I'm only 2 minutes into this video, and haven't finished it, but, felt compelled to pause it and tell you: thanks for giving your thoughts and conclusions immediately upfront, instead of dangling the carrot in front of the horse for 27 minutes before finally giving a vague answer in the last 20 seconds of the video. That's so damn refreshing.
As mentioned the cutting action on both are different. The silky is a pull saw meaning it cuts as you pull towards you, if you try to push it your more apt to break it (personal experience). The Bahco on the other hand cuts in both directions, I have them both and use them quite a bit, hard to tell which is better they're both indispensable.
Agreed. This seems to be the evolution for most bushcrafters when it comes to folding saws: Stage 1: Get a Bahco. Start to realize that while they aren't as sexy as knives and axes, saws are incredibly useful. Stage 2: Decide you need more "performance" out of your folding saw, so you try a Silky. Find that the Silky is pretty good at some things. Stage 3: Come full circle and realize both have their strengths and weaknesses. Enlightenment achieved.
@bsmithhammer actually no, he never mentioned the biggest difference between the two, that the silky cuts only on the pull stroke and the bahco cuts in both directions. Despite that difference, the silky cuts faster.
An additional advantage of the Silky is that it has two different open positions: apart from the normal one (180º), it has a position where the blade locks at a higher angle, which is useful if you are cutting on a low plane; this also minimizes the possibility of hitting rocks or other obstacles on the ground close to your work.
Dan, I’m glad to see that you are no longer in the 1800s with a buck saw that takes time to set up and tear down. Good on you! May I ask what, to you, constitutes a pruning saw? You categorically recommend against them, but do not say why. I ask that, because when we are cutting firewood in camp, we are doing much of the same job that is done in tree pruning. Pruning saws are designed and made for the kind of cutting that campers do. I’ve carried and used a Corona 10” folding pruning saw for 3-4 years and it does a darned good job. The entirety of a saw exists to hold and support the very tip ends of the saw teeth . The ONLY working part of a saw is the end few thousandths of an inch of each cutting tooth. All the rest is just a support system. An evaluation of a saw starts there, at the tips of the teeth. If they don’t do their job well, look no further. If they do their job well, then we can look further. You looked further - even out to using the back edge for starting fires. Good job there. Today, we have many more choices of quality camp gear than were available 5, 10, 40 years ago. That’s a plus. Courtesy of Half Vast Flying
I’m a gardener in Australia, and love going bush camping. I’ve used these two saws a lot. Think Eucalyptus hardwood, and you’ll understand they’ve been tested. Some things to add; I find the Silky button is easy to engage while cutting. Not dangerously, but could be annoying for some. And I have the finer tooth blade, which makes the nicest cut for pruning, but is slow. The instructions state that you only cut on the pull stroke and shouldn’t force on the push. The Bahco has a plastic handle, so is light in cargo pants and doesnt flap around, but if your rough with tools, bits can break, making it no longer latch or hold the blade securely. I’ve bought many replacements, cause they last long enough to make it worth it. Both great saws. Just depends how you’d use it.
I was using the Corona saws for many years before either of those 2 brands came around. And they are very good and not expensive. I've been doing bushcraft since the 70s.
Good review, commercial gardener here, and I would just like to add that while Silky blades do have a lifespan and replacement blades aren't necessary cheap, they can still stay fairly sharp when compared to generic carpenter or run of the mill plywood saws, at about roughly a 5:1 lifespan ratio depending on what you are cutting/pruning. Professional carpenters in my region of the world usually brings a dozen replacement blades to the job site for their regular plywood saws, and they just go through and dispose of them when necessary. It is important to have this type of option for a Horticultural saw as well. You need to familiarize yourself with a Silky saw's limitations - I find that by sticking to pruning mostly green wood, and avoiding mud, debris, dirt and gravel (basically, don't saw anything below the tree trunk) Silky saws work just fine and seldom need replacement outside the routine wear and tear. I run through a new blade about every 2-3 months or so, or whenever I have a heavy pruning commercial project that is hard on the blade. I love how Silky gives me the option to swap out a worn blade during break and just get right back to work. However, of course, I understand in a survival situation you would need a blade that lasts, and not one that needs repair work, but generally, I find Silky "little Giant" series handsaws to be such a compact and ergonomic package, it's hard to imagine them not do well in a survival situation? Of course, you will need to keep in mind this saw, like all saws, have limitations and dirt/debris will eat up its sharpness so fast - if you don't use it with some insight and knowledge about what type of wood you need to process - you'll end up with it dull in no time...
I've not used the Silky, but the Bahco is perhaps the best 20$ I have spent on a tool. I have beat mine to hell and back and it still cuts like a champ.
This kid that grew up in the concrete jungle loves playing survivalist for the first hour after setting up camp. Trying gather wood (even though I brought enough to last me a week for my weekend car trip) Trying to start a fire using my rod and scraper (even though I have a lighter) Trying to set up a tripod with the sticks I found (even though I have a table and a stove) Trying to have fun. (even though I am already having fun working or relaxing out in the woods) Thanks for all the tips. I will stick with my dime store special hand saw and will buy a better one when I feel that I've earned it. I already have my Ka-Bar that took me a year to buy and I love it.
👍 .. Now in my 70's, I've been 'trying' all my life and shall continue and enjoy, doing so. Dime store hand saw .. I use a Felco 600 folding saw bought at my local hardware store and see no reason to change. Why? It does the job and very well to boot. Swiss Quality (although manufactured in South Korea) and if ever required, replacement blades are just down the road.
@@thomasmusso1147 I can totally see buying "quality" tools if I was truly out in the wilderness. Hours or days away from help. With me playing hardcore survivalist the few hours while setting up camp in next to my car. I am happy with my cheap tools. Eventually I will buy quality after I take some actual survival classes. So I can be safer when I am hours and days away from help.
