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 On: 2006-12-07
I looked long and hard for a good pole saw. I tried the typical hardware store saws with the cord operated lopper. ($60) The round steel handle had way too much flex and it was so heavy at the blade end, Id only want to use it a few minutes at a time. Next I tried the type with the mini chainsaw at the top. Even worse. Arm fatigue was killing me. And the cutting, very slow.
Finally I bought the Silky. Unbelievable! This saw is so light, I can work for hours. I live on 11 acres in the forest. I limb up the pines and firs for forest fire mitigation. Over the last two years, I have limbed a couple hundred trees (a few thousand limbs) with the silky. The blade is incredibly sharp and thin. This is typical of Japanese cutting tools. It will glide through a three inch fir branch in a dozen strokes.
But, as with all Japanese saws, force does not make it work better. This saw requires a very light touch and it will go through just about anything. Which is good, because it lowers your fatigue level. If you try to add force, you will cause the handle to bow and the blade can bounce out of the cut. This is a user problem, not the saws. Cutting something 20 feet above your head is not the time to be impatient.
The build quality is very nearly bulletproof. The handle locks are easy to use and rock solid. Not once have they failed. The handle is oval shaped in cross-section, which gives this saw a wonderful stiffness when extended, compared to others Ive used. After two years of moderately heavy use, the blade still cuts like new. Again, not surprising when you consider that the Japanese had steel figured out before the Mayflower landed. Just look at those Samurai swords from 400 years ago.
Considering the one-star negative review from another user, I would suggest that the company send instructions with the saw. Japanese saws work on the pull stroke, which is lighter and more accurate than our western saws, (which we push). This is a difficult concept for westerners to grasp. But once you get the feel of it, it works like a charm. The act of buying a good tool doesnt automatically make you a craftsman. But this beautiful instrument will teach you what it wants, and if you pay attention and learn, it will outperform any other pole saw you can buy. Maybe its a zen thing.
 On: 2005-10-22
The silky pole saw I got broke within two days. The push-button at first would not come out, allowing one shaft to slip and slide unrestrained in the other. Finally the coup de gras was when the push-button fell out. The saw gives the appearance of being sturdy, but there are these weak links that when they break, the saw as a whole fails. The saw I bought is now rendered virtually useless to me. Warranty, hmmm, the web site makes it seem wonderful, but the devil is in the details. There are several claims made on the site about the saw and its handling that I have not found to be so.
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