Silky KATANABOY Professional 650mm Folding Saw XL Teeth (710-65)

The Silky Katanaboy 650 is an outstanding tool for the woodsman. The saw is easy to use, working almost effortlessly through logs. I bucked two five-foot cherry logs roughly 18 inches in diameter with it and was amazed at quickly the rounds rolled off. The folding/locking mechanism is intuitive and easy to secure. And you want to make sure you lock the blade, because the Katanaboy is razor sharp. The ergonomics of the handle give great purchase and help prevent fatigue. It's easy to get into a smooth rhythm while using the saw - just let the Katanaboy do the work. I have a chainsaw that has seen better days, but was not eager to spend $500-plus on a suitable replacement. I enjoy processing firewood the old-school way - I used axes-only to drop a few trees last month - and I thought the Katanaboy 650 might be a chainsaw substitute. I still have to test it in falling work, but I plan to use an axe for the face cut and the Katanaboy for the back cut, wedging as I go. We'll see how it works. One thing I do know is that the Katanaboy will be much easier to carry into the woods than a chainsaw, gas and bar oil, especially with the nifty sheath/sling. While it's not really relevant for cutting firewood, I am amazed at what a smooth surface this saw leaves behind on the end of the log. A precision tool, to be sure. I can't comment on durability, as I've had the saw only a short time, but the components and hardware seem to be high-quality, with the possible exception of the plastic knob to loosen/tighten the locking mechanism. I can imagine that breaking if I don't pay close attention. I'll update the review after extended use. UPDATE: After nearly a year of use, I continue to give the Silky Katanaboy 650 five stars. I have had zero problems with the saw, and it has proved to be highly durable. After lots of cutting work, the teeth remain razor sharp. I have used it in felling work, as I had envisioned in the earlier review, and it has worked great. I open the face cut in the tree with an axe and then make the back cut with the Katanaboy. Given the blade size, it's easy to add a wedge behind the blade to prevent pinching in the cut. I have even experimented with making the face cut with the Katanaboy. It certainly works, but I prefer an axe for that application. You may be wondering, why would you use an axe and a handsaw to fell a tree if I could use a chain saw. Here are my reasons: 1) weight when carrying gear to a work site; 2) noise while working; 3) physical, mental and spiritual fitness; 4) a love of old-school woodsmanship. If those things don't matter to you or are irrelevant to your situation, then a chain saw would be a better choice. I made a comment above about the Katanaboy being irrelevant to firewood processing, which isn't entirely true. I have certainly used the Katanaboy to buck logs to great effect. The problems that can arise relate to ground clearance and stability of the log when sawing the final rounds. Propping up the log can solve the first problem, and another person holding/sitting on a log or wedging it between two standing trees or in a v-notch (if low enough to the ground) can solve the second. (I do wish the saw had an additional locking position, like the Silky Bigboy does, to eliminate the ground-clearance problem. Just a few degrees past horizontal would do the trick.) As others have noted, the saw cuts on the pull stroke, which may require some adjustment in your cutting mechanics if you've mainly used push-style saws. Also, with a blade roughly 25.5", I find the maximum log diameter for effectiveness to be about 20". If that becomes a problem for you, there's always the Silky Katanaboy 1000 as an option!

Its sharp, it cuts fast, and is light enough to use all day. Took down multiple trees this weekend with it landing from 5 to 8 inches in diameter and even cut them into logs for the wood stove. Thing is a beast. THE ONLY CON if you sweat or are working in wet conditions you need gloves or a wrap for the handle. Grips become super slippery. Still a 9.9 put of 10 product and will always recommend.

I've wanted one of these for quite a long time but couldn't justify the price. This was a good enough deal that I splurged. It was worth it. It is a very well built tool like all of the Silky Saws are. It is large enough to cut logs that would otherwise require a chain saw. You can make it through a 15 inch diameter pine log in about two minutes if you're in shape. The very large, very sharp teeth make short work of harder woods as well. The non-set teeth design leaves a very smooth cut making this appropriate for arborists and even for construction projects where one might have to cut very large material and have reason to care about the finish of the cut. It's very nice that the Katanaboy blade is on the "can-sharpen" list for Silky blades since replacement blades are so expensive. At a full two pounds, and thirty three inches long folded, it isn't the easiest pack saw to carry, but if you have need to cut large diameter logs, you will save the calories you spent carrying it when you do some cutting. The two-handed pole handle plus straight blade means you use your latissimus dorsi muscle and your hips more than your biceps and triceps to operate the saw. That results in a whole lot of power and also means a whole lot less fatigue. The carry bag this comes with is a nice touch. It's made from some sort of rubber-backed rip stop and has a slot for a spare blade.

