# Anyone ever try a Silky 21 foot pole saw?



## newforest (Aug 3, 2021)

Silky offers a 21 foot pole saw - and it can be fitted with a ratchet lopper head.
Just looking for any experience with these.
It seems to me that trying to spot a head that far up could get a little challenging.
My application is collecting tree seed though, so generally just need to cut material more towards the ‘twig’ descriptor than ‘branch’.
Overall, the maximum possible height for these would mean maximum possible yield, so am pretty interested - but a $400+ investment so if these would prove to be a little too wavy, in-hand, for precise use I could see regretting the attempt. I run a cheap 15’ version now and can get it on small branches well enough - but after adding a few more pounds and a little more bow to the poles…. ???


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## Del_ (Aug 3, 2021)

I have one but only have the pole saw blade.

I believe they are not sold in the states any longer due to Sherrills having the nationwide distribution license and sell their 'branded' versions.


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## OddSawz (Aug 3, 2021)

Del_ said:


> I have one but only have the pole saw blade.
> 
> I believe they are not sold in the states any longer due to Sherrills having the nationwide distribution license and sell their 'branded' versions.



The Notch Sentei is the equivalent if I recall


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## HumBurner (Aug 4, 2021)

Del,I hadn't heard that.

I bought my Hayate, the 20' updated model with better handle/rigidity, through Vermeer back in 2018 or 2019.

I've put a thousand plus hours on the Hayauchi. They're both good and well worth the money. If you need the extra foot,go with the Hayauchi. If you will end up using it to polesaw branches and do clean cuts, get the Hayate.

Haven't used the lopper head, but I imagine it would work fine for your purposes.


Cheers!


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## Bango Skank (Aug 4, 2021)

Post it up if you got a source in the US still selling the Silky aluminum pole saws.

I got the Silky pruner head. Found it new on eBay for a fine price, still figuring out how to mount it on an adapter to use with my Jameson poles. So unused and can’t speak to its quality or performance… but it looks cheap. It’s Chinese, except the lopper blade is Japanese steel. Might be fine. As far as I know, there’s no other pruner heads that’ll cut 2” diameter. I’m not so sure this one will either, but it’s advertised as such.


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## unknwn (Aug 4, 2021)

My yellow Jameson poles have been linked up to 24', and I was even able to get some pruning done, but it was heavy, shaky, fairly unwieldy.
Once I got past the -standard- maximum of about 21' I seriously rethought pulling that stunt again. Anything beyond 18' is accessory add-on poles.
The "Big Boy"(??) lopper head is entirely capable of bypass cutting it's maximum of 1-3/4", but depending on species, that can get rough the more segments added to the pole. It's also pretty heavy.
One of the accessories that I got to really like is the sling-shot, and an aftermarket trigger I found for it.
That, and a proper set up of throw line & weights has enabled use of a manual saw chain (cutters mounted in -both- directions) utilized with paracord lanyards -and- two ground crew to get cutting performed REALLY far up there. The first time I ever used it I was able to sling a line over a job about 40' up, within my 5th attempt at tossing the line with weighted bag.
All of what I've written about was sourced on eBay at pretty respectable discounts -except- that saw chain, there were simply no deals to be had for that, but what a piece of stand-off tooling that proved to be.


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## newforest (Aug 5, 2021)

Forestry Suppliers in Mississippi lists the Notch Sentei, Hayauchi, etc. in their current printed catalog. However the Notch poles are out-of-stock currently. Not surprising on any item in 2021.
They do currently have the Notch pruner head though. 
Bailey’s offers the Notch poles but it isn’t clear they have a head that fits them. 
Although I quite like my small Silky hand saw, I am not pondering this product on my nice memories of pulling a Silky through some wood. Nor do I really need to cut the biggest diameter possible. I do need to cut stuff up to 1/2” or so, often in bushy twig assemblages where I think a rope saw would not be an option. And I need to cut stuff as way way up there as I can get a cutting blade of some type. I am also skeptical that a typical pole saw blade would be as useful as a lopper head for this - would need to cut farther in on the branch most likely and be more work overall than using a lopper head closer to the ends, where the seeds usually are.
So these Notch poles seem to be the longest on the market.
If there was such a thing as a lighter weight lopper head with a lower max diameter cutting spec, I would pick such a head.
Even at just 14’, I have definitely “missed” on a pull as the saw gets heavy and wavy (cheap one though, wood pole) and a downside of trying to cut small diameter is more difficulty spotting the cut in the vegetation. Those experiences make me wonder how things would go at 21’ - but with lighter poles, maybe OK. ?


