Seeking advice / suggestions for Pruning Saw

I have been asked to help cleaning up some overgrown tracks in native bush / regen. This is on private property.
A macete is being made available for my use. I have not really done this type of thing before and would think a good quality pruning saw for the likes of Manuka stems, and other similar woody growth, would be invaluable. I'm not interested in mechanical tools as I have time to go quietly at my own pace and it's not a massive job - maye two or three days at most.
From use and experience can anyone recommend a high quality, lightweight, possibly folding pruning saw that would be suitable ? Preferably one that stays permanently sharp without need of changing or sharpening saw blades. I don't want to spend a fortune but will pay a reasonable cost for quality.
Thankyou.

the best saw by a huge margin is silky - but for track trimming I would go with a hook type slasher sometimes called a fern hook - that will do everything you want - just make sure it is really sharp and carry a small file with you to keep it sharp - learn to use it by hooking upwoods with it rather than slash down - if the manuka is to big for the slasher then likely you should be leaving it and just giving it a prune anyway -

https://shop.farmlands.co.nz/5637149...MaAl-nEALw_wcB

Silky, grab something you can use later for tramping or for the car. Or just go big.
https://silkystore.co.nz/collections/pruning-saws

I use a folding Bahco saw, had it several years and still sharp as. Great little light weight saw.

Mine is the end off bacho pole saw n siccateer thing so guess thier dedicated pruners be good,even thier basic handsaws work well

@Barry the hunter @Shearer @ROKTOY
also Bush Basher, Micky Duck
Many thanks for the prompt comments. I also emailed Silky Store NZ for advice and this is their recommendation ( carry pouch and spare blades available )
https://silkystore.co.nz/collections...h-professional
Kinda looks the business to me. Any reason you guys aware of I shouldn't go with this ?
Cheers

it will be great for pruning branches and cutting bigger stuff out of the way - but having done years of track work you will need something to cut the light brush /fern of the track - a sharp machete is okay but a hook slasher is the best - when you get started and see the job you will work out what you need - DOC we used a scrub bar with a steel triangular blade

I've got a couple of Silky Gomtara saws. Light weight and 300 mm blade.
No heavy hinge mechanism. Good scabbard which fits down the side of your pack or sits comfortably on your belt.
My main saw when I was pruning pines.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

it will be great for pruning branches and cutting bigger stuff out of the way - but having done years of track work you will need something to cut the light brush /fern of the track - a sharp machete is okay but a hook slasher is the best - when you get started and see the job you will work out what you need - DOC we used a scrub bar with a steel triangular blade

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Thanks @Barry the hunter
Having walked ( i.e struggled along while swearing ) the track in question it was predominantly leaning & overhanging branches and woody stems causing the blockages. I think this saw will deal to those admirably in greatly opening passage along the track. From memory I don't recall a lot of vegetation that would be best dealt to with the slasher you describe but if necessary I will tool up with that and return if it would make a positive difference.

Trim all the branches way back, a foot further than the path edge.
Then take to the light stuff with a slasher as Barry says or a decent pair of hedge shears.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ROKTOY

Trim all the branches way back, a foot further than the path edge.
Then take to the light stuff with a slasher as Barry says or a decent pair of hedge shears.

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Will do. Appreciate the tip.
:thumbsup::thumbsup:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

the best saw by a huge margin is silky - ..-

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I can confirm that, in fact I got three stitches recently to prove it. Barely touched my thumb but the teeth are surgically sharp.
Rips through branches like butter. Years back, an orchardist friend of my father recommended them and he was right.

PS.
If you've got Scottish ancestry and some basic woodworking skills, it's cheaper to buy just a spare blade and bandsaw/shape up a handle then epoxy the blade in. My wife is terrible with gear so I made her a "special one"..

Secateurs are also handy for the smaller stuff, especially supple jack

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

the best saw by a huge margin is silky - but for track trimming I would go with a hook type slasher sometimes called a fern hook - that will do everything you want - just make sure it is really sharp and carry a small file with you to keep it sharp - learn to use it by hooking upwoods with it rather than slash down - if the manuka is to big for the slasher then likely you should be leaving it and just giving it a prune anyway -

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How true.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bush Basher

Secateurs are also handy for the smaller stuff, especially supple jack

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I have an old ammo pouch on a belt that carries those exact same items: A folding silky saw, a pair of leather gloves and a pair of secateurs. Handles 90% of track trimming. If track making, the circular saw blade on a 55cc brush cutter is hard to beat, until its chainsaw time.

