New saw

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Quixoticgeek

Full Member
Aug 4, 2013
2,483
23
Europe
My current bush saw of choice - Bahco Laplander - is too long for me to get through Eurostar security, so I'm in the market for a new saw that I can keep on the other side of the channel. Before I just hit buy on another laplander, I'm wondering what other options there are. I've pondered the Silky Pocket Boy 130mm or 170mm, which is very tempting. Are there other saws that are better than the laplander that are worth considering?

J
 

C_Claycomb

Moderator staff
Mod
Oct 6, 2003
7,355
2,366
Bedfordshire
What is the length limit applied by Eurostar? Or do you mean to buy something over there and then leave it with someone and pick it up when you visit each time? My guess is that if the security don't like the Laplander, they won't like any folding saw longer than the Swiss Army Knife. In which case, if I needed more saw, I might well look at some sort of bow saw or bucksaw with a blade that rolls into a cooking pot or similar. Much less likely to be thought of as a potential weapon and much more efficient than very small folding saws.
 

mrcharly

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jan 25, 2011
3,257
44
North Yorkshire, UK
I've heard that recent opinels are not so good. I have an older one and it is pretty decent - blade thins to towards the top so it doesn't jam. Apparently newer ones are just flat.
 

DocG

Full Member
Dec 20, 2013
869
123
Moray
+1 for the Silky Pocketboy. A superb tool. You might find yourself preferring it to the Laplander...

Another one for the Silky. I have a Silky and a Laplander. One thing to keep in mind, however, is that the blade on the Laplander is more forgiving than the Silky. I've had 0 Laplanders fail, even when wielded by wild Scottish Scouts but 1 Silky blade snapped when bent by an over-enthusiastic teenage sawist (?).
 

robevs73

Maker
Sep 17, 2008
3,025
200
llanelli
I have a silky pocket boy 170 on the way, already have a gomboy 270 and katanaboy (definitely not a pocket saw!)
Love them, used my laplander on Saturday and wasn't impressed .
 
Dec 10, 2015
387
137
South Wales
I have a silky pocket boy 170 on the way, already have a gomboy 270 and katanaboy (definitely not a pocket saw!)
Love them, used my laplander on Saturday and wasn't impressed .

Is it the 650 and how is it? I've been interested in one for a while now. (Sorry to thread jack)
 

robevs73

Maker
Sep 17, 2008
3,025
200
llanelli
It's the smaller katana boy, still huge! I've had it a year and I haven't used a bow saw since I had it.
Have you considered a bigboy? There's a Japanese eBay store that do silky saws very cheap with no postage and can turn up in less than a week.
 

Quixoticgeek

Full Member
Aug 4, 2013
2,483
23
Europe
Would the saw on the swiss army knife be too small for your needs? If so I suspect the 130mm pocketboy is your best bet if you're needing something smaller than a laplander.

I have the saw blade on my Leatherman Juice CS4, which is under the 3inch max length I can take on the Eurostar. The pocketboy 130 is very tempting as it's small enough for most of what I'm doing, I'm not really one for biiig fires.

What is the length limit applied by Eurostar? Or do you mean to buy something over there and then leave it with someone and pick it up when you visit each time? My guess is that if the security don't like the Laplander, they won't like any folding saw longer than the Swiss Army Knife. In which case, if I needed more saw, I might well look at some sort of bow saw or bucksaw with a blade that rolls into a cooking pot or similar. Much less likely to be thought of as a potential weapon and much more efficient than very small folding saws.

Eurostar length limit is 75mm, non locking. It's the non locking bit that precludes pretty much every saw on the market. Thus my thinking was to get something and leave it at my Dutch place and leave my laplander in the UK for when I'm there.

I did consider the Bob Destrude folding buck saw, but it's quite a bit more saw than I need for some trips, tho I can see it as being ideal for other trips.

I have a silky pocket boy 170 on the way, already have a gomboy 270 and katanaboy (definitely not a pocket saw!)
Love them, used my laplander on Saturday and wasn't impressed .

A friend of mine has the Katanaboy 650, it's an intimidating piece of kit.

With the gomboy 270 which blade did you get large or medium teeth? What's the max size log you feel that blade would cut through?

Bought a Silky F180 about six years back along with a spare blade. I've used it in Canada, Finland and Norway, often to cut frozen wood. Still works like a charm and I'm still using the original blade. £20 well spent.

http://www.northernarbsupplies.co.u...80-8-new-saw.html?search_query=F180&results=6

Did you go for the fine or medium teeth version? What would you say is it's max capacity in terms of log diameter?

I think I can see a silky saw in my future...

J
 

Imagedude

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 24, 2011
2,004
45
Gwynedd
I think it's the medium, good for logs of about 4 inch diameter but will do 6 inch at a push.
 

Nice65

Brilliant!
Apr 16, 2009
6,438
2,859
W.Sussex
Could you not choose your ideal Silky from the Japanese store and have to posted to your Dutch address?
 

Nice65

Brilliant!
Apr 16, 2009
6,438
2,859
W.Sussex
I'll try and find the Amazon Japan site. You could also ask Rob for his supplier. Both are way cheaper.
 

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