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## capetrees (Aug 5, 2021)

newforest said:


> Silky offers a 21 foot pole saw - and it can be fitted with a ratchet lopper head.
> Just looking for any experience with these.
> It seems to me that trying to spot a head that far up could get a little challenging.
> My application is collecting tree seed though, so generally just need to cut material more towards the ‘twig’ descriptor than ‘branch’.
> Overall, the maximum possible height for these would mean maximum possible yield, so am pretty interested - but a $400+ investment so if these would prove to be a little too wavy, in-hand, for precise use I could see regretting the attempt. I run a cheap 15’ version now and can get it on small branches well enough - but after adding a few more pounds and a little more bow to the poles…. ???


One of the best tools I have. I actually have three of the pole saws and two lopper heads (sintung) that I switch out. Don't be afraid of the 21' up into a tree. The lopper head ratchets and with the sharp blade, cuts with ease. The notch sentei is the same as the hayauchi and Baileys carries both the pole saw and the head. One odd thing you'll need to do is extend the rope for the lopper head. For some reason, it's about 5' short when the pole is extended fully. Of course, really without saying, the saw blades are absolutely razor sharp.


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## Bango Skank (Aug 5, 2021)

A couple years ago, Gempler’s had 200mm and 400mm straight Tsurugi blades for 10$ in their clearance page, so I stocked up for a couple decades. Later on I got to thinking how much I love my 400mm Tsurugi handsaw, and wondered how a medium tooth Tsurugi 400 blade would do on a pole head… mount a straight blade at a wee bit of an angle and it’s every bit as good as a curved blade. Cut some of the handle tang off, drill a little hole. Easy peasy. I’ve never seen a pole saw cut so fast. I got 5 poles, all 6 footers. Going over 3 poles for 18’ sucks, but I can do 4 if it’s worth not climbing.


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## newforest (Aug 6, 2021)

I’m not surprised a Silky saw blade on the end of a pole would have some fans.
& it does sound like moving to quality aluminum poles will make a 21’ affair work, thanks for the feedback there. I will probably try the Notch ‘Sentei’ model with the Notch lopper head, even if I have to order from separate outfits. Though following what is ‘Silky’ and what is not has been a little confusing. But I’m not trying to push the envelope with that head that specs 2” cuts, so I’m optimistic overall.
I will say that with hand loppers, I know I will just never pick up a wooden handle pair ever again after using aluminums from Bahco and will probably end up just giving away my older wooden stuff.


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## HumBurner (Aug 6, 2021)

The advantage of the Hayate, despite being slightly heavier,is the increased rigidity. Little to no bowing or bending of the poles at full extension. 

I often end up cutting straight or under branches way up and can get most of or a full pull of the blade. Full extension on angled cuts you don't always get the full blade cutting.


I'd love to adapt that extra long saw blade onto a Silky!!


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## ATH (Aug 15, 2021)

I bought a new Hayate on Ebay - shipped from Japan. Was bummed when I found out that they wouldn't be selling them in the US anymore. I didn't really 'need' a new one, but wanted to buy it what it was available.

FWIW, that wasn't Sherrill's call - it was a Silky decision to not import due to concerns with liability around energized lines. I mean...what moron would ever use that thing within 50' of a line?

Great tool!


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## newforest (Jul 9, 2022)

Bumping this one as I didn’t pull the purchase trigger last year. 

I am currently wondering - does any manufacturer offer aluminum poles in user assembled sections, rather than telescoping?
It would seem to me that a good way to go would be having a spare section, in a general sense. But also that way one section could have a lopper head on it while another has a saw blade on it, for a very quick change option out in the field. 

Or do the telescoping aluminum poles from Notch use a really Quick-Connect design for changing heads? I can foresee wanting to use both options on the same site. 

Another minor benefit would come along if one needs to work near an electrical line - use just one fiberglass section at the bottom. I don’t anticipate working around lines but that sounds like a wise tactic. 

Overall, is there some trade-off I’m missing that makes a telescoping design better than using single sections?


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## pdqdl (Jul 9, 2022)

Yes. As the pole distances away from you, the torque you must overcome grows.

When it is lighter at the distant end, the force required to overcome gravity is significantly reduced. Using pole sections, each section must be strong enough to fill in at the bottom, yet capable of being placed at the top as well. That is wasted materials and too much weight. Furthermore, the top section need not be as strong as the bottom, because no matter how brawny you might be, the amount of force you can apply 15' to 21' away is quite minimal.

