Bow saw versus Folding saw, Boreal 21 and Silky bigboy.

A short comparison between two popular bushcrafters saws.

[@christiaankruger3713]

Very interesting test. What I would like you to do is make a traditional wooden bow saw and test that. It should make a very interesting video. Thanks for another great video

[@leeetchells609]

I use 30" bahco bow saw and works great up to 10" rounds. Even use one hand on top to give assistance. I cut them in the wood 5 foot long and then take home and use my electric chainsaw to cut down to 10" lengths.

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

I have two 30" bucksaws, great size

[@Anndyinthewoods]

My Boreal 24 has replaced my silky big boy in most areas. The silky is better at felling trees in tight areas. I have noticed that i get more winded with the silky, you use more of your body to cut. Great video!

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

I love you! So pleased that someone else has come to the same conclusion as me .

[@liamr6672]

I just ordered a boreal 21 today, I was going to sell my silky Gomboy 240 but I still think it's worth keeping, two saws in a camp means 2 people can process firewood. Plus it's better for getting into hard to reach places.

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

You can never have too many saws! They can do different jobs definitely keep the silky.

[@davefrank1967]

I like when people do reviews and they show the positive and negatives for both saws thank you for this review I personally own a silky big boy definitely thinking about getting the others saw and carry both

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

They'll call you "Two Silky Dave". If I was buying one silky saw for everything it would be a straight blade medium teeth , I have grown to really like the fixed, sheathed saws.

[@pennsyltuckyreb9800]

I carry both a Silky BigBoy2000 and Boreal 21 with the dry wood blade on my winter pack.....AND my GB Scandinavian Forest axe. NO REGRETS 😎 I can rebuild civilization if I have to 😁👍

[@jasonkemp6301]

Excellent video! I agree completely with bringing both. Why not? Carry a silky and just a blade to improvise a backsaw and you’ll win every time.

[@JaroslavDanielSolek]

I also own an Silky Bigboy, and what works best is, if you can have the log on table for example and you can cut with 2 hands. Its best to either be above the log and aim downwards or to be under the log and aiming upwards and always use force when pulling, this way you can cut such tree with such diameter ever faster. Also remember to use full length of the saw, you were somewhere in between, sir.

[@jollyrigger1560]

Thank you for a good demo review. Appreciated.

[@Greg_Ashley]

Nice video, as usual. Keep up the good work.

[@plancesheldon4315]

I'd be curious to see a speed test of the Silky saw against itself using different techniques. For example, sawing with no more than the weight of your arm bearing down on the blade, compared to sawing with the same silky saw but while bearing down with medium force on the pull, then again with the silky with maximum down force on the pull. Similar test of the bow saw against itself, and see if the force variation has similar effect on the different saw designs.

[@timdupont3227]

Thank you very much for this unbiased review. I am awaiting my Boreal21 to arrive this week. Ive been considering ordering a BigBoy 2000XL to compliment the Boreal21. Not sure I even want to bother now. Maybe just a smaller Gomboy instead. 👍👍

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

Totally agree with you, a Pocket boy or Gomboy with the Boreal and you are sorted

[@evansimmons6894]

Great video!

[@lewisward4359]

Bow saw definitely works great for bucking small logs. I like the Silky for trimming live and dead branches on trees. However on downed trees give me a smaller 12-15 in Silky or other tree surgeons saw. I also have a PocketBoy I enjoy for smaller crafting work-coarse and fine tee as needed.

[@metrixon11]

Great video, thank you

[@richardcotter4506]

you never showed the Boriel blade design but assume its standard large tree saw tooth as most bow saws. Wonder what a custom silky blade holder that made it like a bow saw handle wood cut. Also there are other true Japanese tree saws with various tooth geometry for different diameter uses

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

I replaced the stock blade on the boreal with the hard wood blade.

[@lancedyck3730]

Have the Big boy outback, Boreal 21 is next on the list! Good advice Rob , take two saws, it’s always good to have a backup!

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

Both are great saws.

