silky polesaw?

[ropensaddle]

How many of you use the 21 foot pole saw silky?
Is this saw as good as it advertising only users needed
not sales men! I have a stihl power pruner and will wear
you out if use all day but good for a few cuts. If the
silky cuts as they say it would seem less fatiguing as
is lighter and does reach higher!

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

It is a wicked sharp saw that is designed well. It will cut large limbs fast.

It does take some effpert, having the pole out that far, and it is a bit more fragile then a stick of basswood with a cast Marvin head. You can sharpen the blades with a feather file.

They tend to gum up a bit meore then a set tooth blade, and need a scrub with Shcotchbrite and penetrating oil every once and a while.

 

[rbtree]

The Hayauchi is a poor design. Neither the orange clips or detent buttons work correctly. Thus, it is possible to have it pull apart and the detached section drop, as happened to me the first time I used mine. It's now toast. I have an ARS, branded by Stihl, which is a better design. I've heard that the Hayate is much improved, but its heavier than the Hayauchi, perhaps than the ARS, and more expensive than either. Only good thing about the Hayauchi is the weight.

 

[ropensaddle]

thanks guys

maybe I should have asked before ordering but I will
be the only one using it have used the old school saws.
I remember flimsy blades that would hang up bend easy etc.
Are these new saws stronger in the cut? cut one or two ways?

 

[beowulf343]

Silky makes good handsaws but crappy polesaws imo. Like it has been said already-way to fragile. I'll stick to my jamisons

 

[Bermie]

I like the 21' silky

I have one - I really like it
I had the Stihl one previously, got a 21' Hayauchi and it is much better, here's why:

Buttons AND clips to hold the sections, if you work them properly they are fine, with the 21' you have a range of lengths to play with.
The blade is a monster cutter, cuts on push and pull, I've cut up to 4" branches with it, cedar and casuarinas which are really hard wood.
Its LONG, a bit bendy, granted, but once you get it up there cutting is easy
Its LIGHT, I use it when climbing, no problems.

I use my mate's Stihl power pruner too and when you run out of reach with that, move on to the Silky.
It gets used to retrieve throwbags, knock down dead wood, place climbing lines.
My groundie can use it while I'm in the tree, and I don't have to worry about cut ropes or cut me!

It is an invaluable tool to have, I don't own a power pruner yet because I seldom need one, when I do I borrow one, the Silky gets used far more, and its cheaper to replace!

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I'm waiting for someone to come out with a pole head that a hayauchi blade can fit on.

My preference in poles is a 12 ft basswood. No worries if it drops from 30 ft, and there are no sloppy ferrule joints to make cutting harder.

 

[mtvigilante]

The silky is a great tool! I have used them for almost 2 years now. $200, light, flexible, and has an excellent blade. I have cut limbs on green ash that were 20 feet high and 7" in diameter. It might take 3 or 4 minutes and make your neck hurt, but it saves getting out all the gear. That being said, I have broken more than a few. Most of the time, the saw is either fixable with duct tape, or is still usable.

I can concentrate on getting up the tree and doing the larger and higher cuts, while my groundman lightens the lower limbs and pulls out my hangers. I wont be starting my own business without it.

It is also a great tool for training your groundman to trim.

There is a smaller version 8-10' or so, with the silky handsaw blade that works great for silver maples and other open crowns with a lot of codominate stems. They also are great for deadwooding aspens that are formal shaped.

Sorry to sound like a salesman, but they are great tools.

 

[ropensaddle]

Got mine in and like it its better than using power
pruner and cuts almost as fast! Just hope it is durable
as the buttons and clamps could be better!!!

 

[ropensaddle]

I have one - I really like it
I had the Stihl one previously, got a 21' Hayauchi and it is much better, here's why:

Buttons AND clips to hold the sections, if you work them properly they are fine, with the 21' you have a range of lengths to play with.
The blade is a monster cutter, cuts on push and pull, I've cut up to 4" branches with it, cedar and casuarinas which are really hard wood.
Its LONG, a bit bendy, granted, but once you get it up there cutting is easy
Its LIGHT, I use it when climbing, no problems.

I use my mate's Stihl power pruner too and when you run out of reach with that, move on to the Silky.
It gets used to retrieve throwbags, knock down dead wood, place climbing lines.
My groundie can use it while I'm in the tree, and I don't have to worry about cut ropes or cut me!

It is an invaluable tool to have, I don't own a power pruner yet because I seldom need one, when I do I borrow one, the Silky gets used far more, and its cheaper to replace!