I have 4 Corona folding saws.. about the same price as the bahco, sharp spine for striking a ferro rod, will throw sparks from flint or chert, and my opinion cuts just as good, I like the red incase I set it down, easy to spot.. hands down my choice
I choose neither, Corona saw! i choose you!!! i have used the bahco and a silky saw, the corona cuts like the silky, but has the edge retention and flex of the bahco, i was cutting a small 6" trees roots growing up through a chain link fence, with the corona (17" model) and cut most of them and tried to cut what i thought was the taproot, after about 5-10 minutes i was like man, i thought i would be through it by now, i couldnt actually see the root in the hole i had dug, so i dug it out some more, and turned out i had cut the root but had been sawing on a block of hand hewn stone that was a little bigger than your standard brick, not only was the saw teeth still razor sharp but i had no noticeable difference, from before when cutting wood, i would like to get a smaller saw like that little silky saw though, easier to carry although most of the corona when folded will fit in the front or back pocket of my jeans, also the only saw that has ever made me bleed, the teeth are needle sharp.
I own both. As an experiment (try this yourself if you can), I took a few 'samples' of different logs of different types of wood and cut 2" off of each and counted the number of pulls required for each saw and each log. On average, the Silky would cut through the same log with about 75% less 'pulls' than the Bahco -- so it's generally much faster and easier. To make the 'test' fair, I'd take a little rest between and alternated which saw I used first on each log, etc. BUT ... the teeth on the Silky can get 'gummed-up' with sawdust and such much faster whereas the Bahco far less often. The bottom line is that if I'm cutting green stuff, I use the Bachco. For dryer stuff like processing firewood at camp, I use the Silky. Dan's absolutely correct about the blades though ... processing dry wood at camp is a different environment (more controlled) than bending over while standing on a wet & rocky hillside in the rain. Another 'warning' about Silkys ... unless yours latches shut (like Dan's), it can open up on you in your pocket or backpack ... so you might need to carry it in that 'Silly Silky' case that comes with it or otherwise secure the blade. Those teeth are sharp and will destroy your tent, sleep system, etc. if were to snag anything. P.S. I love both of them and usually carry both -- I'm more of a camper / bushcrafter than a back-packer ... I never understood those people 😃
@@auroraborealisknives4019 "The Silky saws can snap easily" Yes.. If you misuse them.. user error! After more than a decade I have never broken a Silky saw blade
@@shadowcastre silky saws are designed for arborists in Japan, not for rugged outdoors use I have seen a plethora of youtube videos of people breaking their silky saws unfortunately I would not want to be relying on such a tool
My son bought me a silky pocket boy It's the perfect size for me I absolutely love it I'm female 66years old and use it every time I go camping which is every two or more three weeks Thank you from Australia
Haven't used my bahco in YEARS. Silky for sheer performance while camping, they're far better at processing dry wood than any other saws I have used. Impressive considering they're actually designed for green wood/pruning live trees. but for overall toughness I would definitely go with the bahco for a "bug out" / "survival" setup. (If you're into that) That being said I have never actually broken a silky blade myself. Agawa Canyon Boreal 21 is also another excellent option. Good performance & tough.
I don't doubt you at all, but it's interesting that I had the exact opposite experiences. Silky for Dry, Bacho for wet is what I've always found. Now, I'm gonna have to redo my tests ! Thanks, @klausheisler5014 ... you just caused me to question myself and spend another hour in the woods ! LOL
You forgot to mention that the Bahco has a push/pull blade, and the silky cuts on the pull stroke only. That's why silky's break, from trying to push them forward under pressure.
What happens with the Silky is it can pinch in the push back stroke even if one is not trying to cut in that stroke. but most just don't understand the push pull thing and go all ape with the Silky and it don't like it. I have and use Silky saws they are a great saw.
@Christopher Rowley Honestly, I don't think they're stainless on the Silky's. My BigBoy 2000 has definitely rusted on me like carbon steel. They say it's "rust resistant chrome plated" which I'm assuming is chrome plated carbon steel. As far as being brittle....I don't know. I have accidentally wrenched the crap out of mine not paying attention or being tired and it has bent bad...never snapped and came back to true. I'm sure if I did that a few more times it may snap eventually but it's pretty resilient, IMO.
@@pennsyltuckyreb9800 oh ok interesting. The guy in the video called it stainless so that's what I was going off of. And I've seen lots of silkys in many other videos breaking, hence why I called it brittle. I've used the crap out of bahcos though and never broke one. I plan on getting a silky at some point, just cause even the people that break them say they cut way better.
Thanks for this video bro 👍, in all the years I've been watching RUclips, I believe you're the first person, well to my knowledge, that actually explains the pros and cons of both saws, much mahalos 🤙🤙🤙
I have 2 Silky folding saws. One for the big stuff and one for the smaller stuff... I have F180 Pro and BigBoy Pro. I love them! The F180 fits in my pocket so well and I have a paracord lanyard on it to hang out the pocket to make it easy to grab it and pull the saw out, as well as to hang it up.
Thanks for that comparison. I’ve been using Silky saws for 20 years (fine carpentry blades to the 240) and love them. As these are Japanese pull saws, many folks tend to bend these blades by trying to cut on the push, or forward, stroke.
Love both brands, my favorite if you're new to bushcraft is the bahco. Push/pull cut and slightly thicker blade is just a bit easier for beginners. That being said a Silky just tears through wood like crazy. After fiddling around with different saws I carry the bahco for small fires or crafting. Also for collecting pitchwood. The silk big boy fits in my pack when I know I'm going out to make a big fire or a shelter, something where lots of wood processing is happening. So totally agree with you, they're both rad!
I have both. I use the Bahco in my bushcraft/adventure pack and the Silky PocketBoy in my get home bag. I love them both but, you do need to baby the Silky a little more.
good review Dan, the first bushcraft saw I ever bought was the Bahco Laplander, and I still have it, but I QUICKLY switched to my now current favorite saw which is the 10" curved blade Corona Razortooth saw. This Corona saw is a wood EATER and stays in my EDC. I make custom, natural fork slingshots as a hobby, and I probably have 4 of these in my truck right now......super saw, give them an honest try.
