When I was ten years old some forty plus years ago I was taught how to use a bow saw. That was the go to until ten years ago. Then I stumbled across Japanese pull saws. They are now my go to and that includes my carpentry gear. For myself, as the aches and pains start to catch up it's the pull that makes life easier.

Dad's saw: "25 years old, stable, built my entire camp with it, never sharpened it, still cuts like hell"... lol.

1:56 Hi Lilly. The real advantage of the pull style saws is they use far less calories per stroke than the push style. The reason is that the push stroke requires two things - downward pressure and forward force. The pull style, however, requires only backward pull. The teeth of the pull saw are so designed that they bite into the wood on the pull stroke and tend to dig in downwards, so you need apply no (or very little) downward pressure at all. Just let the saw do the work and keep the pulls going. Remember, it's not speed of cutting that is most important, but expenditure of calories. The forward stroke of the pull saw only serves to clean the sawdust out of the groove. Another advantage is that pull saws never get stuck, like bow saws tend to do (rather irritatingly!). The reason is that most of them (the better ones certainly) are thicker at the teeth and thinner at the top (much like a flat ground knife blade, but upside down!). Silky saws are also very useful for cutting selected limbs for a bundle (like hazel) without damaging the rest, where a bow saw wouldn't be able to get in. Lastly, as one doesn't really need a long blade even for quite thick logs, Silky saws tend to be shorter than equivalent bow saws, less bulky, and don't have that pesky blade to somehow store and carry safely. All in all, the folding pull style saw is generally much more user-friendly and easier to use, while still being able to do some pretty hefty cutting jobs. Thanks for another enjoyable video.

using any sharp tool be it knife, axe or saw requires that you observe proper placement of your body in conjunction with the tool that your using at that time, happy, safe an healthy holidays lily.

Regardless of the style of saw you use, it is always good practice to keep anything you don't want to cut out of the path of the blade.

And...to keep the Silky closed, I just throw a ranger band around it.

I've had the exact Silky you tested for over a year now. Yes you do have to be careful when closing, it is super sharp so being careless around it is not a good idea. The blade has two positions, one for cutting wood close to the ground, works well. I keep mine in a leather pouch, really the pouch is made for carrying welding rods, but works well. One last thing, I learned, let the saw do the work, don't try to force it, you will find you will cut just as well without tiring yourself out.

Silky saws are awesome... I've been through so many saws, the Silky Bigboy is the winner by far... Silky GomBoy is another great saw.

I have a Wyoming saw I use when hunting, it is small compact and has two blades, one for cutting wood and one for butchering. It is not the best saw for cutting fair size firewood but It serves a dual purpose which is better that taking two saws. When I take this saw with me, it is because I am hunting moose. I have bow saws at the cabin and on these ones you are absolutely right. If you are stationary somewhere they are by far the easiest and efficient saws. Cheapest as well, blades are easy to find and replace. The silky big boy that I have tried is a great saw, as safe as any others. I am not a big fan of folding saws to start with but it worked great. Hitting your leg with the BB is no different than hitting your leg with a bow or any other saw. The key here in using tools in the bush is to have good, safe working habits. Take your time, figure out what you want to accomplish and take the proper steps to do it in a safe manner regardless of time pressure. My point being I don't have a favourite saw. I used the best one for the activities I am doing at the time. That being said if you asked me "If you could have only one saw which one would you take"? I would probably take the Big Boy. Because of the sharp blade, the fact it takes very little room in a pack. Not great for butchering as the teeth are very close together and bone dust, meat and fat get stock in there and you have to clean the blade constantly. But overall I believe it is the most versatile.

There's something else at play besides blade thickness because to me it seems a folding saw like the Silky cuts faster and more efficiently/easier than a bow saw even though it has a thicker blade. I think it has to do with the bow saw's thinner blade constantly twisting, turning and binding into the wood.

The Silky is a pruning saw. You reach above your head, a cut while using gravity. Your wrist is also at the correct angle for pruning. Thanks for showing the superiority of the bow saw for firewood.

