Thread: Silky Pocket Boy 170 - folding saw review

Bahco, Fiskars, Cyclone, HT, Mcgregors all make reasonably priced folding saws that are a boon to someone in the woods who forgot to bring their chainsaw along that day...generally they are marketed as pruning saws and have the options of fine, medium or large teeth, some times more options as well.

Anyone who has set up a camp, be it selecting the right trees to hang a hammock from, find a flat piece of scrub free ground to pitch a tent or build a bivy will have from time to time needed to fell a tree or cut some branches, whilst a good knife or machete/axe will do the job one of the best ways to do it with the minimum expenditure of energy and leave a clean cut will be to do it with a saw, now dragging one of your wood saws into the bush is not super practical, taking a small capable folding saw is - unfortunately not all folding saws are created equal.

The most common ones seem to be Bahco and Fiskars, there are Swedish companies that make some very nice products, unfortunately there folding saws are one of those nice products, oh they are adequate and better than nothing, but I find that they tend to go blunt quickly, especially when trying to chop through tea tree branches, so instead of buying another when my last one broke I decide to see if there was anything else out there, and there is the japanses company called Silky.

Now I was a little dubious about buying a Japanese saw, then thought about Japanese steels, not Hondas but Samuarai swords, and thought I would give one a try. The Pocket Boy is Silky's small folding line of saws, they also sell a lot of stuff for the professional arborist; the pocket boy comes in either a 13 cm blade (the 130) or a 17 cm blade (called the 170), I opted for the 17 cm blade with large teeth, the blades are user replaceable so if I want a different toothed saw I can just buy a new blade, not a whole new saw, the frame has a rubbery grip which fully encases a metal tang which holds the blade which can lock open (but not closed) in one of two configurations for either over or under cutting, the lock is a sold spring load affair and feels like it will not spontaneously close or fail on you,the blade is some sort of Japanese carbon blade which will strike a spark off of a fire striker, the teeth are real marvels, each one sharpened on multiple angles, not just a simple tooth design like on my previous saws, and the result is almost intimidating, this thing just decimates wood, it does so on a pull cut mind, a push cut just sets up the blade to pull, and if you try and push cut with it it will bend, and I imagine if enough force is applied, break.

It comes in a clear plastic case with a hook for hanging, I use this in the garage but would leave it at home when the saw goes in the pack, although a nice leather pouch from HGD might be in its future...
It weighs, sans case, 220 gm, is 21 cm long closed and 38 cm open, with a 17 cm blade. The Large tooth model comes with a red handle, there is also a black version and a yellow, I think there may be a fourth colour too, each size of teeth has a different colour handle, the handle is comfortable and non slippy rubber but not plastic, the teeth can catch on the handle when closing the saw if you are not carful, but so far has not damaged my handle.



It does cost a tad more than the other options, but not ridiculously so, and the improvement in quality seems to be a fair upgrade, so far mine has not rusted but I suspect that without treatment it will, hence I am going to wax the blade after this review.
Anyway if you are considering a folding saw and the one on your Leatherman or Swiss Army knife is a tad small then I highly recommend one of the Silky saws, either the Pocket Boy 130 or 170.

Shelley

GREAT pieces of kit!
Have used Silkys (Gomtaro, non folding) for years as a professional arborist and their speed and quality of cut is amazing. The teeth stay sharper and cut cleaner for longer than any other hand saw I've used.
I think you'll be very happy with your purchase Shelley.

Mine is blunt, its that long since I got it I cant remember where I got it or last used it.
Where do I get a replacement blade?

Top Gear - NZ's Outdoor Gear Provider for Hunting, Fishing and Camping sells them...
Ok, that's weird typed in www and it changed my post, note I am not affiliated to them...

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

Mine is blunt, its that long since I got it I cant remember where I got it or last used it.
Where do I get a replacement blade?

Fruitfed Supplies, a branch of PGG Wrightson servicing the horticultural industry

If your packing in and setting up a bit of a camp, you can slip a full size handsaw down the back of your pack, they don't weigh much, especially if cutting large stuff down for firewood.Better than a silky saw, faster and easier to use as you can put your body behind it. although being small they are handy for the top of your daypack but I wouldn't bother trying to cut anything more than a 4 inch branch, if your cutting big shit, then get a bigger saw

Id like to see a fair test between the silky, fiskars , bahco etc.

Originally Posted by Matt2308

GREAT pieces of kit!
Have used Silkys (Gomtaro, non folding) for years as a professional arborist and their speed and quality of cut is amazing. The teeth stay sharper and cut cleaner for longer than any other hand saw I've used.
I think you'll be very happy with your purchase Shelley.

Also, it provides reassurance, sitting on your bed side table should you need to attend to a late night intruder. Razor sharp and will slice through most important parts. Constable Plod will not be able to ask, "Why was it unlocked" and if he chooses to ask why it was there, the answer is "just pruned the roses and as I found it still in my trouser pocket when I took them off, I just put it there. ...Just as well I did eh Constable?"

Originally Posted by scoped

If your packing in and setting up a bit of a camp, you can slip a full size handsaw down the back of your pack, they don't weigh much, especially if cutting large stuff down for firewood.Better than a silky saw, faster and easier to use as you can put your body behind it. although being small they are handy for the top of your daypack but I wouldn't bother trying to cut anything more than a 4 inch branch, if your cutting big shit, then get a bigger saw

Id like to see a fair test between the silky, fiskars , bahco etc.

Have a look at the Gomtaro 300, I'd put it up against your etc and it won't be a fair test. Yep, they really are that good!

Hmmmm.....ive got the Bacho, it was cheap and i trust that brand......will have a gander at the silkys, cheers

I ve been in the arb industry for twenty years now, cant go past silky gomtaro 330mm. seen the new silky hooked machete the other day at the local stihl shop.soon as i can justify why we need one for utillity arb, im ordering one!

Mine is not something I would be packing anywhere to be honest,flying/driving/boating somewhere then it would go in if it wasn't blunt,will sort out a new blade for it cheers guys.

That particular silky is good for capping skulls too. Means you don't have to carry the whole skull and antlers.
Also for cutting shooting posies and lookouts too.
I get a lot of use out of mine.

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

Mine is blunt, its that long since I got it I cant remember where I got it or last used it.
Where do I get a replacement blade?

If you have a small triangle file you can sharpen it yourself...probably not as sharp as a new one but you will be amazed what a touch up will do.

for the price I will just get a new one

I use the pocket boys on a daily basis at work and they are a good saw but probably the crap of the Silky saw range. They snap the tip of the blades very easily compared to other folding saws.