I
have a long history with Silky. In fact, at one time I owned a business
which was one of the largest Silky retailers in the US. During that
tenure relationship with Silky products, I was constantly surprised by
their unequaled quality and customer satisfaction. We always had a
constant supply moving to arborist, forest preserves and national parks,
and large commercial tree farms. The feedback from these professionals
who were using and abusing these saws hard on a daily basis was always
positive with the notes that they previously purchased X brand and now
only buy Silky.

ABOUT SILKY SAWSSilky
saws are manufactured in Ono Japan, which is the epicenter of the
finest cutlery steel production in the world. Silky uses these very high
grade pure steel sources to deliver blades that are less prone to
breakage, hold an edge longer, and cut faster than any other saw on the
market and they have been achieving these goals since the 1900s. Silky
has continued to add innovation and improve designs to raise the bar for
quality, endurance and cutting efficiency that none can match. In the
1980s Silky patented its own saw grind process which today still
delivers the best sharpness in the industry. In 1985 Silky launched the
GOMBOY line which received accolades and awards globally. Today the
GOMBOY is still considered the pinnacle of folding saws. Silky saws are
distributed in the USA and Central America by Sherrill, Inc where I
purchased my three Silky Gomboy Folding Saws
FIT, FINISH, FEEL, & FEATURESFor
those familiar with higher quality pocket knives you will see that same
high quality fit and finish in each of the Silky saw blades - all of
which are easily replaceable once the long lived blades dull. All blades
are an unique alloy steel which is produced exclusively for Silky. The
alloy is impulse hardened to create a harder, longer lasting cutting
point, with exceptional tensile strength and an ideal combination of
hardness and flexibility.
One
of the pioneering blade designs was the tapered design of the blades
where the blade is fattest at the teeth and skinniest at the spine. This
blade design significantly decreases binding and smooths & speeds
the cutting stroke all while increasing cutting ability and tooth
strength. Silky’s blade teeth are a proprietary patented design which
cut faster, last longer, bind less, and cut with less effort.

FUNCTIONSSilky
offers a full range of fine to coarse toothed replacement and spare
blades which can be swapped out in a few minutes, however they have
extra-coarse and extra-fine blades available for some models as well.
The key to saws is selecting the right blade for the right job and
material.
Each
of the GOMBOY saws I selected feature straight blades which allow
straight precision cuts to be made for shelter building, traps, and
other bushcraft needs. Straight blades are also easier to control and
deliver a smoother overall cut. Silky also offers curved blades which
deliver a higher speed cut for felling limbs and branches, but do not
offer the ability to deliver a straight cut for notches and building.
Having personally used curved blades, they are great for fast trimming,
however not so great for bushcraft use.

Another
factor is the size of the blade. You can get away with a coarser
toothed blade on a longer blade because of the leverage and stroke
length.The smaller the blade the finer the teeth required to produce a
smooth stroke on very dry or hard woods. In my testing, I validated this
theory with both oak and dry shipping pallet wood. Based on my testing,
I concur that Medium teeth blades are still the recommendation for the
survivalist and outdoorsman.
Around
my area, willow/cottonwood trees abound and in any of these cases all
these saws delivered excellent cutting capabilities. Although the fine
teeth really slowed down the speed of the cuts, it did deliver craftsman
level precision cuts. The coarser the teeth the faster the job ended.

I
did manage to cut an sizable 8” log with the big GOMBOY 270mm however I
never wish to repeat that experiment ever again. The learning from
that sweaty testing adventure was to pack as large a saw as you are able
to carry if you expect to cut anything substantial. For most tree stand
trimming needs and outdoor survival packs for bushcraft and shelter
building the GOMBOY 210mm and 240mm models would be just fine. If you
plan on building a small fort or something more substantial, I would
increase the saw size.
For
bushcraft work, all three saws delivered the precision and notches
needed for survival however I am planning on picking up a replacement
Medium tooth blade for the big 270mm GOMBOY to make precision cuts a bit
smoother. You will be amazed at the size of limbs these Silky saws can
cut through quickly.
FINAL THOUGHTS
As I cruise the local home improvement stores I see the competing $10-$20 folding saws on the shelf and they look like junk compared to the Silky saws. Of course you do not need to reach for the top end of the Silky line, they have the same great blades in less expensive polymer F180 handled lines that start just above $30. In those lines you will have one of the best blades in the business with just a bit shorter blade.
As I cruise the local home improvement stores I see the competing $10-$20 folding saws on the shelf and they look like junk compared to the Silky saws. Of course you do not need to reach for the top end of the Silky line, they have the same great blades in less expensive polymer F180 handled lines that start just above $30. In those lines you will have one of the best blades in the business with just a bit shorter blade.
As
with everything I write about, I like to find great products that you
can use and appreciate now, but deliver you from harm when you life
depends on it. A decent sized folding hand saw is one of those
indispensable items that can help clear debris around your home and
property after a storm, deliver precise pruning cuts to your trees each
year, help you clear a path to your favorite tree stand, and of course
assure your shelter and survival in a bad situation. $50 is a small
price to pay for a tool this useful.
SPECS
294-27 GOMBOY 270mm large teeth - $50.95
- 270mm folding hand saw, 10.6-in blade 22.24-in overall length
- 5 teeth per inch
- 0.65 lbs
- Limited lifetime warranty against defects in material and workmanship
294-27 GOMBOY 270mm large teeth - $50.95
- 270mm folding hand saw, 10.6-in blade 22.24-in overall length
- 5 teeth per inch
- 0.65 lbs
- Limited lifetime warranty against defects in material and workmanship
121-24 GOMBOY 240mm Medium teeth - $47.95
- 9-1/2-inch (240 mm) blade length
- 12 teeth per inch (14 teeth per 30 mm) teeth configuration
- 0.6 pounds (260 grams) operating weight; 0.8 pounds (360 grams) weight with carrying case
- Limited lifetime warranty against defects in material and workmanship
- 9-1/2-inch (240 mm) blade length
- 12 teeth per inch (14 teeth per 30 mm) teeth configuration
- 0.6 pounds (260 grams) operating weight; 0.8 pounds (360 grams) weight with carrying case
- Limited lifetime warranty against defects in material and workmanship
290-21 GOMBOY 210mm Fine Teeth - $41.95 - 8-1/3-inch (210 mm) blade length
- 8.5 teeth per inch (10 teeth per 30 mm) teeth configuration
- 0.55 pounds (240 grams) operating weight; 0.65 pounds (300 grams) weight with carrying case
- Clear plastic hinged carrying case for storage and carrying is included
- Product applications include pruning & trimming, lawn & garden, construction
- Limited lifetime warranty against defects in material and workmanship
- 8.5 teeth per inch (10 teeth per 30 mm) teeth configuration
- 0.55 pounds (240 grams) operating weight; 0.65 pounds (300 grams) weight with carrying case
- Clear plastic hinged carrying case for storage and carrying is included
- Product applications include pruning & trimming, lawn & garden, construction
- Limited lifetime warranty against defects in material and workmanship
SOURCES
Silky Saws - http://www.silkysaws.com
Sherrilltree - http://www.sherrilltree.com
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