Hi.LillyGreat vid.Using a pull saw goes against thousands of years of sawing.It takes alot of learning,not too push.once aperson masters the pull method it is a great method and very fast.Faster than most.The trick is not to cut flat.Get your wood up in the air so youare cutting up and down,takes the pressure off the wrist.For the average user you are 100% right.Next do not drop the blade on your handit hurts like hell and the teeth make big holes and a lot of blood.

Lilly, I dont see any adds on this one...just a heads up, I really hope its not because of the saws!

I've used bow, fixed and folding saws and prefer the fixed blade saw, particularly the Silky Zubat. For Bushcraft, and /or lightweight travel the Zubat is fantastic. I couldn't justify the higher priced Silky saws like the Sugowaza when held up against the performance of the Zubat. Silky folding saws are amazing from a design, build and functional perspective, but when you get to the Bigboy and larger versions the issue of portability becomes moot. Ideally various saws serve multiple purposes and scenarios.

Reading the comments.....I never thought people could get so worked up over what kinda of saw is best in their opinion.

I have a nice bowsaw I got from the flea market for free. I was buying a scroll saw and I sweetened the deal by asking if I could have the saw thrown in. Turns out it is a really nice swedish bowsaw! My plan is to build a roycroft pack frame to carry it easier because I don't care how inconvenient they are, bowsaws are THE king. Fastest cutting, easy to sharpen, and spare blades take up virtually no space in your pack.

I think one reason for the ergonomic difficulties you were having is maybe because a bow saw is designed to cut wood that's lying flat like you were doing in this video, but a Silky saw is designed to cut limbs off trees which are still attached to the tree or to cut entire trees which are still standing.

It all boils down to, "how big you are & how strong are you." for me it's the silky Big Boy 2000.

I totally agree with Canadian prepper on this when it comes to silky saws there is no comparison I just gave away all my other saws

Very informative video. Thanks you

Important note. The most most common reason the the blade brakes on bow saws. Is people love to lean on it. Rather its to ad weight and support, or fatigue. So dont lean on your bow saws.

Well... You I know love ya Elisabeth, but I have to disagree about bowsaws being more efficient in cutting big logs, the katanaboy 500/650 blaze through much bigger logs than a bow saw MUCH faster. The tapered design of silky saws mean that the impulse hardened teeth that are RAZOR sharp are also slightly thicker than the spine of the saw, this means that there is no binding. The blades dont need to be sharpened even after hundreds of uses due to the patented impulse hardening of the SK4 steel. The gap is a downside to the saws curvature which is there in order to make the saw cut faster, I've never heard of anyone cutting themselves like that. The katanaboys have a locking feature keeping them closed, I agree this is one area where it may be improved. Comparing the long more vigorous strokes of an extended bowsaw to little light strokes (and ineffective technique) of a bigboy 2000 is not a fair comparison. Silky advises NOT to push down on the blade and let the saw do the work, saving energy. A valid comparison would have a person do it many times to gauge the dulling of the blades. If its ergonomics you are after than you will want a pistol grip fixed blade like the Zubat, sugoi or Sugowaza. However the pistol grip is not conducive to horizontal cutting and falling trees (something bowsaws are very awkward at)The short of it is yes bowsaws are easier to sharpen because they will need to be sharpened, I've never had to sharpen a silky saw in my years. Anyways thats my rant lol, I still think you're awesome but this is an area I'm quite passionate about.

Packable bow saws are my first choice. They are much more efficient and comfortable to work. Blades are cheap to replace in bow saws, and the saw frame takes a beating.

Thank you for your very thorough review. My main appreciation is that you included everyday usage, and their ergonomic application. Others have also commented on the wrist tension with the two Silky saws which verifies the comparison to my abilities. Thank you for the detailed explanations. Love your channel.

Thank you. This is exactly what I needed. I have a folding saw currently I'm using in my videos.

You get tired faster if you saw wood with pushing movement than pulling. The pushing movement is gonna use your tricep and shoulders which are small muscles compared to pulling whereas you’re using your back.

