Silky Pocketboy v Bahco Laplander as a bushcraft muiltipurpose tool

Here I put both these excellent small folding saws up against eachother, a cutting test on a 4" diameter log and a fire lighting test.

[@dhammo749]

Enjoyed this vid rob .showed up my 4.99 folding hardware shop saw .

[@ApoMaTu3aTop]

There are few things to consider about those saws: 1) There are claims that the Laplander is made from the same stainless Sandvic 12c27 steel as Mora knives. While Silky makes their blades from SK4 high carbon and chromeplates them - make of that what you will. I can't deny or confirm this claim because I always clean my tools after use, therefore never neglected my saw to the point of rusting. 2) There are other claims that laplander does better on fresh/green wood. As a laplander owner I can confirm it's pretty aggressive on green wood BUT can't tell if it beats Silky since I don't have one. Also, to add to this point laplander has two versions - one is marketed as 'Pruning saw', has clean metal blade and orange handle the other one has that 'cool looking' black coating on the blade and 'camo green' handle - I've used both, they are basically the same thing. But to the point... pruning is usually done on green wood so... who knows? The one without coating on the blade might be better at scraping. 3) As some people already noted - laplander is more forgiving and less prone to breaking which may be hudge plus if you only carry one saw with you. On the other hand if you treat your tools well (as everyone should) and you use them properly this may not be an issue for you. and the next one is the most important to me 4) Price - can I afford this tool? Or any other for that matter. Where I live for the price of a Silky I can buy 3 to 4 laplanders - that's a hudge thing! Is the Silky three times better than laplander? I don't think so. Also, let's say we're on a budget and we have to get saws for our trip. if you have the same budget one group can have 3 saws while other group can have only one. Can one person beat three others at once in a sawing competition? The point I'm making here is that price is thing that should not be overlooked. and finally 5) Alternatives? There are two other Japanese brands that can be viable alternative to Silky at a lower cost - Tajima and Samurai. The Russian part on YT is full of comparison videos where both Tajima and Samurai are shown to be atleast as good as a Silky but at a lower price. Other brands such as Husqvarna and Fiskars are often overlooked as well... even though where I live Fiskars products are overpriced as hell and I might as well just buy a Silky for the price. I know for sure that Corona saws are at least as good as Silky but like 10 times cheaper because they are made in South America... sadly they aren't available on the EU market. And last alternative - Chinese no-name brands - some of them seem to be really good and even cheaper than the Laplander. Edit: forgot to mention the German brands Piranha and Stihl, both make very good saws that are cheaper than Silky. As I come to think of it, trasport cost plus import taxes from Japan to EU are kinda buffing the price of a lot of things - saws included. TL:DR - both saws have advantages and dissadvantages over eachother. Ultimately price will be the deciding factor for you. P.S. - Here is an idea for future content on this channel - find a suitable alternative to Silky at a lower cost! Cheers! =)

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

Excellent comment my friend, thank you. I do forget that some people are on a budget or don't feel the need to spend big bucks on tools. I have an old wooden handle Oregon folding saw but I don't use it now since I discovered Silky, I've seen a Samurai saw in action and it was pretty good but I don't think it's as robust in the handle and sheath as a silky but a lot cheaper.

[@ApoMaTu3aTop]

@@RobEvansWoodsman Any chance of future videos of the 'Silky vs the world' type? Cheers!

[@MrJarred78]

I have a silky pocketboy with fine teeth that works great for cross-cut or ripping dry hard wood. It's cuts extemely smooth. I bought it for camp craft pojects.

[@jasonedwardledburynewzeala9897]

Wow! The bahco should have won it cuts on the push and pull. I hope thats right. And the silky on the pull only. I brought a silky.and love it.just finished scraping some bamboo for some shaving for flint and steel. Agreed mate the silky has a great spine. Awesome video Rob. That ferro rod test made me laugh. 1 strike silky. I was surprised the lap lander worked ok with the ferro rod.💥💥💥💥🥳👊🤘👍👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏🌏 once again another fantastic video bro.thanks from New Zealand.😊

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

cheers mate

[@Trevelyon006]

I adore my Silky Pocket boy, it's so light & small I forget I have it with me sometimes 😎

[@alphaomegasurvivalsupply6548]

I prefer the silky as well, however I dont think the laplander vs silky saga will ever end lol

[@joshperdue4157]

Always great content, thank you!

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

No worries Josh, happy that you like my stuff.