When you have pole sections added to each other, they are a LOT more floppy during a cut. This has considerable control issues, as the blade tends to hop out of the cut more often and is much more difficult to place carefully.

I only use my pole sections to attach to the Corona lopper head, and wouldn't think of mounting a pruning saw to them. Also, they are much better for the lifting hook on branches and service lines going to the house. Dielectric rated, I needn't worry about 120v to the ground.

Regarding lopping heads vs a pole saw? The saw will vastly outperform a lopper under most circumstances. However, if you are trimming the tips of a branch, it is nearly impossible to cut a 1" branch that wobbles around easily under the friction of the saw blade. The lopper, however, doesn't rely on the branches rigidity to be effective.


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## capetrees (Jul 9, 2022)

newforest said:


> Bumping this one as I didn’t pull the purchase trigger last year.
> 
> I am currently wondering - does any manufacturer offer aluminum poles in user assembled sections, rather than telescoping?
> It would seem to me that a good way to go would be having a spare section, in a general sense. But also that way one section could have a lopper head on it while another has a saw blade on it, for a very quick change option out in the field.
> ...


Manufacturers do sell the sections for the saws due to poles getting bent when the branch falls on them. I've replaced the Silky sections but not the Notch ones yet. As for loppers on the ends, yes, I have both, one of lopper and the other two for saw heads. All of them are Silky still, haven't gone to Notch yet. The lopper head is great for trimming way up high on the tips, nothing a saw head could do. My poles are all 21'.


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## capetrees (Jul 10, 2022)

newforest said:


> Bumping this one as I didn’t pull the purchase trigger last year.
> 
> I am currently wondering - does any manufacturer offer aluminum poles in user assembled sections, rather than telescoping?
> It would seem to me that a good way to go would be having a spare section, in a general sense. But also that way one section could have a lopper head on it while another has a saw blade on it, for a very quick change option out in the field.
> ...











Notch 21' Sentei 4-Section Polesaw 4177-39


Notch Sentei 4177-39 Pole saw feature Silky’s aggressive yet smooth cutting blades with protective scabbards. That operates the same way as the silkys saws. The Notch Sentei 4177-39 extends out to 21' and is made of ridged aluminum that resists bending and provides more stability with is...




www.theprunerwarehouse.com





That link shows a parts diagram


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## newforest (Aug 12, 2022)

Thanks so much capetrees!

I do prefer to try and contribute rather than just absorb from others, so for those following along at home, I can tell this story. 

Using tools above shoulder height uses some different small muscles in your upper body than the ones you normally use. I learned this the hard way on a job pruning White Pine branches off the trunk, to 8’ high. I had been running a chainsaw for 3 months straight and was in top physical condition so I felt like it would be a pretty easy job. I had a simple pair of short, wood handled loppers that could handle the cut diameters just fine. 

By the end of the 3rd day, I could no longer lift the loppers above about elbow height. 

I had no choice but to stop the work for several days even while on a hotel based job in severe cold weather; no camping. I had to wait for a pair of aluminum handled loppers to be shipped to me, and needed a certain amount of muscle repair/recovery time. 

So I well know the value of using the lightest weight tool possible in overhead situations.


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## newforest (Aug 12, 2022)

Now it seems to me that the only real option to buy a 21’ aluminum pole saw right now are the 2 on offer from Notch. It doesn’t appear that Silky offers the poles any more, though they supply the saw blade used by Notch, and still sell the lopper head also. 

That still leaves a choice between the Sentai and the Nobasu models. The Nobasu is a foot shorter but weighs a pound heavier. If I understand things correctly, the difference is that the Nobasu uses a square shaped ‘pole’ rather than a round one, in the interests of increased stability.

What I don’t know is whether that increased stability is worth the extra pound of weight to lift?

My application is not pruning for appearance; I collect tree seed. I would rarely be cutting right at the branch collar. But every species is different so I expect to sometimes use a lopper head on small diameters and sometimes need to cut slightly bigger diameters with the saw blades. Though I will often be working at the maximum height the poles allow. 

I do have experience with a 2 part, 14’ wooden pole saw with just a lopper head on it. When pushing that to the limits getting the rope-pull blade to cut where a saw action would probably be better - even at only 14’ I see a lot of bow in the poles. 

