Folding saws

Found folders to be too short and annoying, silky fox gomtaro 240mm fit in my pack and is brilliant, now if I could only figure out how to attach a 500mm katana boy to my bag 😀

Laplander just fits in my Dakine Hotlaps waist pack, they work well enough but do go blunt after a few years.

For anything too big for the Laplander I'll walk in with a bow saw.

Yeah I use a Laplander, it gets through anything up to 100mm ish real quick. Anything much bigger and the chainsaw comes out. I have cut bigger stuff than 100mm with it but laziness!
Laplander is even good for chopping  brambles that start to creep into the trails!  as mentioned above just fits into my saline waist pack so perfect for little trail clearing rides

We have a Silky Big Boy which is an amazing bit of kit but verging on a bit big for a typical Camelbak. Cuts VERY quickly though.

Silky Gomboy here, ok size for a waist pack

Silky, get the big boy with an outback blade and it will cut most things.

Works well on slashing bracken too as it doesn't bounce off

Ive used a silky f180 for years. Have got through a few blades but easy to replace. Backpack, bum bag or strapped to frame is fine.

Also have a Silky Gomtaro 300 but length means you need a decent size backpack.

Both cut great, the pull saw is easier imo and yes they also get used for slashing brambles, nettles and ferns.

I have a Bahco Laplander, works great for general occasional trail clearing duties.

Felco do one comparable to the laplander

Use a laplander for garden pruning duties. Cuts fast and leaves a nice clean cut and the coated blade doesn't stick too readily. Spare blades are fairly easily available too though not needed one yet. Also fits in pockets and nott too big and cumbersome when using a ladder.
I'm sure those Japanese saws are better but they are way more spendy.

Laplander is fine but obviously small. You can brash with them or cut small branches but nothing of any size.

Trouble is that of course bigger blades mean bigger saws, once you get up to decent sizes they're bulky and you end up with a gigantic handle, which I found pretty unergonomic with my Sily. It cut great but I didn't like how it handled.

So if I know I'm going to do any cutting, I reach for this cheap piece of crap:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/2255135840?iid=223654740700

It rips wet wood better than most, it's not folding but the handle is small enough that it still goes in my camelbak and ironically takes up less space than the big silky. And it's £7.50. The screws in the handle came undone, they need threadlocking in but otherwise it's actually a really useful tool and it's the one I use the most. And the Laplander goes in my camelbak in autumn/winter/spring for unplanned trail clearing from windfalls etc.

So not a piece of crap then just cheap.😀 The saw I mean.😀

In fairness, the cheapies from Asda and Tescos work fine. Got a Silky for bigger stuff, but happy with them in the Camelback.

100% silky gomtaro

noeffsgiven
Free Member

So not a piece of crap then just cheap.😀 The saw I mean.😀

Oh it's definitely a piece of crap, it's just that it's a really <suitable> piece of crap, mostly what we want from trail saws is to rip through a fairly small amount of sap-filled freshly fallen trees so a big coarse toof and a not very clever blade is fine. It takes a lot more muscle than the silky but for the jobs it gets used for that's not really an issue.

ALso with teh silky and my big bahco bow saw I take every spec of rust as a personal attack and a financial disaster, whereas, when the silverline got really beat up I just bought another one 🙂 Crapness can be a virtue and niceness can be a drag

Ended up buying the Laplander with a made in Sheffield leather sheath for £34 ex vat (bought through the business). Will do for slinging in a pack and will get something bigger later on if it comes up short

I like mine in the garden, plenty big enough for most things.