I started off with cheap folding saws from Canadian Tire store. They were crap. They can fall apart easily after a short time and don't cut near as good as my Silky saws. So after 2 of these cheap ones I finally decided to spend the extra money on Silky that everybody kept going on about in their bushcraft/camping videos and was very pleased with the F180 Pro, so later I decided to have a bigger one for the wide trees and stuck with Silky, getting the BigBoy Pro. They are both great saws!
Nice video. I just wanna leave a honarable mention for the never mentioned fiskars saw. That is a nice one too. It is no folding saw, but in the same range as the bahco. It has a ülastic handle out of which the blade slides out of the front and is then secured by a handsrew at the side. I use that thing since years on our outdoor trips to Sweden and for pruning in the garden. It might not be like a silky, but it is a good light small saw. i got the small one with a 16 cm / 6.3 inch blade, that you can buy for around 20 Euro here in germany. thei also is a longer 25 cm / 9.8 inch version for 56 Euro. so their is a good alternative to Bahco and Silky.
That's the one I have as well, but from '97 or so. I got it after I saw/used a pal's with the double row looking teeth. I landed on a Fiskar's. Mostly used for clearing snowmobile trail over hangs..2 inch max branches. But I've faith. Also the fact it's retractable has merits. Even though a tad wobbly when blade partly extended it works for hitting a ferro rod, scraping some fatwood. Thanks Rozilmer. I really should email Fiskar's as whether the newer blades fit the old handles.
Thanks for the comparison. I have a silky f180. First I was pretty impressed, but after a few times using it, I realized how dull the blade became, espacially after sawing wood with some fatwood in it. After that,it was useless. Now, I am very happy with the Tajima G-Saw, especially with the black coated "power-glide" blade. It cuts very clean and bites very fast into wood and fatwood without a problem.
I have both of these saws. The Bahco feels cheep, and in fact was much less expensive than the Silky. I've only used it a couple times, it sits in my camping tote untouched. That said, one of the best folding saws I've ever used is from Wicked Tree Gear. I have 2 of them. Great tools.
Worth mentioning that you can in most part of the world you can buy 2 to 3-4 Bahco Laplander for the price of the cheapest Silky. In my part of Canada, the Bahco Laplander is around 30-35 $ and the cheapest Silky is about 70$ ish.
I have a silky big boy which I really like and use a lot. I also have a bahco laplander and really like it for in my pack and use it a lot for small jobs. I like the bahco slim compact design and it cuts great.
Hey Dan, Dan at OCHOCO BUSHCRAFT. Wondering if you had a chance to use the new Silky Pocketboy Outback edition? It performs completely different than the standard Silky. Much more durable, and I've deliberately bound the blade and it just bent and sprang back. Also will throw sparks even with black coating. Still use my Bahco at times too, but the Outback is something special.
Hi Dan, I'm one of your subscribers. I have a 40-year-old folding handsaw that takes reciprocating saw blades. It looks like the silky saw but it's made of lightweight aluminum and I can put any kind of blade on there from tree cutting to Ceramics metal or 2x4s. I carry that in my everyday bag because I can cut anything with it especially when I'm going around cities. I used to use it when I was doing plumbing jobs because you can bend the blades going around corners for tricky cuts. I also have three silky saws and a Bahco.
Just for fun, you might want to try a Stihl folding pruning saw. I have used them for years, like the silky they cut on the pull stroke, as fast as the silky but more durable blade. I have both, Stihl and Silky. I favor the Stihl, very comfortable in my hand. Replacement blades are reasonable, and you can sharpen them. I have used one cutting roots, saplings at ground level…they seem to stay sharper than the Silky. I don’t have a Bacco, I have a strong preference for the pull cut.
Got a Silky for Christmas, amazing saw. Mine is only an 8 inch and I have cut full on logs with it. Granted it took a bit of time but it worked. Only problem, I want a bigger one now.
I’ve gone with the cheap folders from the hardware store for nearly 50 years now (I’m 60), and they have never failed me in the field. I’m sure these are great and all, but I think if you’re worried about your budget and still want to get out in the woods for some fun, just go to Home Depot or Ace Hardware, you’ll be fine.
Haven't been out, the last few years. Used Victorinox saw blade for most things. Didn't need my Gerber (1 wood blade, 1 bone blade), very often. Nice when it was needed.
Thanks again for another "to the point" video Dan! I've carried a Silky Bigboy for years clearing trail in the wilderness areas and was looking for a shorter folding saw. The Bahco is definately on my list of needed items. Thanks for the great video!
I got both the Laplander and a Gomboy and use both all the time. I prefer the Laplander for yardwork around fences, but both are great. Also made a little sheath for the Laplander and the Gomboy fits perfectly, too. Win win. Get both.
I only have experience with my Bahco, but I've had it since 2016 on the same blade. I've used it in camp, and as of recently it's been working more in the yard lol. I've bent it everyway as well and just had to straighten and occasionally reset a few teeth and it's good to go again. If you're a person, like myself, that buys one thing and uses that item til it's broken beyond repair, Bahco all day.
I have a Bahko for the tiny stuff, but hardly ever use it. My go-to blades are the Silky 2000 Professional and the Silky Katanaboy 650. The Katanaboy cuts down a tree in a few minutes, whereas if I were using an axe, I'd be there for ages.
I have the Bahco...really like it. I was thinking about straying to the Silky camp to see if the grass was greener. Think I'll stay where I'm at, thanks. The Silkys cost more and I've had no problems with the Bahco and sounds like potential for issues with the Silky. It was a done deal when you said if you're outback and it breaks...didn't have to say anymore. Oh...and I always have something that would hit a firesteel on my person so...