I am leaning towards the 21’ Sentai for the lighter weight but also because I can pick one up over-the-counter @ an Arborist Supply shop and avoid a “special handling charge” on an oddball item to ship, but they do not offer the Nobasu. Which also means I would not have a chance to at least pick up an in-arms feel for both of them. 

I am only buying one of these so don’t want to later regret skipping the beefier one. 

Any thoughts from experience with the Nobasu model appreciated. Looking forward to next week to put whichever I purchase into field use.


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## lone wolf (Aug 12, 2022)

newforest said:


> Now it seems to me that the only real option to buy a 21’ aluminum pole saw right now are the 2 on offer from Notch. It doesn’t appear that Silky offers the poles any more, though they supply the saw blade used by Notch, and still sell the lopper head also.
> 
> That still leaves a choice between the Sentai and the Nobasu models. The Nobasu is a foot shorter but weighs a pound heavier. If I understand things correctly, the difference is that the Nobasu uses a square shaped ‘pole’ rather than a round one, in the interests of increased stability.
> 
> ...


LESS WEIGHT THE BETTER.


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## arathol (Aug 12, 2022)

newforest said:


> Now it seems to me that the only real option to buy a 21’ aluminum pole saw right now are the 2 on offer from Notch. It doesn’t appear that Silky offers the poles any more, though they supply the saw blade used by Notch, and still sell the lopper head also.


The Sentei is pretty much identical in construction to the Silky pole saw.....I'm pretty sure its a rebranded Silky made for Sherrills.


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## SteveW1000 (Aug 13, 2022)

I've the longest Hayate that goes to 25 foot. I'm 5ft 11in and skinny like a rake and it is a challenge to handle when fully extended but I've manged so far. I also bought the Silky lopper attachment and the adapter to fit it to the Hayate, haven't yet had a chance to use the lopper.


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## HumBurner (Aug 13, 2022)

The other side of the tree:




Silky rules!


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## arathol (Aug 13, 2022)

SteveW1000 said:


> I've the longest Hayate that goes to 25 foot. I'm 5ft 11in and skinny like a rake and it is a challenge to handle when fully extended but I've manged so far. I also bought the Silky lopper attachment and the adapter to fit it to the Hayate, haven't yet had a chance to use the lopper.


I've got the 25 ft Hayate also. Its not terribly difficult to manage at full extension, but I wouldn't want to put a lopper on the end. That last section might not like being side loaded as its pretty thin.


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## HumBurner (Aug 13, 2022)

arathol said:


> I've got the 25 ft Hayate also. Its not terribly difficult to manage at full extension, but I wouldn't want to put a lopper on the end. That last section might not like being side loaded as its pretty thin.




Is there a specific model number for the 25'? I only ever found the 20/21' model, and never heard or saw of a longer model.


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## arathol (Aug 13, 2022)

HumBurner said:


> Is there a specific model number for the 25'? I only ever found the 20/21' model, and never heard or saw of a longer model.











HAYATE


TreeKit supply tree climbing, arborist, rope equipment and arborist equipment, arb supplies and gear in Bournemouth, UK




treekit.com




7.7m = ~25ft


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## newforest (Aug 14, 2022)

The 2 models from Notch really are the only 2 aluminum 20’ range pole saws for sale in the USA right now. The model names used by Silky are now only used for the blades on the poles from Notch. There might be some Hayate poles left in a dealer inventory somewhere, but it doesn’t appear Silky offers them as a new product any more. When there aren’t some cubic centimeters of engine displacement running a cutting tooth for me, I can no longer imagine cutting wood without a Silky saw blade. 

Thanks everyone, also including pdqpl and lone wolf, for the supporting details. I don’t spend $500 (poles + separate lopper) casually. I am going to pick up the 21’ Sentai and am quite pleased to be able to do that in a store soon.


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## HumBurner (Aug 14, 2022)

I would recommend checking your area for a Vermeer dealer (or possibly other equipment brands) as I bought my Hayate through a Vermeer dealer in TN a little bit before production stopped.


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## arathol (Aug 14, 2022)

Silky does still offer their poles saws, just not in the US. If you really want one with the Silky name on it, you could always just order from the UK....
However, the Sentai is identical to the Hayate....and may even be made by Silky....


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## newforest (Aug 14, 2022)

The important part is the blade on top - still Silky. Just a lot of confusion on the model names trying to discuss these, including with some local friends who already own one or are also considering this purchase. 

I will never give up my aluminum Bahco stuff, I know that.


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