My wonderful Homelite 1978 chain saw finally failed, but instead of replacing it, I bought the Katanaboy. It probably takes 5 times the effort to cut than the chain saw, but, considering there is no setup, starting, fueling, oiling, and noise, it's a pretty clean and quiet way to handle most of my tree cutting chores. If you're cutting down a large tree, or many many smaller ones, then a chain saw is better, but if you have the occasional 10 inch limb to saw up, then the Katanaboy is ready to go to work without any carb adjustments! By the way, I'm 63 and have a bad back, so I'm probably on the weak side for someone doing tree work, so don't think you have to be really strong to get results from this saw. Make sure you wear leather gloves (leather won't stop the teeth but it helps) and if you need to steady the limb you are cutting, keep your hands about a foot away from the cut, because Silky saws will glide through flesh very quickly. It actually takes some time and practice to get to know the saw. You need to be gentle and straight with the forward stroke, because you don't want to bend the blade, and let the modest weight of the saw dig into the wood on the return (cutting) stroke. I find myself setting up the wood that I cut even more carefully than when I use a chain saw, just so I can be sure to keep my hands away from the blade. Because there is no engine to gas up and start when using the Katanaboy, I find myself getting to my wood cutting tasks a little more often. If I have a few minutes before dinner, I'll go and do some wood cutting. When I use a chain saw - it's always more of a production to get the saw ready to go, so I have to wait until I have a large block of time to get started. I also bought a Silky Zubat saw for smaller trimming jobs, and for easy carrying while up in a tree. If you want a Silky saw to rip through good sized limbs, though, the Katanaboy is definitely the model you want. If I need to cut up a 3 foot tree trunk, I'll be renting a large chain saw. (Oh, I might try to cut through a three foot trunk with the Katanaboy once just to say I did it.) But how often do you need to cut up a 3 foot tree trunk? The Katanaboy blade can be sharpened, and I plan to buy the file and learn how to do that, just as I learned how to sharpen the chain saw. I don't know when I'll need to do that, but I'm fairly sure it will not be as frequently as I sharpened the chain saw. I definitely recommend this saw, but can't emphasize safety enough. If you are done cutting, fold it up. Don't let it lay around with the blade exposed. Someone might step on it, or you might grab for it without paying attention and cut your fingers. It's quick and easy to fold and unfold, so there's really is no excuse for laying it down with the blade exposed. And yes, you do feel like a Samurai when using it.

This purchase was part of my quest to find durable and environmentally-friendly alternatives to common power tools. In the case of the Katanaboy, I was looking for a hand-powered substitute for a chainsaw. After about 18 months of owning and using this tool, I can honestly say.....it does not replace a chainsaw! If you want a tool that turns trees into firewood quickly and with little effort, buy a chainsaw. If you are like me and want to get a bit of exercise while doing chores, don't mind spending a little extra time outdoors, and appreciate effective tools, the Katanaboy is a fantastic choice. It is my primary firewood cutter, as I do not own a chainsaw. I cut a cord of old, hard elm in about an hour, with frequent breaks, although the more I use it, the fewer breaks I need. Most of the branches were under 8 inches in diameter, but I cut a couple of sections that were twice that size (it wasn't easy, but it was fun). I bought a second saw from another vendor for use at work, where part of my job is management of a nature preserve (which includes trail construction and maintenance). In the nature preserve (and at home), I prefer to avoid the noise and pollution of a chainsaw. Trail work volunteers are envious of my "samurai saw" and argue over who gets to use it first.Volunteers almost always bend the blades of my pull-cut saws, but none of them were able to bend the Katanaboy's blade. In fact, after extensive use, I haven't even come close. The saw's handle is comfortable enough. Since it's a pull-cut saw, most of your effort will be on the pull, so a straight handle works just fine (like a tug-of-war). If you pull by bending at your waist or even rocking back and forth on your feet, you can give your arms a nice break. The teeth are extremely sharp, but the locking mechanism has sort of a half-cock safety that minimizes the chance you'll get your fingers caught between the blade and handle while folding the saw. Interestingly, the back of the blade is a pretty effective machete and is good at cutting grass, non-woody weeds, and small dead branches (although this is obviously not its intended use, so be careful). It's fun to pretend I'm swinging around a real katana sword! If I had a big job to do, I would opt for a chainsaw. While I'm confident I cut bigger logs with the Katanaboy (or more than one cord, if I were in better shape), I really don't want to try. I prefer the Katanaboy for small jobs that can be completed in the time it would take to get a chainsaw ready, and for medium jobs that won't take too much time or wear me out. I also prefer its low maintenance, silence, small environmental footprint, and its aesthetic (the experience of using a quality tool, smelling cut wood rather than burnt oil and gasoline, and the sound of birds rather than a two-cycle engine). I am seriously considering buying three more for the family so we can have a nice family outing while getting a larger amount of firewood (and overcoming the saw's main shortcoming when compared to a chainsaw).