I used to be a landscaper and I used mostly bahco pruners and loppers, every bit as good as felco at half the price. My main pruning saw and also my folding bushcraft saw are silky. Both very good brands. The only bahco saw I own is a pole saw. It’s as ok as any other pole saw and a lot better than the fiskars pole saw. I also have dozens of inexpensive, folding Japanese pruning saws and I wish I knew the brand, but I keep them in both my cars, in my camping gear and in my pruning toolbox and they are amazing. They used to cost about eight bucks and they can’t be beat for small, folding saws. Japanese pattern teeth and much better for daily, hard use than anything other than the silky.
I’ll note that the lever release on the folding silky is NOT a benefit. It constantly engages and changes the blade angle if you’re not careful. I do NOT like this ‘feature.’
Also, I have had my silky pruning saw bound in quite a number of cuts due to, uh, poor planning? Anyway, I’ve never broken or even bent the blade (I have bent a number of other saws blades this way and, no, you absolutely can’t really fix a bent saw blade back to good functionality). I love this channel, but I can’t completely agree with Dan’s conclusions here, but everyone’s experience is different. I’ve learned a lot of critically important information from this channel, so I don’t want this comment to be taken as criticism, as much as, ‘my experience is different.’
I have a small echo folder that works very well. I'm looking at the still mini folder to. I snapped my tip which was my fault so I can't blame anyone but me learning how to use the saw. Both available at fleet and farm or farm and fleet in garden department.
Always enjoy hearing your opinions. I want to mention that the Silky saw is a pull saw and if used as such, shouldn't ever break it's tip off. Never used a Bahco saw, so I don't know about it. Seems odd that the softer more flexible blade would retain its "edges" better than the harder and more brittle blade. One of the "pluses" that I enjoy on the Silky is the multi-position handle that keeps your knuckles out of the dirt when sawing logs on the ground. It didn't look like the Bacho had that feature, just looking on this video. You mentioned the alternate blades for the Silky, but I want to add that it turns out that one blade makes a great screwdriver when replacing the other blade. No extra tool needed. One last thing, if you ever get your hands on a Cohglan Mini Sierra Saw, give it a whirl and let us know what you think about it. It is cheaply constructed, but low in price. It is very light, small, sharp, and makes a great striker. I stick them in all my small emergency bags. They just have surprising utility for what they are.
I love Silky saws but have to say the folding lock is a love/hate thing. I have had on multiple of times had my hand press the lock while using the saw. I have also had a Silki Katana saw fold up on my fingers because of the way I have to hold it to unlock and close the blade. I have never used a Bahco so I can't compare them. Thanks for a verry informative video!
As a preference for myself, I prefer the Corona for quality and price. The "razor tooth" version comes in 7 inch and the 10 inch that I carry and it literally chows down on larger limbs and trees . It too has a 90 degree spine that throws sparks with a flexible blade that is more forgiving. The handle is very ergonomic, button release, and solid lock up. For a $20 price tag, I'll put it up against any out there for dependability and performance
Been using a Bahco for Years, never Failed me. Love it.
Me too, then I got a Silky. They are night and day.
I'm only 2 minutes into this video, and haven't finished it, but, felt compelled to pause it and tell you: thanks for giving your thoughts and conclusions immediately upfront, instead of dangling the carrot in front of the horse for 27 minutes before finally giving a vague answer in the last 20 seconds of the video. That's so damn refreshing.
As mentioned the cutting action on both are different. The silky is a pull saw meaning it cuts as you pull towards you, if you try to push it your more apt to break it (personal experience). The Bahco on the other hand cuts in both directions, I have them both and use them quite a bit, hard to tell which is better they're both indispensable.
He actually didn't mention it, and it's one of the key differences.
@@Kankudai That they cut differently? Yeah, he did.
Agreed. This seems to be the evolution for most bushcrafters when it comes to folding saws:
Stage 1: Get a Bahco. Start to realize that while they aren't as sexy as knives and axes, saws are incredibly useful.
Stage 2: Decide you need more "performance" out of your folding saw, so you try a Silky. Find that the Silky is pretty good at some things.
Stage 3: Come full circle and realize both have their strengths and weaknesses. Enlightenment achieved.
@bsmithhammer actually no, he never mentioned the biggest difference between the two, that the silky cuts only on the pull stroke and the bahco cuts in both directions. Despite that difference, the silky cuts faster.
Silky cuts like butter and offers an extended line of sizes and styles but may cater to a more experienced user. The Bahco is just the Bahco.
I’ve used the same corona saw for 4 years, and I use it a lot!
An additional advantage of the Silky is that it has two different open positions: apart from the normal one (180º), it has a position where the blade locks at a higher angle, which is useful if you are cutting on a low plane; this also minimizes the possibility of hitting rocks or other obstacles on the ground close to your work.
Dan, I’m glad to see that you are no longer in the 1800s with a buck saw that takes time to set up and tear down. Good on you!
May I ask what, to you, constitutes a pruning saw? You categorically recommend against them, but do not say why. I ask that, because when we are cutting firewood in camp, we are doing much of the same job that is done in tree pruning. Pruning saws are designed and made for the kind of cutting that campers do. I’ve carried and used a Corona 10” folding pruning saw for 3-4 years and it does a darned good job.
The entirety of a saw exists to hold and support the very tip ends of the saw teeth . The ONLY working part of a saw is the end few thousandths of an inch of each cutting tooth. All the rest is just a support system. An evaluation of a saw starts there, at the tips of the teeth. If they don’t do their job well, look no further. If they do their job well, then we can look further. You looked further - even out to using the back edge for starting fires. Good job there.
Today, we have many more choices of quality camp gear than were available 5, 10, 40 years ago. That’s a plus.
Courtesy of Half Vast Flying
I’m a gardener in Australia, and love going bush camping. I’ve used these two saws a lot. Think Eucalyptus hardwood, and you’ll understand they’ve been tested.
Some things to add;
I find the Silky button is easy to engage while cutting. Not dangerously, but could be annoying for some. And I have the finer tooth blade, which makes the nicest cut for pruning, but is slow. The instructions state that you only cut on the pull stroke and shouldn’t force on the push.
The Bahco has a plastic handle, so is light in cargo pants and doesnt flap around, but if your rough with tools, bits can break, making it no longer latch or hold the blade securely. I’ve bought many replacements, cause they last long enough to make it worth it.