[@ccmogs5757]

Bahco for me mate - love the comparison video"s on these 2 - good vid. :)

[@chillindave1357]

Great comparison Rob, thx!. With cash being tight, it's good to see comparisons! Cheers

[@blaserlongrange7616]

Pocket boy 170 with large teeth ( 8 ) is my favorite dry wood cutter

[@TheDavewatts]

I do like silky saw's especially the silky big boy the yellow one with curved blade is the one I most use but out of the pocket boy and the Laplander I would take the Laplander for the same reason as you mentioned the blade lasts a hell of a lot longer and I don't have a heart attack if someone else goes to use it as the blade is a lot more robust, I have had a silky pocket boy blade completely snap when used by the wrong person.🤬. Obviously the silky saw blades cut like a dream and up to now can't be matched. Good video my friend as always. 😁👍🏻

[@petersymons7817]

Thank you

[@schonbeardwildmark]

Great comparison Rob. I have the Silky and I really love it.Since I always bring at least one extra knife with me the ferro rod lightning isn’t much of a issue. Anders Schönbeck always thanks Rob for sharing this with us!

[@MartiniDave02]

Good review as usual. Currently on my 3rd Laplander. The first one got "borrowed" by my wife to use in the garden and she kept it. The second got blunted when I lent it out (chap failed to notice a nail in the wood he was cutting). Third one still going strong, but I DON'T lend it! Will try a Silky one day I suppose. Quite fond of my Stihl 210!!

[@mattg6136]

Thanks for the vid.

[@philleath-dawson2113]

Bahco is a good starter saw as the blade is more forgiving (had a couple of Silky's broken by people trying to push cut). Silky for me all the way. Great video mate 👍👍

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

Just for you mate 👍

[@robertlawrence7958]

Being a poor destitute working class man my saw is a Wilko special (actually, not even special, just a pruning saw). It works well enough for the limited use i give it. However, I was mightily impressed with both saws you reviewed when, after a few seconds of normal sawing, you put them into 'chain saw mode'. By the eck they fair flew through that timber then. Gotta put those on me santa list. 🎅🎅😊

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

I was waiting for some comedian to say that. Thanks Rob Rob!!

[@robertlawrence7958]

@@RobEvansWoodsman... And it just had to be a cocky welshman, high on the fact that the Wales rugby team just about managed to win a game, albeit against a 14 / 13 man team 😂😂😂🏉🏉🏉

[@getsmart3701]

I have both as well and the Silky is by far the better saw for me, for sure. I had a Laplander for years and years but could not get a replaceable blade for it anywhere in country (Sweden) when I needed one which lead me to purchase a Silky instead and I find it by far the better cutter all else being fairly equal)...and I can get spare blades for it, no problems. Silky Gomboy.

[@blaserlongrange7616]

I have seven different silky and one bacho laplander, the silky wins in every point ,so easy to bye a new blade and replace if it's broken or not sharp anymore..my new favorite and a little dark horse in the silky company is the silky super accel 210.

[@dennisleighton2812]

2:35 Just an observation, Rob. When cutting a log low down like that it seemed to me that it was much more difficult to accentuate the pull stroke when using the Pocketboy. The "tree guy" here at LPS says that, as the Silkys are meant to cut off branches level with or higher than waste height, that's where they excel. When cutting down like that one uses the Silky in its least favourable position, which happens to be the Laplander's best position. I've seen your videos when you have been using a Silky, and the pull stroke action you use so well is much more pronounced when done on a sawhorse. Any comments about that? 3:23 Laplander outlasting the Silky. Interesting. That is the first time I've heard that, and is contrary to what our tree guy says. He says their experience here, and at the Uni where he worked before, was exactly the opposite. Their Silkys (he says) used to last about 3 times longer! So, it seems that there is evidence both ways! I do know that the Silky teeth are a lot harder (mid-60s HRC?) I'm a novice so I can't make an educated comment either way. Comment?

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

blades with different hardness and steel will perform/last on different timber. He's spot on with the use of the folding saw , folding saws with long flat handles aren't great at bucking up timber, pistol grip silkys and bowsaws rock at it. l'm loving the Natakoko saw i bought last, far better for bucking than a Bigboy, the folders are the bushcrafters go-to saws because they are compact and pack easily.

[@adaml8197]

Hi Rob. You didn't mention the price difference. The Silky is many times the price of the Laplander along with replacement blades.

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

Sorry mate, you are righ but I'm such a tool addict that I don't usually think of the price unless it's an expensive item.

[@alanbarr2735]

Good video again . Bahco Laplanders are generally good saws ,especially the professional version. However with that ,they’ve not moved on to compete with silky saws .

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

Silky definatley have the monopoly on folding saws.

[@johnchastain4351]

Thanks for the comparison. I purchased a replacement blade for my Laplander that was not coated. I also had a choice of the type of teeth. The non-coated blade cut faster. Also, the blades for the Laplander are cheaper and easy to change.

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

Silky blades are very expensive, i've never seen a Laplander replacement blade let alone a non coated one.

[@adaml8197]

Hi Rob. Replacement blades are available. Ray Mears sells them.

[@johnchastain4351]

@@adaml8197 The uncoated XL7 is available at Bens Outdoor and a few other sites.

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

Thanks mate, probably haven't taken much notice because I've been using silkys for about 5 years.

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

We're in the UK buddy.