You have a point about the position of the wrist. In kayaking, having the wrists straight is paramount to lasting with a minimal effort, in martial arts striking with a bent wrist may lead to instant injury. Yet most of the folding saws I've used have this bend precisely to avoid that, it's just a matter of using them well. Pushing on a saw is indeed counter-productive, it has to bite its way through the wood by its sharpness, not be pushed through. That, in its turn, also reduces any strain on the wrist. In order to last, be it in sawing, canoeing, kayaking or martial arts, one always has to remain fluid, supple in one's movements. Even for walking, by the way : rigid legs weary a lot faster.

ATT: Anybody but mostly Lilly. IMPULSE HARDENED TEETH can be sharpened, use diamonds ( because diamonds are a man's best friend too ) you mentioned that you sharpen your own saws ... don't be limited to softer steels if you like a blade just get it and when it gets dull fix it with a diamond sharpener mine is 2.5'' X 3/4'' X .005''. Metric ? about 1 MM thick. it was meant for fish hook sharpening...i modified it by filing the back at a fine angle maybe 35 degrees so it will fit between the teeth down to the bottom , or close to. works like a charm. when i was younger they didn't make ergonomic portable saws to my taste so ... buy a replacement blade and make a wooden handle & sheath. you may need to weld a tang on for the handle. i wouldn't trade mine for any other. my larger one looks very much like a Silky SUGOI 360mm that Canadian Prepper does a demo on .my smaller one 7'' long blade- similar wooden handle . I think plastic is cheep , ugly And feels like your hand got puked on by an oil drum. i like wood ! so make your own from wood. but if you cant make things like me than use the... Silky SUGOI 360mm or similar, & a Corona folding saw 7 inch go for 7 TPI. it's nice to sharpen, more teeth is not so fun . I hope this helps Jared

It would be great to see you compare different roll-up "survival" saws, like cable saws, riveted teeth saws and hand chain saws, and compare those to a small folding saw like the Barco or Silky PocketBoy.

I bought a 20$ pruning saw replacement blade at Lee Valley 7TPI. 14.25 inches long blade . I cut a tang for the handle , carved a maple handle, pinned it with copper wire , made a red cedar sheath . handle is at the same angle as a bow saw. it took a little work but i got exactly what i wanted & i can resharpen it when required. 9 years and counting on the real world testing & i still love it. Jared

I was told as a youngster.. Always let the saw do the work, don't force it. I prefer to use a small bow saw for cutting.

Thank you Lilley for this video everyone out in the prepping/ bushcraft say that silky is the best thing since sliced bread but seeing you test them really sorts this argument out thank you

If your planning on cutting down a big tree a bow saw is better but for bushcraft a folding saw like a silky is the way to go, they don’t bind and they are much more efficient on smaller stuff

Regarding silky fold saw, your problem with the gap between the saw and handle, is just because you normally don't wear gloves, which is quite common in your videos.

Sorry to have to correct you. As you straighten a pull-saw at every stroke, the blade can even be thinner than a bow-saw blade, which is slightly bending at the push stroke (pluck the blade, the sound tells you there's not that much tension. Compare it to a carpenter's frame saw that's correctly tensioned). Cutting in tight spaces is no downfall for the bow saw, just detach the blade, feed it into the tight space and attach it again with the teeth to the inside - it may take a little while to get used to this awkward-seeming handling, but it's worth a trial. The Bahco-Laplander is rather small, so it's not suitable for bigger stuff. You are using the XT-blade with fine straight teeth - these are cutting in both directions, so you have to be careful on the push stroke not to bend it. There is a JT-blade availible, which is coarse and cuts at the pull stroke only; the tip is more rigid too, so I think it's a better choice. Would like to compare it with the Silky F180.

The cool thing about the bow saws is that you can Carry different exchangeable blades with you

Thank you for all your hard work and keeping us entertained throughout the last years. Stay tuned and have a Merry Christmas Lilly, best wishes, Marcus

Best position I've found for safety, ergonomics, and speed with a Silky / folding saw is a plumber's vice.