Both great saws. Just depends how you’d use it.
Bahco is a beast. Mine rides in the truck and has saved the day more than I can count.
I was using the Corona saws for many years before either of those 2 brands came around. And they are very good and not expensive. I've been doing bushcraft since the 70s.
That’s what I picked up, too: it was easily available at my local hardware store.
Same. Another +1 for the Carona. I am not a “bushcrafter” so the Corona works perfect for my summer camping trips to the BWCA.
My Corona has been working great for many years. I'll buy one of these if my old trusty ever wears out.
Depends on your region, Bahco has been around since the late 1800's
My corona has served me well. It may not be the smallest, but it is lightweight, dependable, and cuts great.
Good review, commercial gardener here, and I would just like to add that while Silky blades do have a lifespan and replacement blades aren't necessary cheap, they can still stay fairly sharp when compared to generic carpenter or run of the mill plywood saws, at about roughly a 5:1 lifespan ratio depending on what you are cutting/pruning. Professional carpenters in my region of the world usually brings a dozen replacement blades to the job site for their regular plywood saws, and they just go through and dispose of them when necessary. It is important to have this type of option for a Horticultural saw as well. You need to familiarize yourself with a Silky saw's limitations - I find that by sticking to pruning mostly green wood, and avoiding mud, debris, dirt and gravel (basically, don't saw anything below the tree trunk) Silky saws work just fine and seldom need replacement outside the routine wear and tear. I run through a new blade about every 2-3 months or so, or whenever I have a heavy pruning commercial project that is hard on the blade. I love how Silky gives me the option to swap out a worn blade during break and just get right back to work. However, of course, I understand in a survival situation you would need a blade that lasts, and not one that needs repair work, but generally, I find Silky "little Giant" series handsaws to be such a compact and ergonomic package, it's hard to imagine them not do well in a survival situation? Of course, you will need to keep in mind this saw, like all saws, have limitations and dirt/debris will eat up its sharpness so fast - if you don't use it with some insight and knowledge about what type of wood you need to process - you'll end up with it dull in no time...
I've not used the Silky, but the Bahco is perhaps the best 20$ I have spent on a tool. I have beat mine to hell and back and it still cuts like a champ.
Silky cuts real fast, check out a dbk vid on them
Ah, go ahead ... get yourself a Silky for your Birthday !
🎂
This kid that grew up in the concrete jungle loves playing survivalist for the first hour after setting up camp.
Trying gather wood (even though I brought enough to last me a week for my weekend car trip)
Trying to start a fire using my rod and scraper (even though I have a lighter)
Trying to set up a tripod with the sticks I found (even though I have a table and a stove)
Trying to have fun. (even though I am already having fun working or relaxing out in the woods)
Thanks for all the tips. I will stick with my dime store special hand saw and will buy a better one when I feel that I've earned it. I already have my Ka-Bar that took me a year to buy and I love it.
👍 .. Now in my 70's, I've been 'trying' all my life and shall continue and enjoy, doing so.
Dime store hand saw .. I use a Felco 600 folding saw bought at my local hardware store and see no reason to change.
Why? It does the job and very well to boot. Swiss Quality (although manufactured in South Korea) and if ever required, replacement blades are just down the road.
@@thomasmusso1147 I can totally see buying "quality" tools if I was truly out in the wilderness. Hours or days away from help. With me playing hardcore survivalist the few hours while setting up camp in next to my car. I am happy with my cheap tools. Eventually I will buy quality after I take some actual survival classes. So I can be safer when I am hours and days away from help.
I have 4 Corona folding saws.. about the same price as the bahco, sharp spine for striking a ferro rod, will throw sparks from flint or chert, and my opinion cuts just as good, I like the red incase I set it down, easy to spot.. hands down my choice
I have a Corona folding saw as well. Hard to beat for the price.
I choose neither, Corona saw! i choose you!!! i have used the bahco and a silky saw, the corona cuts like the silky, but has the edge retention and flex of the bahco, i was cutting a small 6" trees roots growing up through a chain link fence, with the corona (17" model) and cut most of them and tried to cut what i thought was the taproot, after about 5-10 minutes i was like man, i thought i would be through it by now, i couldnt actually see the root in the hole i had dug, so i dug it out some more, and turned out i had cut the root but had been sawing on a block of hand hewn stone that was a little bigger than your standard brick, not only was the saw teeth still razor sharp but i had no noticeable difference, from before when cutting wood, i would like to get a smaller saw like that little silky saw though, easier to carry although most of the corona when folded will fit in the front or back pocket of my jeans, also the only saw that has ever made me bleed, the teeth are needle sharp.
I own both. As an experiment (try this yourself if you can), I took a few 'samples' of different logs of different types of wood and cut 2" off of each and counted the number of pulls required for each saw and each log.
On average, the Silky would cut through the same log with about 75% less 'pulls' than the Bahco -- so it's generally much faster and easier. To make the 'test' fair, I'd take a little rest between and alternated which saw I used first on each log, etc.
BUT ... the teeth on the Silky can get 'gummed-up' with sawdust and such much faster whereas the Bahco far less often. The bottom line is that if I'm cutting green stuff, I use the Bachco. For dryer stuff like processing firewood at camp, I use the Silky.
Dan's absolutely correct about the blades though ... processing dry wood at camp is a different environment (more controlled) than bending over while standing on a wet & rocky hillside in the rain.
Another 'warning' about Silkys ... unless yours latches shut (like Dan's), it can open up on you in your pocket or backpack ... so you might need to carry it in that 'Silly Silky' case that comes with it or otherwise secure the blade. Those teeth are sharp and will destroy your tent, sleep system, etc. if were to snag anything.
P.S. I love both of them and usually carry both -- I'm more of a camper / bushcrafter than a back-packer ... I never understood those people 😃
I have a silky pocket boy and a big boy. I love them. If used properly they won’t bend or break
But the bahco is much more robust
@@auroraborealisknives4019
Not really... misuse it too and it will be damaged or break.