My boyfriend has been an arborist for 15 years and has wanted one of these hand saws for a long time. He’s talked about this specific model forever because he knows quality blades like nobody else. I surprised him with it for Christmas (around $300 total), and it was hands-down the best gift I’ve ever given. He unwrapped it and immediately started testing the edge. It’s insanely sharp out of the box, with that beautiful shiny chrome finish on the premium Japanese steel blade. The aggressive teeth and rubber grip feel perfect, he says. Christmas was just a week ago, so he’s only tested it at home so far, but he’s already obsessed and can’t wait to use it on the job. Totally worth every penny. Highly recommend for any serious arborist!

A lot of trail volunteers and other woodsmen have been raving about the KatanaBoy saws so when I found this Model 500 on sale I snatched it up. I have made a few hundred cuts with it so far. What I like about it the most is the overhead reach it provides, so limbing trees from the ground to horse rider height is easier than my old (but good) hand saw. The teeth pattern is REALLY aggressive so all I have to do with thin branches is lightly pull down with the saw. It folds up to be only a few inches longer than my flat trail saw and it slides in and out of its nylon pouch with relative ease. On the downside, it sometimes just "skitters" across really thin branches without cutting them. Its great on green wood, especially up to about 3 or 4 inches thick. But on old, dead branches and logs your cutting results are diminished so don't expect this to be a "chainsaw" on old, dead stuff. Because the handle is round it took me a few days of riding my horse with it under my left leg to find the right hanging position, and now it is OK without being too much of a lump under my calf as long as I put the saw into its sleeve backwards so that the locking screw in at the rear. So far, the added cutting reach I get outweighs any of the downsides. So, if yer in the market for a decent saw that gets up higher into those trees, go ahead and pick one up—especially if you can find it on sale! ONE NOTE: The shipping box arrived very badly damaged. There were actual tire marks on top of the box where someone had driven over it!!! Concerned that the saw might be damaged I contacted the seller and explained the situation. After a bit of finger pointing between Amazon and the seller, the seller told me that they'd replace the saw if it were indeed damaged. After opening the also damaged product box, I found that the saw was OK so there was no need to replace it. At least the seller was willing to stand by the sloppy delivery by UPS!

Better than a chain saw, cool as hell and a clean cut. I have walnut, orange, apple and lemon, cedar and lemon trees that need regular pruning. Some of these trees are 50+ years old and have some tough wood. This tool was recommended by Dutch Bushcraft Knives (Youtube) and looked to be both efficient and had a cool factor. Having used it to trim some 3-4 inch diameter lemon tree branches, I am impressed. The cuts are clean and very fast (they should be given the length of the blade) and the tool is well balanced enough that getting into the more challenging angles on the tree was easy. Yes, this is likely overkill for my needs, but it does a fast job and is a lot of fun. Do be aware that this is as |pill| saw and cuts most effectively on the backstroke like many Japanese saws do so if you have never used one, a little care is required as you learn the tool. It is light weight, well balanced, needs no gas or cords and can even be carried up into the tree in on your back in a cool sheath! Watch out trees!

Prova di taglio rispetto l'archetto da muratore questa taglia di piu, i denti sono piuttosto grandi e tende a impuntarsi percio la giusta tecnica è quella di non spingere quasi niente e sfruttare tutta la lunghezza della sega, si fatica anche con questa ma vuoi mettere la soddisfazione? Lo strumento dal punto di vista costruttivo è impeccabile ottima anche la custodia.

