13.8.2014

The Silky saws are the very best you can get - they are fabulous for cutting branches. (some people have used them to log whole trees but personally I prefer a chainsaw for anything larger than 2 to 3 inches across). All of them do the job better than any other hand held saw on the market. This one is no exception and I simply cannot recommend it highly enough.. In fact this model is probably the KING of the SIlkys. You can use it when aloft and you can use it on the ground and you can reach up high with it to cut branches out of reach of normal hand held saws because of its curved blade. The Silky is the saw of choice for most tree surgeons.partly because it is the best but also because it is so easy to attach (and detach)to your belt in its scabbard.All the Silkys go through wood like butter! - and this model because it has a longer stroke will simply amaze you. Dead or live wood it takes in its stride and you do not need to put much pressure on the saw because the teeth do all the work.There are a few things to remember though when using them1. They only cut on the pull - i.e. don't try to cut on the up movement of the blade2. They are VERY sharp and won't differentiate between you and the tree if you let your other hand get in the way - try always to keep your left hand well away if you are right handed and vice versa if you are left handed. Having said that I have let my eight year old grandson use it - under supervision and with his mini protective gear on.3. The points of the teeth are also very sharp and if you are silly enough to let them touch your skin - for example when putting it in its sheath in cramped conditions - they will draw blood4. The saw dust just streams off the blade so work in such a way that you do not get blinded by the sawdust especially when working with it above your head.4. Because they are so sharp they are a lethal weapon - probably more dangerous than a knife of that size. So be aware that carrying one without good reason is likely to be considered an offence. I never carry mine on my belt when in public but in the car and out of sight. The CPS say this on their web site:"There is a strong public interest in deterring the carrying and use of knives and other offensive weapons.Accordingly, where there is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction, the public interestwill normally require a prosecution."Having said that, I do carry one - but then I live in a rural area and work on roadside trees sometimes.Finally they are built to last and I hear that even in intensive use every day their life runs into many years. Mine is scarcely showing any wear at all after 7 years of use in my woodland and gardenWhy I am reviewing it when this one has only just been bought? - well I bought this one as a present for my son-in-law who has just got a wood all of his own.

14.6.2014

No need to fuel up and start the chain saw. Just grab (carefully, with leather gloves) the Zubat and work the blade in between tightly nested branches to make perfectly placed cuts.When trimming away stringy little branches, use a light push stroke to cut them. The pull stroke which is the cutting stroke often just pulls them toward you.The little leg belts don't come with the scabbard, but the scabbard does hang from your belt, and is essential because this saw is so sharp you just don't want to lay it down anywhere. It should be in your hand, or in the scabbard.The Zubat is a great saw to have while climbing in a tree.If you are looking for a saw to rip through large branches,

10.12.2015

This was my favorite handsaw (until I moved to a Silky Sugoi 13", for the thicker sturdier blade). I have tried all the handsaws available at the local big box hardware stores, then moved to a 14" Corona (from a specialty garden store), my favorite at the time. Then I got a Silky Sugoi 16" about 6 years ago, which I estimated to be 30% faster than the 14" Corona. This Silky Zubat is more compact and lighter than the Sugoi, with almost as much cutting power. As is normal with such saws, you need to be extremely careful not to cut yourself on the teeth, as they will draw blood, or cut clothes, with the slightest touch.2016 update: after 2 years of moderate to hard use,

10.3.2021

I've been climbing & pruning large oaks & firs on my property for the last 8 years. In the last 4 years alone, I've probably purchased 7-8 saws that were less than half the cost of this one. Why? Because I'm cheap and a little dense, that's why. I figured all those 5 star reviews of $25 saws had to be worth something, right? Nope.With the exception of one pretty descent $40 Ichiban, this saw is better than all those others combined. Most of the cheaper ones will do a few things well for a while. Some cut well for a few days and then lose their sharpness, some are ok but uncomfortable, and some are overall good except for the fitment into the scabbard. Where this one shines is when returning it to the scabbard.

5.11.2016

I have taken a few pruning classes and have a few excellent pruning books. I was proud when I had a respected arborist come to give me a bid on some bigger work - he said I was doing a really good job. The areas I saw as problematic he agreed. In large part, I hadn't dealt with those because I didn't have the right tools. Unfortuntately, the arborist took seriously ill and couldn't come to do the work on the trickier and larger trees. So, I did some research online thinking that if I had the right tool, I could follow up with his recommendations.This is the RIGHT tool! I have 2 of those VERY narrow maples that grow to 35 feet. One had gotten some serious wind damage because it was acting like a sail in September wind storms.

5.1.2015

Price, Product & Extremely Fast Service. I bought this as a gift for my sun after getting a call and he informed that a large winter storm came through and broke off the top of his large maple in the front yard. He stated do not lose my Corona 13" saw. He had looked in the big box stores and could not find one. He has a lot of trees on his property so I knew that a Hand Saw would be a good gift. I read the reviews on Amazon for the hand saws offered and reviewed them in comparison to my old Corona which I have owned for 20 years or more and discovered that my Corona was made in Japan is a very sharp saw. Other reviews had put the Silky as being a very sharp saw that is also made in Japan.

