# Most aggressive handsaw



## beowulf343 (Jun 23, 2007)

Hey guys, a buddy of mine loves to cut wood but has recently been diagnosed with parkinsen's disease. He is starting to get a little too shakey to safely run a saw. So he was asking me what the best and fastest cutting handsaw out there is. I really don't know. My gomtaro is good but i know there are more aggressive handsaws. So i thought i'd ask around here. If you were going to be cutting 10-12" hardwood, what handsaw would you use? Thanks.


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## Sprig (Jun 23, 2007)

Sorry ta hear about your friend Beowulf, Parkinson's is a real bugger and I've watched it eat up a few people over the years. Have you looked into small swede-saws? With quality blades they seem to do a fine job of bucking and they won't break the bank, a mid-sized one that could be used with two hands might be something to hunt out as if he is really shaky, though it might be too wobbly for him, then something with a more solid blade would be in order then.



Serge


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## masiman (Jun 23, 2007)

Parkinsons is hard road, I'm sorry to hear that too.

My zubat is good but occasionally will bind up, I am sure it is mostly my technique though. I agree maybe a stiffer blade would be more forgiving. In addition to the opinions here maybe check with Fanno and Silky directly on what they would recommend.


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## Stumpcutter1 (Jun 23, 2007)

Ive had good luck with fannos,have a silky polesaw but never had one of there handsaws,not cheap though


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## Thillmaine (Jun 23, 2007)

*Silky*

The most agressive handsaw I have used in the silky suguoi, pretty pricey but nice big teeth and a razor at the tip for slicing vines. Nice handsaw, sweet for trees, but recently I have discovered it is rather difficult to sue for ornamentals, due its large size and agressive teeth. Going ot buy a pocket boy for small stuff, but def sugoui is nice for larger stuff.


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## Magnum783 (Jun 23, 2007)

*sugoi*

I have sugoi and cut quite large stuff with it with ease. Not sure about the hardwood stuff I haven't cut anything of the hardwood variety since I purchased the saw. I have cut lots of pine and love it. I do agree that it is a little big for the ornamental but great for big stuff.
Jared


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## CoreyTMorine (Jun 23, 2007)

There was this old one person, push-pull saw in the work shop all while I was growing up, the kind with big teeth and deep gullets, it was hanging next to a can of tree paint  Any way, I bet that the stiff blade would be easier for him to work than a bow saw. And although the silky line is great I think that the longer stroke of a good push-pull or bow saw would be better for 6”+ cuts.



Sprig said:


> Sorry ta hear about your friend Beowulf, Parkinson's is a real bugger and I've watched it eat up a few people over the years. Have you looked into small swede-saws? With quality blades they seem to do a fine job of bucking and they won't break the bank, a mid-sized one that could be used with two hands might be something to hunt out as if he is really shaky, though it might be too wobbly for him, then something with a more solid blade would be in order then.
> 
> 
> 
> Serge



What is a swede-saw?


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## M.D. Vaden (Jun 23, 2007)

Would those old style bow saws work where two hands are used?

Those are two-handed and might kick buns on a pruning saws.

You know, the ones with the metal band blade that cuts on both strokes.


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## BostonBull (Jun 23, 2007)

For bigger wood, Silky Ibuki.

And as for the western vs. Eastern handsaws...push pull vs. pull. The japanese saws take a smaller kerf and have always been faster and less fatigue to use them.

Go with a Silky and be done with it!


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## Sunrise Guy (Jun 23, 2007)

I hate my Sugoi. It was my biggest rip-off, when it comes to buying equipment. My $17 Corona beats it to heck. For thick hardwood, I really think your friend needs something other than an arborist's pruning saw. He might want to check out the push-pull or bow saws out there. 

Good luck to your friend. May he find the strength to not only saw his logs, but also to combat his Parkinson's.


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## Sprig (Jun 23, 2007)

CoreyTMorine said:


> There was this old one person, push-pull saw in the work shop all while I was growing up, the kind with big teeth and deep gullets, it was hanging next to a can of tree paint  Any way, I bet that the stiff blade would be easier for him to work than a bow saw. And although the silky line is great I think that the longer stroke of a good push-pull or bow saw would be better for 6”+ cuts
> 
> What is a swede-saw?



I think you're calling it a 'bow-saw'.

. /---------\
/,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,\
sortta like that man.


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## moray (Jun 23, 2007)

The Fanno 17 in has a thick blade, cuts well, and has a teacup handle. The in-line handles might be harder for your friend to use.


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## beowulf343 (Jun 23, 2007)

Thanks for the feedback guys. Funny, most of the things that have been mentioned here he and i have discussed. Handles being key. He used to be a champion weightlifter but had to quit after he started to loose his grip-so the teacup handle would probably be better. The bow saw does cut pretty good but he had a hard time with that skinny little blade. To be honest, he is still one of the strongest guys i have ever met and was thinking of something like a one man cross-cut saw. Like these http://www.crosscutsaw.com/1.html. Anybody ever used one?
A couple of the other climbers at the shop use a sugoi, have to see if i can borrow one. Thanks again for the input.


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## M.D. Vaden (Jun 24, 2007)

Years ago.

It would probably be more aggressive than a bow saw.

If its for cutting wood, and not primarily for pruning, I think the arborist pruning saws would be child's toys compared to that. Especially if its sharpened right.


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## CoreyTMorine (Jun 24, 2007)

On push pull cross cut saws;

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/fspubs/05232320/index.htm : Comparison between new “homesteader pattern” and more traditional setups.

http://www.fs.fed.us/eng/pubs/htmlpubs/htm77712508/toc.htm : US Forest service cross cut saw use and maintenance manual.

http://www.clic.net/~jpmercie/ : These guys make and file race saws, I bet their line of “Tree topping saws” would be a good length for your friend.


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## CoreyTMorine (Jun 26, 2007)

Here's another good one.

http://www.crosscutsaw.com/1.html


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## BigUglySquirrel (Jun 26, 2007)

I know it might not be exaclty what you're after, but if you go with a "smaller" hand saw, I'd consider the Ibuki from Silky. I love mine. Nice stiff blade, large rubber handle...cuts very fast. I've not used the Sugoi..but I hear it's pretty awesome too. I have personally used my Ibuki to completely remove the top of a Cherry (about 14" DBH) all the way to about 8" of trunk diameter. Yes, a 200T would have been slightly quicker...but it was an experiment of sorts to see just HOW much faster. In the end, it wasn't much quicker until the blocking down began. My two cents....


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## beowulf343 (Jun 27, 2007)

BigUglySquirrel said:


> I know it might not be exaclty what you're after, but if you go with a "smaller" hand saw, I'd consider the Ibuki from Silky. I love mine. Nice stiff blade, large rubber handle...cuts very fast. I've not used the Sugoi..but I hear it's pretty awesome too. I have personally used my Ibuki to completely remove the top of a Cherry (about 14" DBH) all the way to about 8" of trunk diameter. Yes, a 200T would have been slightly quicker...but it was an experiment of sorts to see just HOW much faster. In the end, it wasn't much quicker until the blocking down began. My two cents....



Actually, thanks. That's the kind of on hand feedback i was wondering if anyone had. 

Kind of funny, i lent my friend my gomtaro a couple days ago. Ran into him this afternoon and he was estatic. Seems he'd been using some cheap handsaw from a hardware store and the gomtaro was so much better that it blew his mind. All he could talk about was how great it was. Had to tell him to calm down and we'll try a couple different ones before he makes a decision. Thanks again guys, you narrowed the field down for me.


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