Das Teil ist unglaublich. Meine Erwartungen wurden sogar übertroffen. Die Schnittleistung ist beeindruckend. Wie nicht anders zu erwarten stieß ich auf yt auf dieses Produkt. Schon viele Jahre suche ich eine große Handsäge. Ich mache sehr viel Baumpflege arbeiten in meiner Freizeit und bin auch oft im Busch unterwegs und gönne mir mal das ein oder andere Stückchen Holz :). Diese Säge braucht kein Öl und kein Benzin, man muss nix mitschleppen, zudem funktioniert die Säge immer. Auch möchte ich den Schutzaspekt einmal erwähnen, beim Kettensäge befüllen geht einiges mal daneben, nicht so pralle. Ebenso ist die Klappfunktion wirklich enorm praktisch. Die ersten Zugbewegungen waren der Wahnsinn. Diese Säge Bedarf doch tatsächlich einer Einweisung, diese ist so scharf, das ist nix für Ungeübte!!!.Hier einmal zur Sägeleistung: Noch nie habe ich so schnell Holz gesägt, zudem gerade und fransen frei, was eine Kettensäge auch nicht kann. Es ist wichtig nicht mit Druck und nicht mit schnellen Bewegungen zu arbeiten, völlig unnötig. Es ist viel wichtiger, dass volle Blatt zu nutzen und in einen leicht geneigten Winkel zu sägen. Das relativ hohe Eigengewicht sorgt zudem schon für den passenden Druck. Wer schon mal mit Bügelsägen zu tun hatte ist bedient fürs Leben. Ein Hinweis noch: Die Säge ist riesig mit 1,50 Meter dreimal so groß, wie übliche. Wenn der Oberkörper sich mit bewegt beim Sägen bekommt man richtig guten Zug und auch generell ein Top Handlingsgefühl. Dann kann man mit etwas Druck kräftig ziehen und bekommt guten Push Effekt. In vielen Videos wird nämlich die volle Blattlänge nicht genutzt und die Körperhaltung wirkt verkrampft. Gesägt habe ich ein langen Ast einer Art Kulturesche( steht in vielen Parkanlagen, genaueren Namen kenne ich nicht), die war umgekippt und ich sägte den Ast klein in Meter Enden. Der Ast war etwa 15cm dick und schon ganz sportlich. Ungelogen in 2 Minuten war alles erledigt. Danach suchte ich ein Baum, mit den ich niemals Axt oder anderen Handsägen in Angriff genommen hätte. Es war eine 25cm dicke gefallene frische Esche. Für die Säge immer noch zu klein aber schon ganz gut. Ich brauchte irgendwas zwischen 30-40 Sekunden für den Schnitt. Dabei säge ich immer zuerst unten leicht an, danach erst von oben runter. Zum Glück ist das Blatt recht dick, sodass die Säge nicht verkantet. Ab 30 cm dicke Stämme empfehle ich dennoch Holzkeile, dass verhindert ein verkanten völlig. Die Säge ist zu teuer, als das man un achtsam werden sollte. Wer genauso wie ich, nicht zu faul ist und was außergewöhnliches sucht muss die haben. Die 1m Variante hole ich mir nur, wenn die billiger wird. mit 750 euro ist es mir vorerst nicht wert. die 650 Variante die ich erworben habe, reicht eigentlich aus. Man muss nicht Meterdicke Bäume umnieten, was ich übrigens nie mache!!!. Zur Reinigung noch 3 Wörtchen. Bisschen Isopropanol oder Spiritus auf ein Tuch und nach Gebrauch reinigen. Viele Bäume haben Harze oder andere Klebrige Inhaltsstoffe. Das bekommt den Sägezähne nicht so gut und die verkleben. Bisschen Silikonspray zum einfetten kann auch nicht schaden. Nutzt zudem Handschuhfingerlinge beim Sägen gibt besseren Grip und man sieht aus, wie der Profi vom Dienst mit diesem Mördergerät ;)

Von allen Handsägen die ich habe sind die von Silky die besten. Der Grund... Schnitthaltigkeit der Zähne und die nach hinten Verjüngende Schnittfläche. Dadurch beisst sich die Säge nicht im Holz fest. MIt der 500 Katanaboy kann ich Stämme von über 35 cm ohne Schwierigkeiten sägen. Und das in kürzester Zeit. Zur not gehen auch welche bis 45 cm... aber nur liegend. Also Baumfällen würde ich nicht wagen. Aber einen mit 37 cm hab ich mit der Siky bereits gefällt. Problemlos.

As a professional arborist this saw has come in clutch on some jobs but it god send when it comes to camping and cutting wood. The folding ability allows for the saw to store comfortable under the back seats of my truck so it always there when needed. I have cut down small tree (10-15 feet) and it did the job, but I would probably prefer a chain saw on any thing over 8 inch in diameter even though the Katana would work.

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