As far as the world is concerned, that saw was scrapped. But it turns out there was one out there and it's right here."
Many of his saws are still in working order. Each, he says, was designed for different purposes and thus the wide variety of looks, shapes and sizes.
"A lot of them I won't waste my time collecting because they're just run of the mill stuff. I collect the odd ball, weird stuff. The ones that don't look like a chain saw are the ones I'm after... I'm kind a pre 1960s collector."
He guesses his oldest saw actually dates back to the 1920s. "It runs off of air. It was before gas engines were added to chain saws."
Distance is no barrier when it comes to adding to his collection either. "I think the farthest I've driven is Cincinatti, Ohio." But he has connections that could take him further. Krotenko belongs to a club based in Sweden comprised of collectors like himself. "I think there are about 3,500 of us worldwide - and they all know me. I get emails all the time from people looking for different things... they're all looking for something Canadian built..."
It's safe to say if he stumbles upon an interesting piece he will do his best to make it his own.
"It's a non-stop constant thing. There are 7,000 different models of saws in the world... and I'm a few thousand short," he laughs.