I can't believe you're anti-silky saw. I have the Gomboy and Katana and I'll never consider a different saw again. You seem to not be using it most efficiency. It's a pull only as you stated you were aware of, and very little downward pressure is needed. Knife through hot butter.

Thank you for a very informative video, Lilly. You have taken time to study these tools and their advantages and disadvantages and safety. You have pointed out some things I always had at the back of my mind when using each type of saw, I have them all, but never really thought about it. Well done, you are right on.

I got the Tajima Folding Saw and my buddy got the Silky with the same size. They are both exactly the same when it comes to cutting branches but the Tajima only costs a third of the price. So I got the felling Silky is a little bit overrated.

I see value in both types of saws. There are a million different uses for a saw. Hell, I have at least 8 different hammers. Each is meant to bluntly strike an object. But, is that object a nail? A piece of tin I'm trying to shape (probably poorly, lol)? Is it a cinder block I'm trying to demolish or maybe a wooden dowel I'm setting into a piece of furniture? Point being, each of the variations are designed to gain the appropriate leverage and precision for a specific task. A Ferrari is a great car, unless you're trying to traverse a sand dune. I liked this video because it points out some of the strengths and limitations of the various varieties of saws on the market. Lilly did a great job of covering the pros and cons, and the viewer can decide which tool would best suit their needs. Thank you for your videos and best wishes for 2018.

Tomahawk for small stuff. Aluminum bow saw for big stuff.

Lilly ,I have followed you from the beginning and have enjoyed all your videos. I've also sent most of your videos to my daughter who grew up in the woods with her daddy . I mildly disagree with you on the saw issue. Silky saws are God's gift to the woods people. Still love you and your work and determination .

A really handy tip I was given after the bow saw blade jumped onto my branch holding hand lacerating it badly was this. When starting a cut , particularly a large diameter branch, place the thumb of your branch holding hand lightly on the back of the blade. If the saw catches on the bark etc, it cannot jump onto your hand. Love your videos, keep up your good work xxx

You never mentioned about changing the grip angle on the Silky saw. It has two positions on thr handle to accommodate your cutting when the wood you are cutting is close to the ground...gives you a better angle and handle clearance.

I've always had the WORST luck with bow saws. My hands tremble a bit due to nerve damage so I end up putting side to side strain on the blade and, well, they break a lot sooner due to that. I just stick with sold saw I can put in a sheath now, since that side to side movement can also damage the folding joint. Found that, for small things, those manual chain saws work well for me too, so long as I don't get too rough with them.

favorite saw? silky big boy 2000, katana boy 650

I know silkys have a fan club, but I'll take that Bahco all day. Silky big boy is especially huge and I don't see a great use case other than forest management. For the record I believe most of these saws cut in both strokes. Whether it is bidirectional, push, or pull is determined by blade type not by saw type. Most of these blades CAN be sharpened with a small file. Most people just don't do it. That is one of the main advantages of the bow saw. Not only is the thin blade easier to push through material, it also makes the blades incredibly cheap to replace. Which is nice because you can pack a spare bow saw blade or 2 really easily with very little weight. Snap a folding saw blade in the field and you are pretty much out of a tool.

WHEN USING THE BOW SAW YOU SHOULD PUT YOUR HAND ON THE INSIDE AND HOLD THE BRANCH FROM THE OTHER SIDE SO IF THE SAW JUMPS OUT IT WON'T HIT YOUR HAND.

I love LOVE the BAHCO bow saw you had shown in some of your older videos. I purchased 2 different blades, one for green and the other I guess for other. WOW it really does a nice job. Thanks from Atlanta Ga USA.

I have a large Bahco bow saw, as well as a Bahco Laplander folding saw for the light stuff. I’ve never really messed with the breakdown saws as they usually look to be very uncomfortable for extended use, but that Boreal actually looks pretty nice. Thanks Lilly!