@@shadowcastre I have used both for a long time and never broke a Bahco
The silky saws can snap easily.
@@auroraborealisknives4019
"The Silky saws can snap easily"
Yes.. If you misuse them.. user error!
After more than a decade I have never broken a Silky saw blade
@@shadowcastre silky saws are designed for arborists in Japan, not for rugged outdoors use
I have seen a plethora of youtube videos of people breaking their silky saws unfortunately
I would not want to be relying on such a tool
I bought the Bahco a few months ago and have no regrets. I really appreciate the longevity of this saw.
My son bought me a silky pocket boy
It's the perfect size for me I absolutely love it
I'm female 66years old and use it every time I go camping which is every two or more three weeks
Thank you from Australia
I just started looking at Silky Saws today. Great timing.
Haven't used my bahco in YEARS.
Silky for sheer performance while camping, they're far better at processing dry wood than any other saws I have used. Impressive considering they're actually designed for green wood/pruning live trees. but for overall toughness I would definitely go with the bahco for a "bug out" / "survival" setup.
(If you're into that)
That being said I have never actually broken a silky blade myself.
Agawa Canyon Boreal 21 is also another excellent option. Good performance & tough.
I don't doubt you at all, but it's interesting that I had the exact opposite experiences. Silky for Dry, Bacho for wet is what I've always found.
Now, I'm gonna have to redo my tests !
Thanks, @klausheisler5014 ... you just caused me to question myself and spend another hour in the woods ! LOL
@@stillnocouch
Zubat "arborist" & the ultra accel 240 curve are the ones I use. Fixed blade Zubat is definitely my favorite though.
@@klausheisler5014: Thanks for the recommendation. I'll looking both. 👍
I have a Silky Gomboy. Love it.
Same here. Really like my Silky Gomboy (240).
I've got the Outback edition gomboy, and it's super handy
I bought one of those $15 hardware store folding saws and have been using for 5 years now, still works just fine.
Back when hardware stores sold quality. Actually some hardware stores still do.
I have both. I use the Cohglans Sierra saw more than either.
i don't know how you don't have a couple million subscribers. your stuff is so informative. i have used several things i've seen you do .
You forgot to mention that the Bahco has a push/pull blade, and the silky cuts on the pull stroke only. That's why silky's break, from trying to push them forward under pressure.
it's also because the stainless steel they use is brittle
What happens with the Silky is it can pinch in the push back stroke even if one is not trying to cut in that stroke. but most just don't understand the push pull thing and go all ape with the Silky and it don't like it. I have and use Silky saws they are a great saw.
@Christopher Rowley Honestly, I don't think they're stainless on the Silky's. My BigBoy 2000 has definitely rusted on me like carbon steel. They say it's "rust resistant chrome plated" which I'm assuming is chrome plated carbon steel.
As far as being brittle....I don't know. I have accidentally wrenched the crap out of mine not paying attention or being tired and it has bent bad...never snapped and came back to true.
I'm sure if I did that a few more times it may snap eventually but it's pretty resilient, IMO.
@@pennsyltuckyreb9800 oh ok interesting. The guy in the video called it stainless so that's what I was going off of. And I've seen lots of silkys in many other videos breaking, hence why I called it brittle. I've used the crap out of bahcos though and never broke one. I plan on getting a silky at some point, just cause even the people that break them say they cut way better.
Nice going on the assumptions and conclusions.
I'm partial to my Bahco. It's a real workhorse. Also I like the bendy blade.
I use a big and little to heavy Gardena folding saw. Saws like a charm.. and orange so it's easy to spot
yes great promotion I very much appreciated the simple down to earth subject without bias. thankyou.
Thanks for this video bro 👍, in all the years I've been watching RUclips, I believe you're the first person, well to my knowledge, that actually explains the pros and cons of both saws, much mahalos 🤙🤙🤙
Thank you so much for sharing your experience!
Been carrying a folding saw since about '80-'81. Amazed by what's available now.
Bhaco! Every time ! I've got one I've been using for over 4 years. Luv Em.
I have 2 Silky folding saws. One for the big stuff and one for the smaller stuff... I have F180 Pro and BigBoy Pro. I love them! The F180 fits in my pocket so well and I have a paracord lanyard on it to hang out the pocket to make it easy to grab it and pull the saw out, as well as to hang it up.
Take a file to the back of the Bacho and it will throw sparks from a ferro rod all day.
Love 'em both. Use both for different detail work that presents itself.
I've used both, and have settled on the Silky Pocetboy, Gomboy and Bigboy saws
Thanks for that comparison. I’ve been using Silky saws for 20 years (fine carpentry blades to the 240) and love them. As these are Japanese pull saws, many folks tend to bend these blades by trying to cut on the push, or forward, stroke.
Love both brands, my favorite if you're new to bushcraft is the bahco. Push/pull cut and slightly thicker blade is just a bit easier for beginners. That being said a Silky just tears through wood like crazy. After fiddling around with different saws I carry the bahco for small fires or crafting. Also for collecting pitchwood. The silk big boy fits in my pack when I know I'm going out to make a big fire or a shelter, something where lots of wood processing is happening. So totally agree with you, they're both rad!
why not both?
I like my wicked saw very sturdy , i also have a kenshaw and a silky but much bigger . Great topic . Camp shovels next ?
I loosened up the pivot on my Bahco just a touch to make it a "gravity saw". Sweet one handed opening and it still locks up fine.
Is always great vid! As a heavy metal country man I love the intro music
I agree 100%
I snapped my 16” silky saw prolly my fault but I still have my bahco . Bought both 10 years ago .
I sharpened the back of my Bacho and blued it, throws sparks great
This mirrors my use experience as well.
Silky: excellent recreational saw
Bahco: end of the world saw.
I have both. I use the Bahco in my bushcraft/adventure pack and the Silky PocketBoy in my get home bag. I love them both but, you do need to baby the Silky a little more.