[@erikthaljantzen]

Nice video. I think Silky recommend medium teeth for dry wood. I do not own a silky myself.

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

I agree with them.

[@krisshh1587]

What about the limitations of the bow saw? Doesnt it get limited to the size of lumber because of the frame?

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

Yes it dose but you can rotate the timber therefore doubling the depth of the cut, personally I wouldn't be sawing anything bigger than 6" diameter when camping, this saw is at its best cutting 3-4" rounds.

[@jamieschmotzer]

Very interesting!

[@richardnichols1392]

Have always used large swede saws for bucking wood if i cant use a chain saw rarely as well getting logs from slash piles often far into the wilderness for making bows had considered the agawa large bowsaw as is going to work like my swede saws but can be easily broken down to stow in my pack should i find no good bow wood eg. Id wanted opinions on the large silkies for same purposes and of course i do keep a pocket boy in my woods gear or a laplander as well but short of the large folders being a bit better for falling trees "you" over all the other things i still think ill stick with a bow saw as ive used them in the hardwoods to fell both osage and black locust among many others for many years any thing you could add that would be helpful ?

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

Large silky saws are great for felling but too awkward for bucking multiple rounds, really awkward to use one handed.

[@henrymoreland8719]

I came here hoping to see a gentleman lighting a fire having a cuppa and chilling. And what did I get. A saw comparison video. Guess I should a have took the title literally🤔 Happy Halloween Rob

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

🤣🤣

[@lansdorf]

With a forward push of a bow saw it puts down pressure on the front of the saw, a bow saw wins all day long.

[@rhettoracle9679]

Replacement 21" blades cost @1/3 of Silky blades too. Cheers

[@turtlewolfpack6061]

Downward pressure with a Silky? News to me. I always just let the saw bite with minimal downward and the forward stroke is lifted to clear the cut. I have used that model of Silky a lot (I don't own one myself) and I don't recall ever getting fatigued.

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

I'm sure you were sawing below the waist as it's far more efficient than a horizontal cut on a saw horse, you just don't realise that you are using downward pressure however minimal. Next saw video I will explain this do folks don't think I'm a total idiot!!! ATB Rob

[@turtlewolfpack6061]

@@RobEvansWoodsman you're not an idiot lol and in no way was my comment supposed to be mean in any way! I have used both bucking horses and at ground level and am extremely curious (considering what I perceive as your pretty good experience level) why we would get such drastically different results. Our styles may differ with some tools, such as axes, but you are an experienced tool user and outdoorsman. If we weren't several thousand miles apart I would suggest getting together with a pile of wood and some saws for a cup of tea or some such. I would love to puck your brain in person.

[@reddeercanoe]

As a Canadian who has actually been to Agawa Canyon in Algoma District of Northern Ontario I would very much like to say that the Boreal 21 is better but in my experience it’s not. I believe your sawhorse test is valid ,but the boreal like all bow saw is limited in the diameter of log it can cut by the distance between the blade and the bow frame while the Silky will cut 36 cm pieces with its 36 cm , you can also stick the silky blade into small openings which is a common occurrence when cleaning windfalls off a trail. The biggest downfall of the Silky is the expensive blades which are easy to dull if you hit a nail while backsaw blade are cheap and found at any hardware store. I have a real 36”pulpwood Swede saw hanging in my garage a prized possession from a bygone era . Keep up your good work Mr. Evans!

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

Thanks Clifford, personally I think the Agawan Canyon is great for bucking up firewood , better than a folding silky. For a woods campout in the colder months I now take the Agawa and a silky pocket boy.

[@thewoodlandschoolltd3999]

Not a criticism on your technique. When cutting with a bow saw I tend to work much the same as you do, but with the bigboy I tend to have the workpiece ever so slightly lower and use my knees to almost throw my body back on the cut so I'm using my arms for pressure and body for momentum. Might make for a faster, more comfortable cut. And also using the super course outback ed.

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

Funny thing is that I came to the same conclusion.

