Thread: Silky saws

+1 for the F180.
Farmlands sell them.

Originally Posted by No.3

F180 is my one for what it's worth...

https://silkystore.co.nz/products/f180-with-tabs

So.....I have purchased several of these. Fantastic cutters, small enough folded to fit in my enduro bum bag when off piste on the hunting bike. Will draw blood given the slightest inattention. BUT, and its a big but for me, I have had two of the bloody blades snap into multiple bits, or just the tip fracture off in only a couple of hours work in my forest. Yes, I know how to work them, but I am pissed that the blades have been hardened to such a high tensile strength that they shit themselves if you are not concentrating.

I thought a silky would be an upgrade to my Bacho 200mm folding saw (as its 15 years old and blunt). But my next will be a nice new sharp Bacho. I can confirm the blade can be tweaked and straightened OK if that happens. Tweak a silky blade and you are left holding 10 razor blades

Originally Posted by Dusty Fog

chainsaw beats silky hands down

You had a play with a 650 or 700? Depends on the job but the saw is quicker if you are putting PPE on and filling up fuel and oil. Silky takes up a lot less room in the truck as well

Originally Posted by XR500

So.....I have purchased several of these. Fantastic cutters, small enough folded to fit in my enduro bum bag when off piste on the hunting bike. Will draw blood given the slightest inattention. BUT, and its a big but for me, I have had two of the bloody blades snap into multiple bits, or just the tip fracture off in only a couple of hours work in my forest. Yes, I know how to work them, but I am pissed that the blades have been hardened to such a high tensile strength that they shit themselves if you are not concentrating.

I thought a silky would be an upgrade to my Bacho 200mm folding saw (as its 15 years old and blunt). But my next will be a nice new sharp Bacho. I can confirm the blade can be tweaked and straightened OK if that happens. Tweak a silky blade and you are left holding 10 razor blades

This started happening with their new light weight blades. That coincided with the increase in steel prices. Go figure!

For pruning I cant see a Silky beating the old forestry galv frame Bow saws, were they 'Jack' mines got a replaced handle so I cant read the brand

Yeah definitely better than the bow saws, just purely teeth geometry and quality although they aren't comparing apples with apples in terms of portability and weight. Not sure what's up with the new steel used for the blades that's a real concern if they are snapping. Sounds like the hardening and tempering process has changed or something like that as it's weird for any steel to shatter if properly tempered. Almost like they need to go to an induction hardening on the teeth and adjacent steel and leaving the back unhardened...

Originally Posted by No.3

Yeah definitely better than the bow saws, just purely teeth geometry and quality although they aren't comparing apples with apples in terms of portability and weight. Not sure what's up with the new steel used for the blades that's a real concern if they are snapping. Sounds like the hardening and tempering process has changed or something like that as it's weird for any steel to shatter if properly tempered. Almost like they need to go to an induction hardening on the teeth and adjacent steel and leaving the back unhardened...

Which saws are pruning gangs using - aside from loppers ?

The gangs I've had anything to do with have been a mix of powered and pole - but I'm not playing with the forestry ones at the mo. The last forestry one I was around were still using a mix of powered and bow, but the bow were basically on the way out and this was at a forest fire control line so even the chainsaws weren't doing much. The D(fricken huge) dozer was doing a shitton of work however.

Not relevant really for packing purposes though, a bow saw at 700mm long for the shortest one (I have two of those at home inherited from the previous owner of a rental property I had for a while) is not really a feasible packing option. A F180 Silky at 220mm and 165grams is however.

Here’s what I use at the moment

I was thinking of getting a folding saw to clear some windfall from an old track I found, but it sounds like these silkies are too dangerous for me to play with!

Originally Posted by No.3

The gangs I've had anything to do with have been a mix of powered and pole - but I'm not playing with the forestry ones at the mo. The last forestry one I was around were still using a mix of powered and bow, but the bow were basically on the way out and this was at a forest fire control line so even the chainsaws weren't doing much. The D(fricken huge) dozer was doing a shitton of work however.

Not relevant really for packing purposes though, a bow saw at 700mm long for the shortest one (I have two of those at home inherited from the previous owner of a rental property I had for a while) is not really a feasible packing option. A F180 Silky at 220mm and 165grams is however.

Just measured my 1980's NZFS pruner - 500mm x 540 grams. Looks a bit like a tapered 'G' clamp Not practical to pack because the nasty sharp double cut blade would need to be taken on and off, but man they cut fast !

Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

Just measured my 1980's NZFS pruner - 500mm x 540 grams. Looks a bit like a tapered 'G' clamp Not practical to pack because the nasty sharp double cut blade would need to be taken on and off, but man they cut fast !

put up a picture please moa

Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

For pruning I cant see a Silky beating the old forestry galv frame Bow saws, were they 'Jack' mines got a replaced handle so I cant read the brand

Yep, were called Jack saws.....key differences to a Silky was much thinner kerf so shifting much less material, and they cut on push and pull.

Entirely different tool IMO ..Silky takes it away for simplicity and portability.

I have got some stuff from here in the past. There is Jack saw amongst this lot. https://www.timbersaws.co.nz/categor...oductView=list
They have anything you need for pruning and forestry.

Originally Posted by tac a1

put up a picture please moa

I would really like to but since I went to Windows 10 I cant do anything with recent photos, only old photos from 'My Pictures'. I dont know how you blokes put photos up from phones either - all this swiping up down left and right cant figure it.
Anyway the NZFS saw is similar to the saw in the link put up by Tahr with the cast frame, but with a 3mm thick spring steel frame and pink plastic handle and a bit of curve over the handle giving a wider cut. Same type of blade.