In my work they remain dangerously sharp for about a week then after a couple months of pruning I throw them away. Most of their functional lives they aren’t that sharp for me, but I wish they stayed that way. I guess I’m a masochist, but I don’t cut myself nearly as often as I used to, Maybe once a pruning season- but usually not a gusher. Fewer injuries in my case is not the result of greater skill than I had before. At 74 I don’t do as much pruning hanging upside down form a branch as when I was young and spry (3 or 4 years ago). Pruning form a ladder is safer when using sharp tools.
3 Likes
@scottfsmith, I had a habit of using my fingers to clear debris from knife and saw blades - learned not to do that with the Silky…
7 Likes
Same or the small Silky blade.
1 Like
learned the hard way to keep it folded when not actiively cutting. got a nice scar on my right knee. lightly brushed it with shorts on.
4 Likes
I’m a fan of the ~$35 Felco 600 series folding saws. I have 3 of them now as I’ve bought one every 2-3yrs, my latest is the F602 redesigned version. I keep mine stored in their double holster with hand pruners, which is a convenient quick grab when I go out into the yard; pruners take care of anything thinner than my thumb, and saw does everything else up to as thick as my arm before considering a power tool. Also, FYI you can buy silkie type blades for a reciprocating saw 
5 Likes
I have a Stihl PS60.. amazingly sharp.. and handy. Easy to obtain at most any Stihl dealer as well.
However i will be buying a PS10 before long as this one is too cumbersome for some smaller limbs and i want a pocket saw to carry. Very fairly priced
4 Likes
Tried many saws over the years and recommend Corona 7” (budget pick) and silky f180 for everyday use. The silky stays sharp the longest by far, but is also quite a bit more expensive. I love Felco in general, but the Corona’s sharpness seems to hold up better. I like these sizes because it fits in a garden belt to carry around for daily use. Good luck
1 Like
I spend a small fortune on replacement Silky blades although their extreme sharpness declines after a couple weeks of steady use. After 2 or 3 months of pruning all day every day I need to replace the blade at about $60 a shot. The chains for my Milwaukee Hatchet battery powered saw run for a fraction of that once CHAT guided me to the right sized Oregon chain. Now, when I come to an orchard I’m responsible for pruning, I run through it with the Hatchet first and make all the cuts more than about 2" in diameter I can reach without a ladder. I just started using it a little over a year ago… let’s see how long the saw itself lasts. Then I will be able to measure relative costs.
As far as folding saws, I never carry one in my pocket, I can comfortably carry a small hand pruner that way, but if I think I’m going to need a saw I wear a belt with a scabbard and a pruner holster hanging on either side. Pulling a small saw our of my pocket and folding and unfolding it takes too much effort and it is an inferior tool compared to an almost foot long Gomtaro 300mm, rough cut Silky. Just keep your other hand out of its potential path- the way you use a carving knife in the kitchen.
2 Likes
Curved blades are better for pole saws, but straight blades allow more force on the cut when you are working above the branch you are cutting, IMO. The Corona stays sharp about a third as long as a Silky blade, also IMO. I’d love to see a controlled test of the two blades to know for sure, but that is my experience with lesser blades.
Of course, even experienced pros will often come up with different opinions. My hourly wage may change the equation as well. You’ve heard of “the banana belt” for a warm microclimate… I live in a moneybelt. Expenses are high but so are wages for skilled labor. The price for manual tools doesn’t affect my bottom line much.
Now, a battery powered pro Stihl saw is another matter.
3 Likes
Sounds like a great place to live! I like silky that you mentioned. I prefer Corona because of the inexpensive price comparatively. It is going to be someone else using my saws as much as me. I like to oil my blades and wipe them off but I found nobody else does that. Corona i spend a little money change a rusted blade every few years and forget it. I’m sure when you hire your new helper, they do similar things. That is fully my fault by the way for not telling anyone what my plans are ever. If i.want a blade wiped down I should mention it but find I never have. Corona cut through wood like a hot knife through butter. The saws are light and I like that. Sure I have 5 chainsaws but still use a hand saw when grafting always. I typically use one for pruning also because I’m careful with my pear trees.
1 Like
Well, it has its pluses and minuses. Mostly neighbors don’t know each other and don’t share a sense of community because our everyday lives do not intersect much- even when I go shopping in the nearby town, I seldom run into anyone I know.
One can create a community here if they make the effort, but I prefer to be paid by my friends for my time caring for their orchards- not one of them lives in my neighborhood, which is not one of the wealthier ones. I stay close to my brothers and sisters who all live on the other side of the country besides one brother who is about a 3 hr. drive away.
Tradesmen make their money here, pay for their homes and then usually sell them when they retire and live on their savings and social security in less expensive places to live. If they have a pension to boot, they can usually live very well in their retirement years.
1 Like
What about Felco? Anyone have experience with thier folding pull-saw? If so, what lenngth would you recommend?
2 Likes
I have a felco saw. It’s a nice saw and is sharp. Mine is around 6” blade and and folds down to about 7-8” estimated.
It’s a pocket saw for me.
2 Likes
I have a Fanno folding saw. Works great! Replaced the blade over the years. Happy with it. Price was reasonable and it cuts well. I think I picked up the last replacement blade from Peach Ridge Orchard Supply.
2 Likes
What size tooth, small, medium or large, would be considered best for a Silky that you were going to use for cutting off rootstock for grafting?
I’m thinking a large tooth would cut faster, but shred the stub. So a medium or small size tooth?
Will a small toothed Silky cut , or just finally rub it off?
I trim the recipient with a knife, but don’t want the cambium all tattered.
thanks
I too can attest to Silkie. If I’m top working or pruning I run the folding GOMBOY240 as my pocket saw. Scary sharp still after about a year of casual use; it’s very satisfying to cut through fruit trees like butter. For grafting I also have a pair of Italian double cut pruners to make sure I don’t disturb the slipping bark, but TBH the saw cuts so clean sometimes I almost prefer using it over the pruners given the chance (I like to polish if off with a grafting knife either way). Nice that my local nursery got the idea and sells them too.
2 Likes
I bought a real Corona locally, and it’s very fast at cutting for a non electric saw. As long as what needs cutting is not too flexible. I don’t dare use it without gloves.
1 Like
I do a lot of grafting, but all in in-ground trees and every graft is a simple splice, usually onto one year shoots. I would never use a saw for a cut where I’m lining up cambium and the double bladed Italian hand pruners in the photo above has been my tool for this for probably 25 years. The Silky Gomtaro rough cut that I use isn’t made to make the cleanest cut, for that you’d want more and smaller teethe. For cleft grafts it would be fine, though- certainly for anything too thick to cut with a hand pruner.
2 Likes
I use ARS & Samurai
2 Likes