@@gwitt170 It's all preference to me. If you're confident in the skills you have with the tools you use, then you're gtg.
good review Dan, the first bushcraft saw I ever bought was the Bahco Laplander, and I still have it, but I QUICKLY switched to my now current favorite saw which is the 10" curved blade Corona Razortooth saw. This Corona saw is a wood EATER and stays in my EDC. I make custom, natural fork slingshots as a hobby, and I probably have 4 of these in my truck right now......super saw, give them an honest try.
I started off with cheap folding saws from Canadian Tire store. They were crap. They can fall apart easily after a short time and don't cut near as good as my Silky saws. So after 2 of these cheap ones I finally decided to spend the extra money on Silky that everybody kept going on about in their bushcraft/camping videos and was very pleased with the F180 Pro, so later I decided to have a bigger one for the wide trees and stuck with Silky, getting the BigBoy Pro. They are both great saws!
Good afternoon from Syracuse NY USA brother and thank you for sharing your information
Nice video. I just wanna leave a honarable mention for the never mentioned fiskars saw. That is a nice one too. It is no folding saw, but in the same range as the bahco. It has a ülastic handle out of which the blade slides out of the front and is then secured by a handsrew at the side. I use that thing since years on our outdoor trips to Sweden and for pruning in the garden. It might not be like a silky, but it is a good light small saw. i got the small one with a 16 cm / 6.3 inch blade, that you can buy for around 20 Euro here in germany. thei also is a longer 25 cm / 9.8 inch version for 56 Euro. so their is a good alternative to Bahco and Silky.
I use the Fiskars too, it's really light
That's the one I have as well, but from '97 or so. I got it after I saw/used a pal's with the double row looking teeth. I landed on a Fiskar's.
Mostly used for clearing snowmobile trail over hangs..2 inch max branches. But I've faith.
Also the fact it's retractable has merits. Even though a tad wobbly when blade partly extended it works for hitting a ferro rod, scraping some fatwood.
Thanks Rozilmer. I really should email Fiskar's as whether the newer blades fit the old handles.
You helped me make up my mind, I’m gonna order both!
Good day and thank you so much for that Dan
I've just been to sorting which one to get and I think you've helped ran out with that bless you
Thanks for the comparison. I have a silky f180. First I was pretty impressed, but after a few times using it, I realized how dull the blade became, espacially after sawing wood with some fatwood in it. After that,it was useless. Now, I am very happy with the Tajima G-Saw, especially with the black coated "power-glide" blade. It cuts very clean and bites very fast into wood and fatwood without a problem.
Fatwood made it dull??? How's that even possible on a hardened tool steel they use? What a joke. Go clean it up and it will be better than new.
I have both of these saws. The Bahco feels cheep, and in fact was much less expensive than the Silky. I've only used it a couple times, it sits in my camping tote untouched. That said, one of the best folding saws I've ever used is from Wicked Tree Gear. I have 2 of them. Great tools.
A good trail bazzer is a large prunning shear .
Worth mentioning that you can in most part of the world you can buy 2 to 3-4 Bahco Laplander for the price of the cheapest Silky. In my part of Canada, the Bahco Laplander is around 30-35 $ and the cheapest Silky is about 70$ ish.
I have a silky big boy which I really like and use a lot. I also have a bahco laplander and really like it for in my pack and use it a lot for small jobs. I like the bahco slim compact design and it cuts great.
Hey Dan, Dan at OCHOCO BUSHCRAFT. Wondering if you had a chance to use the new Silky Pocketboy Outback edition? It performs completely different than the standard Silky. Much more durable, and I've deliberately bound the blade and it just bent and sprang back. Also will throw sparks even with black coating. Still use my Bahco at times too, but the Outback is something special.
I own both and 100% agree with this. The Outback is great and is on the same level as the Bahco.
Hi Dan, I'm one of your subscribers. I have a 40-year-old folding handsaw that takes reciprocating saw blades. It looks like the silky saw but it's made of lightweight aluminum and I can put any kind of blade on there from tree cutting to Ceramics metal or 2x4s. I carry that in my everyday bag because I can cut anything with it especially when I'm going around cities. I used to use it when I was doing plumbing jobs because you can bend the blades going around corners for tricky cuts. I also have three silky saws and a Bahco.
Just for fun, you might want to try a Stihl folding pruning saw. I have used them for years, like the silky they cut on the pull stroke, as fast as the silky but more durable blade. I have both, Stihl and Silky. I favor the Stihl, very comfortable in my hand. Replacement blades are reasonable, and you can sharpen them. I have used one cutting roots, saplings at ground level…they seem to stay sharper than the Silky. I don’t have a Bacco, I have a strong preference for the pull cut.
Yes. My Stihl is an excellent cutter, and simple to deploy.
Just bought a Silkie and I can't believe the stuff it goes through, without effort. I think I'll pick up a Bahco too!
I like my Silky. Never tried a Bahco, but as this video further shows, I’ve heard good things about them.
I love my Corona 10" folding saw.... the semi circular design helps in the cutting... the two saws you have are flat... and are slower in cutting
Got a Silky for Christmas, amazing saw. Mine is only an 8 inch and I have cut full on logs with it. Granted it took a bit of time but it worked. Only problem, I want a bigger one now.
I’ve gone with the cheap folders from the hardware store for nearly 50 years now (I’m 60), and they have never failed me in the field. I’m sure these are great and all, but I think if you’re worried about your budget and still want to get out in the woods for some fun, just go to Home Depot or Ace Hardware, you’ll be fine.
Haven't been out, the last few years. Used Victorinox saw blade for most things. Didn't need my Gerber (1 wood blade, 1 bone blade), very often. Nice when it was needed.
I like the bahco personally
Bacho for beating on and Silky for skilled work👌 That's been my mantra for about 10 years 👍
Great video! ...I have a Silky "Big Boy".... LOVE IT! 😁👍
I have both brands and both are good. I use the Bahco for “dirty” cutting as it seems to have the better blade for it.
