Portable, foldable saws

[Keith_Beef]

I recently spent a week horse riding, around 25km a day for five days, in Normandy. We were travelling in a group of five on horseback with two support vehicles, a trip called Équirando that usually happens every odd numbered year (it was sent off-rhythm by Covid and then the Paris Olympics, but should be back to the normal rhythm now).

We mostly followed the "grande randonnée" itineraries that sometimes follow the road but mostly are footpaths and bridleways.

Several times we found our path blocked by fallen trees. We were able occasionally just push through the brush off-path for ten metres or so, but sometimes we had to find as alternative path an on a couple of occasions this ended up with us trying to negotiate potentially dangerously steep descents to rejoin the original path.

It would have been simpler and possibly less dangerous if we had been able to remove the obstacle...

So I'm on the lookout for some tools for 2027.

I have a couple of Opinel N°12 size folding saws, and I'm quite happy using these on branches or small trunks up to about 10cm (4 inches) in diameter, but what about something thicker, like 20cm (8 inches)? I was thinking about a folding bow saw.

This is something that will be carried "just in case" in a pack on the horse, so it should be fairly light and should pack down into something quite slim.

Incidentally, I'm going out to Namibia in a couple of weeks; I'm thinking of taking along a folding saw "just in case" I need to cut some firewood down to more manageable sizes.

Any suggestions?

 

[Chris]

The Boreal 24 would handle the diameters you’re talking about, and they come very highly rated: https://www.thebushcraftstore.co.uk/agawa-canyon-boreal-24-folding-bucksaw---orange-67196-p.asp

 

[TLM]

Sounds like a case for a battery powered chainsaw. Various foldable hand saws exist, matter of taste which one to chose.

 

[HorseGuy]

If I were to go on on a long horse ride and might need to cut wood upto 8" in diameter I would take my Silky GomBoy 240 Outback. It is small and light enough to be manageable in a rucksack yet will easily eat through 8" hardwood like it was made of butter. There are plenty of Youtube videos which show you how well they work.

Silky saws are regarded by many (including me) to be the best folding saws in the world. I own four of them in various different sizes for different purposes and can confirm that they are indeed very high quality. They last a long time too. I know of someone who has been using his fairly regularly for about ten years and the original blade is still sharp and working as well as when he bought it. The blades are replaceable too in case it breaks or you want one with a different tooth density.

Silky saws were originally designed for use by professional tradesmen and keen gardeners. These are the saws on which Silky have built their reputation for many years. A couple of years ago they added a new line of folding saws called the Outback series which is aimed specifically towards bushcrafters and preppers. These Outback saws have a virtually identical design to their other regular folding saws but are built to be even stronger and more reliable. You can tell which are the Outback versions because they have a light brown handle and a non reflective black coating on the blade.

If you can afford the small premium for the Outback version of these saws they are worth the extra cost in my opinion. Not that you would be disappointed with the standard range of Silky saws as they are all extremely high quality. Just pick your desired length and tooth density and you will be good to go.

Just a little tip though. Remember that Silky saws are pull saws which are designed to only cut in the pull direction rather than both directions. For this reason be careful not to push down on the blade during the push part of the saw stroke. They are very easy to use though. Easier than regular push/pull saws so long as you bare in mind that the work is done during the pull stroke and not to force them during the push stroke.

 

[Falstaff]

Sounds like a nice trip, they do similar ones in Canada. Wet fallen tree trunks are heavy and hard work to saw up. You'll need to consider how to move the trunks, not all horses are ok with dragging stuff. It's a case of how far do you want to go with it. I see Clay Hales carries lightweight 8:1 pulley blocks for hoiking moose etc around.
I'd rather bushwack around them and not lose time on the trail.

 

[Chris]

If you can afford the small premium for the Outback version of these saws they are worth the extra cost. Not that you would be disappointed with the standard range of Silky saws as they are all extremely high quality. Just pick your desired length and tooth density and you will be good to go.

I bought a Silky Pocketboy yesterday. Looking at the Outback version, I really liked it other than it being brown/drab colours for unknown camoflage reasons. Last thing I want is for my saw to disappear into the environment. I am not sure what benefit there is to a camo saw - I suspect that the noise of sawing is going to give you away long before the colour of the saw handle.

Ended up going with the bright orange 130mm version instead.

 

[HorseGuy]

I bought a Silky Pocketboy yesterday. Looking at the Outback version, I really liked it other than it being brown/drab colours for unknown camoflage reasons. Last thing I want is for my saw to disappear into the environment. I am not sure what benefit there is to a camo saw - I suspect that the noise of sawing is going to give you away long before the colour of the saw handle.

Ended up going with the bright orange 130mm version instead.

I agree. Unless you are Ramboing it in the woods behind enemy lines (lol) tools with bright colored handles are generally better because they are harder to lose when dropped in long grass. I keep a spare Mora Companion with a bright orange handle at our stable for just that reason.