The Silky saws are awesome - but WATCH THEM. They are lethal on skin and pull saws work by (duh) pulling towards you. Keep your other paw and any body parts you want to stay attached to out of the line of fire... Ask me how I worked that one out.

Now having said that, for outright speed the billhook or heavy slasher is good and I'd recommend a lopper - like one of the Fiskars Powergear units although there are other brands. Chop up to 50mm in one clip very fast and the tool is right there to do the next cut...

Plenty of awesome advice and tips. Many thanks to all for your posts. I think I can keep the tools requirement fairly simple and get the job done, or most of it at least. I haven't the experience to say so with certainty and I'll be learning as I get into it. If it proves to need more than what I start with I will return with the necessary tools to do the job decently but whatever I end up doing initially at least will be a big improvement.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

it will be great for pruning branches and cutting bigger stuff out of the way - but having done years of track work you will need something to cut the light brush /fern of the track - a sharp machete is okay but a hook slasher is the best - when you get started and see the job you will work out what you need - DOC we used a scrub bar with a steel triangular blade

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Silky Yoki is my zombie apocalypse blade of choice, and it should do just fine clearing the smaller stuff out of the way. Did a couple of hours on an avocado orchard clearing light and sometimes not so light bush that had overgrown a stone wall with a mate's and it was like a laser. I've handled the little Nata as well and it also seems to be an amazing piece of kit.

Silky Saw. Mate used one our roar trip to excavate to a remote ridge/China.

Have a couple of Silkys, just gone and ordered one of these:
https://suluk46.com/product/yuka-240-pull-saw/
a Silky Gomby blade in a custom titanium handle!

tell you one thing...the electric pruning saws that look kind of like a sellotape gun..handle and a blade about size of a beer can..... less than $200 last time I looked.really has appeal for the branchs etc and should deal to stuff up to wrist thickness..... and the fern and crap by your feet....a hook slasher used upside down pushing it out and away from you..by cutting up not down,it seems to catch stem and cut as it pulls away from roots,whereas cutting downwards the vegetation bounces and has too much give for it to cut.

Loppers with nice long handles are great. I'd go for these over a saw

Identify your target beyond all doubt because you never miss (right?) and I'll be missed.

In our 4WD we often carry some Ryobi 18 V tools, a chainsaw, electric secateurs and a compact reciprocating saw for clearing overgrown tracks.

+1 for the Silky saw just in case you're not already convinced.

My manager at work insisted with fervent belief on the Silky brand for our pruning saws. I was sceptical that a saw that at 1st glance looked like the rest could actually be that much better. After trying it, I bought one for at home and one for in the truck.

Between a Silky and a decent pair of loppers, there wouldn't be much tanglebush that you couldn't deal to efficiently.

We also have the little Stihl 12V hand held chainsaw. Really useful little bit of kit for doing small cuts on a regular basis, it makes a lot of work really fast, great for doing higher pruning cuts, great for trimming the stray protrusions after you stack a load of branches on the back of a ute or trailer, but if I had to choose just one tool, it would be the Silky.

I have carried the ARS P-18 folding saw for about 40 years.
I think Siky saws are the next generation.
The orange handled BAHCO is cheap and cheerful from Bunnings. Th longer blade has the advantage of longer strokes.
Whichever you buy you will need a "knife file" to keep the teeth sharp. I recently hunted high and low before finding one ar Farmlands Otaki. My one got " modified" for a job, but you get the idea.

Knife files are specifically designed to sharpen both opposite teeth on pruning saw, with each stroke.

The machete it like a cane knife or Gurkha knife. It's really well balanced with the weight up the top end and it doesnt flex like traditional straight blade machetes. it's Chinese, but keeps a good edge. I got this from Pete's Emporium in Porirua. It's called a "HEAD HUNTER!" Which is weird because Porirua is mostly Mongrel Mop turf!?Attachment 247994
Attachment 247995

I keep these in my ute for clearing tracks so I don't scratch much my ute.

@longshot Yes! Loppers are good, perhaps safer and faster for medium sized branches.
LEVIN SAWS manufacturer forestry industrial standard loppers ans pruning saws.