My favorite saw so far amzn.to/2AG7naV What is your favorite saw? Also check out the FAQs of the official Silky Saw website. It states that you should not use pressure on the Silky Saw just like I said in the video it is important that you let the saw cut itself, do not use too much pressure or you risk a break www.silkysaws.com/FAQ_2

Take more lessons on cutting with the last saw. The cutting stand and grip can use more work. You can cut yourself with any saw if you are not paying attention. Every saw has it's purpose, you have to use common sense.

I didn't expect to enjoy this video, but to my surprise I found it very interesting and made me look at saws in a whole new way. So thanks for that, Lily!

Excellent video analysis. I have a smaller folding saw which is nice for small diameter limbs. Your analysis has helped me decide on the bow saw for more hefty logs. Thanks a million.

I've had my "Boreal 21" for about a year now and I love it :-) It processes fire wood very well, folds/unfolds quickly, it's light-weight and takes up very little pack space. I usually store mine on the outside of the pack anyways. Definitely a good investment!

The blade on the bow saw is for cutting wet timber with the raker tooth to clear the cut.

I like the B21 and thanks you made me think about things I did not think of before.

Thanks Lilly for this review and Merry Christmas

The Boreal 21 is my Favorit saw best used with the Cross saw Blade l also use the Silke 240 also Top. the two Go together a treet, no need för a extra saw l notice you was usein the Silke wrong it only cuts on the pull and you was jumping on the pull ( little practice)

Its too bad that Agawa is going out of business, they stopped selling the Boreal21 on all their 3rd party sellers but luckily I ordered one directly from manufacturer before they ran out of stock. I think they may have some left in stock but then that's it they're gone forever. I think it's definitely one of the best folding buck saws on the market hands down so glad I got one. If i had to guess they will be completely out of them before June.

Loved this review Lily. Very practical and common sense approach for your reviews! Hope you have a wonderful 2021!

Hey lilly,i fixed that safety problem with the folding saws by using a large thick rubber band around mine wile closed and not in use so it wont open up when not wanted ect.

I understand your concern about sharpening the blade of the Bigboy, however, if you use it as per recommended instruction, you won't have to worry about it's cutting performance for literal years.

I got a Sawvivor years ago, out of business now. Collapisble bow saw 13" blade, 10 oz, $30. Pretty awesome. Thanks Lilly, Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Lilly and thank you for all your videos :)

Any person has their own unique way of using those kinds of saws

I have to admit if i was building a log cabin i'd just borrow a chain saw in this day & age

The EKA combi is the best folding saw I have used for outdoors. Light, portable and effective. Silky are a 'gimmick'. For smaller work I use either a Bahcho Laplander or Opinel number 13 saw. Either are perfectlly adequate at camp or on day hikes and are very portable. The only people who need a 30 inch bow saw and 3ft felling axe are a professional woodman.

You do fine and thoughtful product reviews: pros and cons are concisely presented, usability is in sharp focus. Nothing is given a 'thumbs down; rather you explain the best way to use the product, should a buyer prefer a certain style. I had a 25-year-old saw, much like your father's: it brought back memories to see you use it! I moved on to a saw very much like the Boreal model you tested: we did a lot of backpacking and the folding-but-still-connected architecture of the saw made it most efficient to assemble and to take down. The big bow saw 'wobbled' from side to side because my small hands (for a man) found the large size hard to control.

3:44 ”It must be some... some...” Magic! Magic was the only thing that came to my mind lol.

Awesome video mate! Merry Christmas!!!

A great video comparison. I needed this. I was looking into a more-capable folding saw than my generic Bacho Laplander and was impressed with the Boreal 21.

That silky was going to be my next saw until I realized they can't be sharpened and no way I'm buying $50 throw away blades.

Lilly, that tepee is going mouldy, you need to light some fires to dry it out. The silky takes some getting used to, you are using it wrong...you should try the silky katana series they cut amazingly well, but you still need to understand and practice with them to get to the most use out of them.

I agree with your assessment. The bow saw is better. We all prefer the 1911 grip over the glock.