20.12.2014

I purchased this saw, as well as the Silky SUGOI 360, this summer and have used both quite a bit. When cutting green wood the ZUBAT performs far better than the SUGOI. Case in point, the other night I cut down three live trees approx. 10" in diameter, as well as another about the same size about an hour ago, and on the first one (Elm) tried using the SUGOI 360 since it has the longest blade. The teeth immediately filled up with wood so I switched to the ZUBAT and was back in business, although it was a little dicey getting through the thickest part of the trunk due to the shorter, 330, blade. While the ZUBAT does well on both green & dried wood, the SUGOI does cut through dried wood quicker.If I could only have one Silky Saw,

5.4.2014

When this saw arrives it's clear that it's nothing like what you'll find in an American hardware store. It's built like an old, well refined weapon. The sheath is sturdy and features a polished metal nameplate and a roller for protection from the blade. The saw handle is a comfortable heavy rubber grip. The blade is polished stainless steel. My first use was to cut through a log that's about as big as this size of saw can handle. The blade only cuts on the pulling stroke so it doesn't rip into the wood as fast as a double cut. Halfway through the log should have been the point where it became difficult but it kept on making steady progress. It didn't catch, bind, clog, wander,

22.7.2016

Simply put, Silky saws are the best out there. The Silky Zubat is perfect for me as an orchardist for pruning work. When you do as much pruning as I do, you need a saw that's super sharp, well-made, and durable and that's exactly what the Silky Zubat delivers. I have a cheap folding pruner that I use for less demanding work, and the Zubat can saw through a branch in a fraction of the amount of time my folding saw takes. If you just need a saw once or twice a year for light work, then go with a cheap brand. But if you are going to be doing a lot of pruning as a landscaper, gardener, orchardist, arborist, or what have you, this saw is worth it's price. The length of the saw is perfect for me as well,

24.7.2012

I bought this for my hubby as he did not want to hire someone to do what he thought he could himself. I was worried he would injure himself trying to use the feeble tools we have on hand but he refused to let me hire anyone. So I made a long term investment in this pole saw. We have two sweet gum trees in our back yard that did not fair well during the drought in Texas last summer. My hubby spent 2 hours cutting down a 6 inch limb with the old tools with a creaky old ladder that I hate. I was very unhappy he did try to use the new saw so he could stay off that ladder. So the next break in the heat he tried the new saw. He admitted he was a fool not to use the new saw. He had two 4 inch limbs down in just moments.

18.9.2015

Gotta say, it's an excellent pruning saw.Bought this after borrowing one from a friend who is an arborist. He's had his for six years and uses it year-round, at work, cutting tree limbs 6-10 hours per day. So I was already impressed with the durability.Getting a new one, freshly sharp, however, really opened my eyes. It cuts remarkably well. A single 'forward-back-forward' will get you through a 1-inch limb or sapling with ease. I've used it on limbs up to 4 inches in diameter and barely noticed. Haven't noticed any decline in sharpness after two seasons of regular use.I cut and maintain a lot of trails in wooded parts of the "Wisconsin Driftless." This saw and a good machete are the only two tools I need to clear a rough path through just about any undergrowth or older forest.

16.10.2011

I try to always buy American when I can, but it is getting harder all the time. With a lot of neglected trees to prune, I gave in and invested in this Japanese saw after reading the favorable reviews here.Form is function. This saw is a beautiful piece of work. Well-balanced and designed. A pleasure to hold in the hand. Works like a dream. This saw cuts right through heavy hardwood branches with ease.Makes old-fashioned garden saws seem laughable, primitive and incredibly archaic by comparison.I have to say that THIS baby is now my most cherished garden tool, and I have several high quality tools that I love.This is the kind of precision saw that you might never want to loan out to anyone else.

15.10.2013

I live on an acreage. Recently we had a few tree falls following a wild storm and these falls had to be cleared. Unfortunately my chain saw had just been put out of action when a relative broke the chain. I tried using kukries, large knives, a machete, and an axe but nothing worked anywhere near as efficiently as this saw. It was amazing. It chewed through mainly black wattle (a very hard Australian timber) with very little effort and with great speed. I have been collecting large knives and kukries for many years believing they would prove to be good choppers but they were not in the same league as this saw when it came to clearing away timber. As well,

24.9.2015

Nice saw I use it for backpacking and camping some might think it's too big for back packing but it fits fine inside my 2day pack how well does it cut? It cuts faster and easer than any bow saw on the market due to its blade and it's smaller lighter too // pocket saws just too much work to make enough fire wood to stay warm in winter camping yes this saw weights slightly more than a pocket saw but easily out proforms larger buck sawThe blade is the key the length is the amount of ease or effort you put out to cut wood longer curved blades cut faster longer strokes are easer than multiple small jabbing actions the handle is so comfy compared to pocket knife style handles I can cut with hardly

21.8.2013

Rest assured all the positive reviews were correct. Outstanding quality. Razor sharp. I'll report back after it gets used extensively -- in a few weeks.September 10, 2013 edit -- OK, full disclosure, I'm a real picky guy with a critical eye when it comes to quality tools and equipment. I generally buy the very best I can possibly afford (buy once, cry once) and even so it's not uncommon that even the tools/equipment I have the highest opinion of I can almost always come up with a "But if they'd just add/change/etc ... it would be perfect". Well I just spent an entire nine-hour day clearing trail with this saw and I truly have absolutely nothing I can point to that I'd change.

Silky Zübat 2-pieces 1,75- 2,65m (272-12) - Reviews

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