[@VortymLichbane]

My gripe is mostly with the handle on the Laplander. I don't like the hard plastic and the way it's almost in line with the blade. Prefer the Silky F180 for ergos. My favourite handle was on the Felco F600 but I broke at least 3 blades on that, albeit in professional use. The Felco definitely had brittle blades. I've had 2 Silkies and not broken either.

[@100BearPaw]

Now I’m curious what the small tooth blade option does in comparison to the small tooth Laplander???? It would be more even of a test vs apples and oranges with the small vs large teeth. My big boy also has large teeth, so I am of no help. Love it though. I’ve simply never had a circumstance in the woods that I needed to saw with the grain. Ripping wood if you will. That’s possibly an American term for cutting with the grain to say, cut a sheet of plywood into two. Longways

[@unclereaper]

Small tooth Silky is still coarse and doesn't cut bidirectional.

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

My pocket boy has the medium teeth, both saws have the standard blades that came with the saw, i just would'nt want fine teeth on my silky, i don't cut bone.

[@100BearPaw]

@@RobEvansWoodsman hey Rob, I couldn’t agree more, as that’s what makes the Silky so nice, is the speed at witch it cuts. As far as bone, if it’s fresh, then it’s generally very soft in my experience with hunting deer. I typically use a pocket knife to gut with. A kershaw Blur in S30V. It has zero issue cutting up through the rib cage all the way up to the neck. Mind you, that’s the only bone I typically need to cut through. But it’s not likely that any fresh bone would be as Rock hard to truly require a saw. A good blade can also pop a joint all the same.

[@pascalmarti4403]

I go for the felco.

[@piotrszwarclos866]

good comparision Bob,sillky is better but i really like bahco

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

They are both great tools

[@alexandergutfeldt1144]

I've never owned a Silky or a Laplander. My folding saw is the tajima g-saw. It seems to be a 'copy' of the silky gomboy, at a lower price.

[@stuartlockwood9645]

Hi Rob, interesting comparison, both good saws, I'll stick to my laplander even if it's a bit slower ,as it suits my type of use, I think there must be a bit of differance in the back edge of the blades on the Bahco as mine scrapes like good Un, and a friends saw seems poor in that respect, but it's nothing that a touch on the grinder wouldn't cure., Thanks for the video, stay safe mate, best wishe's to you and your's, Stuart uk.

[@harvesterbladeco]

Silky saws have REALLY sharp spines. Not sure what happened to your friends Silky.

[@stuartlockwood9645]

@@harvesterbladeco Hi, sorry if I didn't make it clear, but my friends saw is a laplander like mine, not a Silky,one of those is on both our wishlists for Xmas maybe,lol. Thanks for the reply, kind regards, Stuart uk.

[@thewoodlandschoolltd3999]

Be interesting to find out what doesn't exactly last on the silky. The laplander doesn't feel as sharp out of the box and I'd take sharpness over longevity as blades aren't hugely heavy, whereas dead arms are.

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

Totally agree mate, long trips carry a spare blade , they are not heavy!

[@thewoodlandschoolltd3999]

@@RobEvansWoodsman and on the bigboy, you could carry a mix of course and fine blades for bucking and craft.

[@figtreeprophecy]

The story goes, Ray Mears was asked why he prefers the Laplander over the Silky for his class and he replied, he's yet to see a student break a Laplander. A Silky for me any day! I prefer my wine from a bottle and not reclcled cardbord with a plastic liner. :)) Cheers

[@jasonedwardledburynewzeala9897]

I broke a laplander blade. I was proberly using it like a plonker. Both good saws. But each person will always have a personal perference. I love my silky.

[@philphil6033]

Rob thanks for the vid! - I do not get the hype around the laplander. It's not even really cheaper than a silky. You can get a Silky F180 for around the same price. I have the one with fine teeth. Perfect for crafting and well seasoned wood. I just love it. The pocketboy however is in an arkward spot for me. My main complain is that it is weirdly heavy for it's size. If I'm concerned about weight I always take the F180 or the gomboy with my F1 and if weight is not a concern the combination of the bigboy with the A1x is hard to beat.

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

Bigboy and A1X Is an awesome combo.

[@rhettoracle9679]

Dumb question, but consider the source, are the blades interchangeable between the saws? Thanks

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

I doubt that the Bahco blade would fit the silky and vice versa.

[@LairdDavidson]

You aborist friend may of may not have been correct about how long a Silky stays sharp but Silky is the saw of choice for most aborists I know. I did train in basic aborist skills and gained entry level certificates and everybody used Silky saws or recommended them. One of my sons is a tree surgeon and he thinks they are the best. I recently bought the gomboy outdoor saw which is designed more for bushcraft, camping etc. It's a slight improvement over the original gomboy. Haven't used it much yet but so far I'm impressed.

[@zarplialabai3420]

And arborists break alot of those. But we have spares in the truck