With the silky big boy 2000 you can press the lock again and position the angle of the saw higher so the tension of your wrist is eased :)

Hi Lilly, thanks for the video. It's quite helpful because i have the silky big boy 2000 and have exactly the same problem you showed. The one hand grip is not good at all. However when i can hold the saw with 2 hands , like on a tree branch , it cuts like a laser, but that's not really possible when cutting firewood for bushcraft. I'll have a look at the boreal bowsaw you showed. Thanks :) Have a nice day.

I think pull saws are easier because their technique is easier to grasp. Bow saws can cut better but it requires a decent blade and technique to not bind. I still think bow saws are better though in a Bug-out Bag or survival situation for a few reasons. 1. much less likely to break. 2. easily sharpen-able with a very tiny file. You can not sharpen a pull saw at least not with practical tools.

Thanks for the review, I was just looking at the quick buck saw yesterday. I like the look of the boreal...

It's not always practical, but if you can use your folding saw to cut vertically (usually blade down) you have a much more natural hand position. It also works to cut with your handle lower than the cutting point (so the blade angles upward) and your wrist pretty straight.

Wow. Really Lilly? Folding saws are one of the best items I carry into the bush. Safer, in my opinion, than an axe or hatchet. The blade of a folding saw will fit into, and cut, in tight spaces - a huge advantage over bow saws. Compact. Lightweight. Fast to deploy and stow. Sharp. Fast cutting. LOVE them!! Felco and Silky make some of the best...

Scientifically you have more power pulling than pushing

The Silky saws cut only on the pull stroke, best not to push on the forward stroke. Also there is a second position that changes the angle which makes cutting alot easier deprnding on the wood bring cut.

Good video Lilly. I also tend to use my bow saws more just for the fact they hold a more ergonomic position. Even though they may take a little longer to cut, if you are cutting a lot of logs, your wrists will appreciate it more at the end of the day. With that said I also am a big fan of the silkys when I am heading out for a night of two and my cutting demands are less.

Very nice topic and full of good advice! Thanks Lilly 😬

Thanks for the review - very helpful, especially the safety issues.

Great info. Thanks Lilly! Merry Christmas!! I just noticed you have almost 600,000 subs! Holy Cow!!! LOL

I own both the Laplander and the silky bb 2000. The Bahco with the fine saw teeth are great for the small stuff like smaller tree branches and kindling for starting a fire whereas the silky big boys larger and more aggressive teeth will hang up on smaller branches but will make short work of the larger cutting chores and will keep your fire burning bright. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this.

Lilly,thank you for a very well considered evaluation of those saws.I'm in the market for a "take along" saw,and your opinion will carry weight...I may still get a silky,but you do bring up good points.

Most bow saws are sold with a coarse (wet) blade, but there fine (dry) blades. You can carry both and cut small branches and large limbs.

Very good video I use both types of saws and the bow saw is easier to cut logs if you need to process more wood at a base camp or winter camping. I use a little folding saw for my normal overnight trips Merry Christmas and God Bless.

For building a log cabin my favorite saw is a Stihl chain saw with a 23" bar. Very efficient , Lol JK

Love the way you say "tuned" :)

My dad cut his wrist with a folding saw and almost died. Always be carful when cutting things.

That wrist-angle point is very compelling. Great video, Lilly.

This video describes all the saws really good

Thank you for the great video Lilly, very well done. I bought a bahco simply for the price and having a saw in the bug out situation, in addition to my chopper blade (Kershaw Camp 10) and ESSE 3 for finer work.

The Bow saw is more like a hand saw then any folding saw, a better comparison would be the Silky Zumbat, I really like your dads old bow say, but I work on Mountain bike trails, I ride with my 330mm Silky Zumbat on my leg, Silky offers many different saws, and teeth, medium teeth works best on trails for me, for hard, and soft wood, the blades are very hard, I've used my Zumbat for years, and they don't need to be sharpening, these are made much different then the old saws, and take more care in handling because they are so sharp, they have replaced chainsaws for many arborists, trailworkers, etc. The Curved blade makes it easier to use, made for pulling.