Thanks Dan
I went with the $5.00 Harbor Freight folding saw..... WORKS GREAT !!!!!
😊thanks Dan. Take care 😊
Good video. Waiting for a video on the saws before i buy it.
Good thing to have a saw, and not very havy for its uses.
Survival in your front yard, amazing 👏
did u say u can throw sparks off the silky's stainless spine with flint? i thought you needed high carbon to do that with a hard rock?
You can !
I made videos of Flint and Steel with the Silky.
I choose the Silky everyday !
Thanks again for another "to the point" video Dan! I've carried a Silky Bigboy for years clearing trail in the wilderness areas and was looking for a shorter folding saw. The Bahco is definately on my list of needed items. Thanks for the great video!
J’ai aussi comparer les deux modèles, mêmes constatations 😬 si je dois compter sur une scie ce sera la BAHCO LAPLANDER 👍
I got both the Laplander and a Gomboy and use both all the time. I prefer the Laplander for yardwork around fences, but both are great. Also made a little sheath for the Laplander and the Gomboy fits perfectly, too. Win win. Get both.
Well seeing as I got a bahco laplander for free it is my saw of choice. Also wearing wearing the coating off is quite impressive.
I only have experience with my Bahco, but I've had it since 2016 on the same blade. I've used it in camp, and as of recently it's been working more in the yard lol. I've bent it everyway as well and just had to straighten and occasionally reset a few teeth and it's good to go again. If you're a person, like myself, that buys one thing and uses that item til it's broken beyond repair, Bahco all day.
They’re both great saws!
I have a Bahko for the tiny stuff, but hardly ever use it. My go-to blades are the Silky 2000 Professional and the Silky Katanaboy 650. The Katanaboy cuts down a tree in a few minutes, whereas if I were using an axe, I'd be there for ages.
I have the Bahco...really like it. I was thinking about straying to the Silky camp to see if the grass was greener. Think I'll stay where I'm at, thanks. The Silkys cost more and I've had no problems with the Bahco and sounds like potential for issues with the Silky. It was a done deal when you said if you're outback and it breaks...didn't have to say anymore. Oh...and I always have something that would hit a firesteel on my person so...
The silky is in my bag, the bahco is in my trunk.
I chose efficiency.
I used to be a landscaper and I used mostly bahco pruners and loppers, every bit as good as felco at half the price. My main pruning saw and also my folding bushcraft saw are silky. Both very good brands. The only bahco saw I own is a pole saw. It’s as ok as any other pole saw and a lot better than the fiskars pole saw. I also have dozens of inexpensive, folding Japanese pruning saws and I wish I knew the brand, but I keep them in both my cars, in my camping gear and in my pruning toolbox and they are amazing. They used to cost about eight bucks and they can’t be beat for small, folding saws. Japanese pattern teeth and much better for daily, hard use than anything other than the silky.
I’ll note that the lever release on the folding silky is NOT a benefit. It constantly engages and changes the blade angle if you’re not careful. I do NOT like this ‘feature.’
Also, I have had my silky pruning saw bound in quite a number of cuts due to, uh, poor planning? Anyway, I’ve never broken or even bent the blade (I have bent a number of other saws blades this way and, no, you absolutely can’t really fix a bent saw blade back to good functionality). I love this channel, but I can’t completely agree with Dan’s conclusions here, but everyone’s experience is different. I’ve learned a lot of critically important information from this channel, so I don’t want this comment to be taken as criticism, as much as, ‘my experience is different.’
I've never used a Bahco, but my Silky Ultra Accel cuts thru wood like butter and I couldn't imagine being without it.
Thank you
I love my Silky, but because I'm rough with it, I've snapped off the ends on two blades, just like you. I might give the Bahco a try.
Great review. Thank you
Hooyman Saw love that one the most
I have a small echo folder that works very well. I'm looking at the still mini folder to. I snapped my tip which was my fault so I can't blame anyone but me learning how to use the saw. Both available at fleet and farm or farm and fleet in garden department.
Always enjoy hearing your opinions. I want to mention that the Silky saw is a pull saw and if used as such, shouldn't ever break it's tip off. Never used a Bahco saw, so I don't know about it. Seems odd that the softer more flexible blade would retain its "edges" better than the harder and more brittle blade. One of the "pluses" that I enjoy on the Silky is the multi-position handle that keeps your knuckles out of the dirt when sawing logs on the ground. It didn't look like the Bacho had that feature, just looking on this video. You mentioned the alternate blades for the Silky, but I want to add that it turns out that one blade makes a great screwdriver when replacing the other blade. No extra tool needed.
One last thing, if you ever get your hands on a Cohglan Mini Sierra Saw, give it a whirl and let us know what you think about it. It is cheaply constructed, but low in price. It is very light, small, sharp, and makes a great striker. I stick them in all my small emergency bags. They just have surprising utility for what they are.
Oooooooo Raaaaaaah and thanks for your cut on these saws!!
Thank you dude. ❤
yup both are good.
the best folding saw is the one you have on you.
that being said, I like my silky.
Thank you for the video. I learned a lot from him.
I love Silky saws but have to say the folding lock is a love/hate thing. I have had on multiple of times had my hand press the lock while using the saw. I have also had a Silki Katana saw fold up on my fingers because of the way I have to hold it to unlock and close the blade. I have never used a Bahco so I can't compare them.
Thanks for a verry informative video!
Same problem, for whatever reason I want to put my hand right where the lock is on the longer silky saws.
Definitely a fair and even comparison. Have 2 Silkies and never had a Bacho, but i can see the use value of each. Thank you!
Ace stuff love the laplander
As a preference for myself, I prefer the Corona for quality and price. The "razor tooth" version comes in 7 inch and the 10 inch that I carry and it literally chows down on larger limbs and trees . It too has a 90 degree spine that throws sparks with a flexible blade that is more forgiving. The handle is very ergonomic, button release, and solid lock up. For a $20 price tag, I'll put it up against any out there for dependability and performance
I'm also a big fan of Corona!