I prefer Silky's Outback saws over their regular saws because they have a slightly more robust construction. The user might prefer the bright colored handles of the standard saws though which are also very well made and reliable too.

Another benefit of the standard saws is that for the same size they weigh slightly less which might be a factor worth considering. They do make a regular Silky GomBoy 240 to which might actually be the better option if visibility and weight were a higher priority.

Edit - In fact as I was writing out this reply you have convinced me that a regular Silky GomBoy 240 would probably be a better option for the specific requirements of Keeth_Beef.

 

[Keith_Beef]

Sounds like a case for a battery powered chainsaw. Various foldable hand saws exist, matter of taste which one to chose.

That was a suggestion that a few people made at the moment of finding the downed trees, but I think that for something that might only get used rarely and would be quite heavy (especially if I want to carry a second battery "just to be sure"), I'd prefer a hand saw.

 

[Keith_Beef]

Trying to understand the model numbers...

360-6.5​

240-8​

360-10​

Am I right in thinking that the first number is the blade length in mm and the second is the number of teeth per inch?

And that for getting through green wood quickly without clogging I'd be better off with a lower number of teeth per inch?

 

[Nice65]

Trying to understand the model numbers...

360-6.5​

240-8​

360-10​

Am I right in thinking that the first number is the blade length in mm and the second is the number of teeth per inch?

And that for getting through green wood quickly without clogging I'd be better off with a lower number of teeth per inch?

Yes, that’s correct.

However, just punt your money and get a Silky, don’t even bother looking at other brands.

 

[TeeDee]

Yes, that’s correct.

However, just punt your money and get a Silky, don’t even bother looking at other brands.

Silkys are amazing - the Pocket boy for the size is a giant killer.

 

[Nice65]

Silkys are amazing - the Pocket boy for the size is a giant killer.

Super Accel is pocketable and does a lot of work. Anything above that and I want a belt holster so I’m not putting the saw down. The mid size folders, well any Silky, cut way above their size. Everyone grumbles about the price before buying, nobody does after buying.

 

[TeeDee]

Super Accel is pocketable and does a lot of work. Anything above that and I want a belt holster so I’m not putting the saw down. The mid size folders, well any Silky, cut way above their size. Everyone grumbles about the price before buying, nobody does after buying.

Are you saying the Accel is better than the pocketboy? Sorry - just asking , just seen a price for one and tempted even although I have an Pocketboy

 

[Keith_Beef]

After much searching around, I found the Silky Bigboy 360-10 (Variant: 712499) for a reasonable price over at Dictum (€85 including shipping). I'll be able to give it a try on a big branch that fell from a sycomore in the garden (narrowly missing my raised beds of tomatoes and courgettes) before heading out for Namibia.

And I'll have plenty of time to try other models before the next Equirando, if I find that this saw doesn't work for me.

 

[Silverclaws2]

SAK, Laplander and ' take down ' 24 " bucksaw

 

[GreyCat]

Lots of Silky saws... from the small Pocket boy, through Gomboy and Bigboy all they way up to the Katanaboy (who knew that folding saws could come so long!).

You pays your money and takes your choice.....

GC

 

[Chris]

I love my Gomboy, it’s a far more efficient saw than the Laplander, although I still often use the Laplander for the safety benefits when I’m more remote.

 

[HorseGuy]

After much searching around, I found the Silky Bigboy 360-10 (Variant: 712499) for a reasonable price over at Dictum (€85 including shipping). I'll be able to give it a try on a big branch that fell from a sycomore in the garden (narrowly missing my raised beds of tomatoes and courgettes) before heading out for Namibia.

And I'll have plenty of time to try other models before the next Equirando, if I find that this saw doesn't work for me.

I have the Outback version of the BigBoy 360-6.5 and that thing is an absolute beast of a saw capable of bringing down a sizable tree in minutes. For all but the biggest of jobs though the GomBoy and PocketBoy are plenty enough and much more compact when folded.

A word of warning too. Silkys are morish. Once you buy one and try it you will soon want another in a different size.

 

[HorseGuy]

Silkys are amazing - the Pocket boy for the size is a giant killer.

Even the smallest of the PocketBoys with the 130cm blade length is a giant killer for the size. It is genuinely small and light enough to carry around in your pocket. Barely any bigger then a regular folding knife yet it will still cut through most branches in no time.

If I was a bushcrafter I would want a PocketBoy 170 over a small axe any day. Not only is it faster and more energy efficient in use but it is safer too. About the only thing it won't do is split wood length ways.

 

[Keith_Beef]

About the only thing it won't do is split wood length ways.

Right, but for the Équirando I'm not looking at splitting, so that's not a problem.

If I did need to split wood for making something or for firewood, I suppose I'd use a sturdy knife or use the saw to cut a starter kerf and to made a wedge that I could then drive in using another bit of sawn branch.