if you had one handsaw to carry…,

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LiveBait31

LiveBait31

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hey fellas. in middle of rehab post knee surgery… feb/march in south-east carolina coast is perfect time for this. been cleaning pruning tools & reflecting on hand saws. i work in parks landscape, & searching for the best price/performance, mobile, durable saw i can find. felco 6 folding with slight curve was my goto for crepe myrtle, live oak & jap. maple. it was light, sharp& durable. tested 2 stihl models: straight blade 6” folding ps10 & straight ps60 fixed & was not thrilled by either. is the silky worth $$$? what is on your hip? i appreciate your time & input. -b
 
I can't really compare to other brands (except for cheap hardware store stuff, more or less crappy), so my input is only worth so much, but my quite small Silky Zübat (13 inches) has been fantastic. Bought it as a telescopic pole saw but you can take the saw off and put a handle (scales) on it.
I can imagine that the longer 'pro' saws by Silky are even better.

Not sure if a lot of quality pruning saws are the same like that, but the Silky's are typical 'pull' saws, you can't put any force on them while pushing or the blade might bend/break.

Maintenance is easy too, you don't need anything special, as recommended by Silky you clean off resin with olive oil. I use old/expired leftovers from the kitchen, and clean between those nice and very sharp teeth with an old toothbrush.

Edit: as you mentioned 'on your belt': they come with a hard plastic scabbard, here at least, quality seems nice to me.
 
thanks man.., the convenience of the folding is where i’m leaning so thanks for bigboy/pocket differentiation.
 
freeasaburt said:
I can't really compare to other brands (except for cheap hardware store stuff, more or less crappy), so my input is only worth so much, but my quite small Silky Zübat (13 inches) has been fantastic. Bought it as a telescopic pole saw but you can take the saw off and put a handle (scales) on it.
I can imagine that the longer 'pro' saws by Silky are even better.

Not sure if a lot of quality pruning saws are the same like that, but the Silky's are typical 'pull' saws, you can't put any force on them while pushing or the blade might bend/break.

Maintenance is easy too, you don't need anything special, as recommended by Silky you clean off resin with olive oil. I use old/expired leftovers from the kitchen, and clean between those nice and very sharp teeth with an old toothbrush.

Edit: as you mentioned 'on your belt': they come with a hard plastic scabbard, here at least, quality seems nice to me.
Click to expand...
thanks for pitch tip. i can’t seem to get away from the convenience of the folding options. that curve in the zubat looks perfect &will prolly narrow search down to a quality folding model. thanks.
 
Last time I was at my Stihl dealer, who also sells some Silky stuff, I saw a Silky branded file. I was wondering if something like that existed, actually, don't know for which teeth distance it works though, etc. I didn't buy it as it was €30 and the teeth on my blade are still perfect anyway.

Does anyone sharpen Silky saws, or do you just replace them when needed?
 
I've had a Stihl branded Fiskars folder for about 15 years now and like it, but don't use it any longer. Crepes get lopped with a Corona that has a super large bypass I bought for Palms, and since I got the Milwaukee M-12 Hatchet, neither gets used much anymore.

I use Pine Sol when cleaning blades and chains, and follow it with WD 40.
 
GeeVee said:
I've had a Stihl branded Fiskars folder for about 15 years now and like it, but don't use it any longer. Crepes get lopped with a Corona that has a super large bypass I bought for Palms, and since I got the Milwaukee M-12 Hatchet, neither gets used much anymore.

I use Pine Sol when cleaning blades and chains, and follow it with WD 40.
Click to expand...
ever use fluid film?
 
Corona razor saw is about the best hand saw that doesn't cost an arm or leg. They use to run 20 bucks but like every thing else they have gone up but still worth it. I won't buy any other hand saw. It cuts on the pull stroke and cuts almost as fast as a powered saw.
TS is they only place that carry's them in my area. They use to have them at Home Depot but not anymore.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/corona-razortooth-14-in-pruning-saw?cm_vc=-10005
 
freeasaburt said:
Last time I was at my Stihl dealer, who also sells some Silky stuff, I saw a Silky branded file. I was wondering if something like that existed, actually, don't know for which teeth distance it works though, etc. I didn't buy it as it was €30 and the teeth on my blade are still perfect anyway.

Does anyone sharpen Silky saws, or do you just replace them when needed?
Click to expand...

I sharpen mine. Feather file, and lots of time. Best when not doing anything else, because there are three facets to sharpen on each tooth, and there are two sides. 6 passes down all the teeth, about 20-30 minutes each side.

Replacement blades are about $90, so you'll earn your money saved.
 
freeasaburt said:
I can imagine that the longer 'pro' saws by Silky are even better.
Click to expand...

Silky no longer sells pole saws in the USA, at least not their really fine aluminum versions. Nor parts or replacement blades, either.

It seems they got tired of being sued by folks too stupid to keep the tool out of the power lines, and they are actively removing that risk from the market.
 
LiveBait31 said:
hey fellas. in middle of rehab post knee surgery… feb/march in south-east carolina coast is perfect time for this. been cleaning pruning tools & reflecting on hand saws. i work in parks landscape, & searching for the best price/performance, mobile, durable saw i can find. felco 6 folding with slight curve was my goto for crepe myrtle, live oak & jap. maple. it was light, sharp& durable. tested 2 stihl models: straight blade 6” folding ps10 & straight ps60 fixed & was not thrilled by either. is the silky worth $$$? what is on your hip? i appreciate your time & input. -b
Click to expand...

Back in 2008, I was very fond of the Fiskars hand saw, which is really easy to resharpen and lasts for many years of abuse. My comments in 2008: https://www.arboristsite.com/threads/favorite-equipment.70842/post-1060055

I'm not sure, however, if that model hand saw is still available.

EDIT: Nope! Fiskars has gone the way of the modern world and no longer makes that model saw. They only produce pointy triangular teeth now. My old handsaw cut fast and easy with it's hook shaped teeth, and it sharpened easily with the same round file that my 200-T used.
 
pdqdl said:
Silky no longer sells pole saws in the USA, at least not their really fine aluminum versions. Nor parts or replacement blades, either.

It seems they got tired of being sued by folks too stupid to keep the tool out of the power lines, and they are actively removing that risk from the market.
Click to expand...
Not true at all.....
https://wesspur.com/items/saw2104.htmlMade by Silky, sold under the Notch brand name.
 
I've got half a dozen Silky hand saws which are all excellent. I was using the folding one you mentioned yesterday and it cut brilliantly as ever. You can sharpen them if you get a diamond needle file (cheap off ebay) and follow the youtube instructions.
Interestingly Project Farm on youtube did a comparison of folding saws just this week which was illuminating as allways.
 

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