[@thewoodlandschoolltd3999]

@@RobEvansWoodsman I found the silky to be superfast when I got my technique right.

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

I'm home now and not in Marks and Spencer so I'll give you the answer I should have given first time. Silkys are very effective when you cut close to the ground with the saw around a 45deg angle, they are crap on a saw horse the way I did it in the video, I shall be in the woods tomorrow and I'll film it, basically exactly what you said, using a steady rocking pull cut the work great, I've covered that in another video. I'll use my newer straight blade bigboy instead of the curved orange one. I did have another comment where the guy said that you don't need any downward pressure on the silky, crap , of course you need downward pressure it's just that cutting at an angle with the saw below the waist is a lot more efficient than cutting horizontal on a saw horse, he just doesn't realise that he is actually using downward pressure. I've basically gone the long way of agreeing with you mate! 🤣🤣

[@thewoodlandschoolltd3999]

@@RobEvansWoodsman read the no pressure comment too and 🤣 I push down just behind the locking lever with one hand and pull up at the tail end of the handle to use a kind of lever action to get pressure. Probably quite apt that you almost assume a samurai low blade posture.

[@philleath-dawson2113]

Difficult choice as I enjoy working with all three but I agree with Scott that you can't beat a chainsaw for serious playtime shit......👍👍

[@daeholm]

There's a 24" Boreal as well. Wonder if it would increase efficiency much?

[@alexanderswarbrick249]

Hi there woodsman have you tried cutting with both hands on the silky when doing back cut I found it to be better than the bow saw once you get the Rhythm right maybe I just like the silky better now would like you to try and get back on your findings all the best ali

[@jamesmiddleton6464]

The bow saw will be more efficient at bucking. The folding saw will be better at reaching and cutting in tight spaces and cutting close to the ground when you use the straight blades...in my limited experience .

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

Spot on

[@DrGurple]

That splitting form is rough, look up and get good at the flick. Dig the comparison though

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

I'm not keen on the flick, I can do it but as I'm on my own I " bend the knees and bring the axe down" no arc means less chance of a slip. I do understand where you're coming from though, thanks for watching.

[@chillindave1357]

To bad FF doesn't work in real life! (My wife says the same thing! 😳) My saw of choice has a damn motor on it bro! Tada

[@figtreeprophecy]

Motors are too damn noisy! ( my wife sez same thing about FF. Funny dude, lol

[@ankhenaten2]

@@figtreeprophecy electric saws are out now

[@figtreeprophecy]

@@ankhenaten2 my Stihl just purrs, absolutely relaxing!

[@robertgarber3820]

It's deja vu all over again. Maybe its like the movie Groundhog Day. I guess I'll find out tomorrow.

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

Sorry about that.

[@figtreeprophecy]

An excuse for another cupa tea? Cut to the chase? Exercise for a thumbs up! 👍

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

👍👍👍

[@MadGingerCat]

In terms of fatigue, do you think that may be down to technique? The silky only cuts on the back cut, and there is a bit of a knack to it (in my humble experience).

[@richardcotter4506]

Odd insight. I have a few Japanese carpenter saws that are all pull stroke but that is how they can have such thin blades. I also have a silky folder and that blade looks like a sharks bite with much wider kerf than any bow saw blade

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

I'm thinking that the blade needs changing on the big boy and looking at the footage saw horse position isn't ideal , if the timber was propped up on the ground and I cut with the blade pointing down (about 45 degrees) I don't think I'd have these results. I think I'll have to follow this up in another video.

[@jenkinsmig]

Same vid or have you edited?

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

Super short , just the Saw comparison.

[@jenkinsmig]

@@RobEvansWoodsman fair enough

[@MadGingerCat]

Tidy

[@justinscott1691]

Subtitles would be good for vids not in English but other then that we need a test that guarantees same force applied to the saw, to rule out deviations.

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

You are joking about the video not being in English????

[@historyisyou9979]

@@RobEvansWoodsman 🤔😄. Americans.