I like it lot arrived and i tried it, wow but
how are you retrieving setting ropes with scabbard on mine has a razorsharp
edge for vines think would cut rope?

 

[mtvigilante]

I like it lot arrived and i tried it, wow but
how are you retrieving setting ropes with scabbard on mine has a razorsharp
edge for vines think would cut rope?

We tie a monkey fist with the rope with the snap or carbiner sticking out-that razor sharp hook works great, but when its real sharp, it sticks in the cut a lot on the pull.:bang:

 

[snowyman]

Silky Pole Saw

Got mine in and like it its better than using power
pruner and cuts almost as fast! Just hope it is durable
as the buttons and clamps could be better!!!

How do you feel about it now? I was going to buy the ARS but then found out about the Hayate, they are about $500 here, ARS are cheaper. I've had an Echo power pruner for years but I need the extra length sometimes, like this week, so what do you think?

 

[treeseer]

How do you feel about it now? I was going to buy the ARS but then found out about the Hayate, they are about $500 here, ARS are cheaper. I've had an Echo power pruner for years but I need the extra length sometimes, like this week, so what do you think?

mine is holding up well. i was not as comfortable with the ars' telescoping fasteners, but to be fair i did not give them much of a try.

 

[D Mc]

I like it lot arrived and i tried it, wow but
how are you retrieving setting ropes with scabbard on mine has a razorsharp
edge for vines think would cut rope?

I somehow missed this thread its first time around. I have been a hardcore Jameson user for years. A couple years ago I switched over to Silky products and now the only time the fiberglass gets pulled out is when I need to use a bi-directional hook to pull a top and using with the Big Shot.

The cutting action on the oval poles of the Silky saws I find to be a big improvement. Light weight and stiff in the right direction.

As for the sharp hooks on the blades...I carefully grind off the edge. We just don't have enough palm trees up here to warrant the increased risk that those edges create. The side benefit of having a dull hook is that it is great for placing the rope or pulling hangar branches. I even reconfigured the hook on my Sugoi handsaw for the same reasons. It is amazing how fast and efficient it can be to cut a branch and hook it with the hook to direct it where you want it to go.

"Old School may rock but the New Gear is cool."

D Mc

 

[Frank Boyer]

I have the Silky and a HT 101. The Stihl is a lot faster. I have a lot of Redwoods to remove the lower branches on. I put the Stihl up on the highest branch that I can reach and trim on down. The butt cap on the Silky isn't held on very well, so put some additional glue/tape on it. I am going to try silicon spray on the buttons. I don't climb and like both of these saws.

 

[Bermie]

I like it lot arrived and i tried it, wow but
how are you retrieving setting ropes with scabbard on mine has a razorsharp
edge for vines think would cut rope?

This one is old, but got bumped...
The answer is 'carefully', throwbag retrieval, doesn't matter if you cut the line, setting a climbing line, rarely, but use a crab when I do so the hook doesn't cut it.
The only reason the buttons on mine are not working so well is one of my groundies used it to fish out a bunch of leaves that had fallen in the water...SALT water! Alumium+salt= not a good thing. WD40 and silicone treatments are finally working.

I got mine stuck bad the other day, I could not get it out until the next day, it spent 24 hrs up a tree, with the blade bent a good way. When it came out the blade sprung back good as new, absolutely no bend from being stuck!!

 

[ATH]

So would a Hayate for under $200 be a good buy? It is "supposed" to be better than the Hayauchi (just a little heavier), right? I almost bought the Hayauchi at a trade show last month, but didn't. After looking more on the silky website, I decided that the Hayate sounded better... I'm buying unless somebody can talk me out of it, so please save me the cash if I am making a bad call! Thanks!

 

[hornett224]

i also have the Stihl by ARS.

works awesome.never had a problem with it.if i didn't have that i'd have the marvin with sections.

 

[Mitchell]

buy it

I would highly recommend the 21 hayachi. Being a small outfit I can not afford to waste money on toys. It is a money making tool for sure. I would replace mine right away if it broke, was lost or liberated; something I can not say about all my tools. I use the power pruners far less now. Glue the end rubber bumper on when you get it as it will fall off. I wish it was not aluminum when working around power but I can break out a Jameson pole if needed.

 

[snowyman]

I don't know what to buy.

$200, that's $220AU, buy it. I just got some prices on 21' saws.

Hayauchi: $400
Hayate : $470
Barnel : $320
ARS : $277

That's Aussie $'s, so I don't know what to get, I'm going to have a look at the Hayate tomorrow, but the others are online or catologue. How do the Barnel & ARS cut compared to the Silky, can anyone tell me?