The standard bearer for small folding camp saws is the Bahco Laplander. It is the predominant and most often seen saw among campers and bushcrafters. My buddy bought one and it is an OK saw, but the Silky blows it away. WARNING. Silky Saws are extremely sharp so please be careful when using and keep away from children. Close to the blade: there is relativelylittle pressureon the blade. The saw will take the least wood, making you able to saw in a highly controlled manner and with precision.

The manufacturing process uses the technique of high-frequency electro-impulse hardening during which the teeth are heated and hardened. Importantly, only the teeth are hardened, not the rest of the blade. Thus the blade retains its original flexibility whilst the teeth have a life which is up to 3 times longer than that on standard saws. When not using the saw, make sure it is dry at all times. Store the saw in its scabbard in a dry place. I stumbled onto one of these at REI a couple of years ago. I had been trying to use a Sven Saw off and on with marginal results, and could saw nothing larger than about 8" in diameter. When I discovered the "Big Boy", and learned it utilized the Japanese cutting orientation of the teeth, I went for it. Extra Large Tooth: These are to be used as an alternative to a small chainsaw. Sounds crazy. but trust me, you can cut a 30cm log with one of these. Large Tooth: Large branches and sappy green wood are ideal to use this saw for. Medium Tooth: Great general purpose, can cope with small branches and okay with large ones too.

Specs

The blades are made from a high carbon steel called SK4, this is a very strong steel but is also quite flexible, which is very important in a hand saw. The blades are also coated in chrome to give them some protection from rust and resin. The precision-ground, razor sharp blade has four cutting angles along the length of the saw and provides a fast, clean and smooth cutting action. And here's where my ding against the saw comes along. Due to the way the trees had fallen, I managed to get the saw blade caught in the kerf. And I was clever; I cut from the bottom up for the main cut, after making a small cut in the top to allow the log to split down. But. The upper chunks of log were loose enough on the hillside to slip down. And pinch the blade between the completely cut halves of the downed tree. Yeah, I should have realized. Almost all Silky saws have rubber compound elastomer handles, either inserted or vulcanised to ABS plastic or steel. Rubber handles are more comfortable to hold, reduce vibration and offer superior grip in the cold and wet.

The saw should be stored in the closed position and cleaned of any debris/dirt to ensure a smooth opening operation. Ideally the blade should be cleaned with a solvent being careful to keep it away from the handle - this will help prolong its useful life. Store away from moisture. Using a special high frequency heating technique, teeth are heated instantly and hardened. Because only the teeth are heated the blade retains its normal flexibility. Hardened teeth stay sharp about 3 times longer than non-hardened. This is an ideal multi-purpose folding saw for cutting big jobs down to size. Utilizes proprietary Silky ‘Mirai-Me’ technology. The blade must be kept clean to maintain its efficiency. Resin dissolves in olive oil, which is an effective and environmental friendly way to maintain the blade with. More aggressive liquids can damage the rubber material of the handle.

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This is an ideal multi-purpose folding saw for cutting big jobs down to size. Utilizes proprietary Silky 'Mirai-Me' technology.

WARNING. NEVER CUT DIRECTLY ABOVE YOUR HEAD. Always consider where the falling branches will land on the ground. We strongly recommend the use of protective hard hats and glasses. Hard chrome plating produces an exceedingly hard, durable surface. The blades are resistant to rust and the effects of resin. They are finely or mirror polished and wipe clean easily. Silky’s Bigboy multi-purpose folding saw provides a greater reach than a standard folding saw due to its 360mm blade and can be used for a wide range of pruning work and garden maintenance.

It seemed expensive at the time but now after two years, it's clearly a bargain. I've likely cut well over 100 trees and branches on the original blade. The largest trees it comfortably cuts are 12 - 14" diameter. I can tell the blade has dulled a little bit, but not enough to swap a new blade yet. It takes me about 20 minutes to saw through a 12 - 14" Doug Fir. The cut is very smooth, thanks to the Japanese style teeth as used on saws intended for fine woodworking in Japanese woodworking and cabinetmaking. Long well-balanced taper-ground blades with impulse-hardened non-set tooth design provide extended working reach, faster cutting and handles large limbs and small trunks with little effort.