Why Silky saws are the favourite tool of tree climbers [review]
Silky has a cult status among professional tree climbers for a reason and they like to call it their favourite saw. We asked Jan Podgornik from DrevoRez, a company that specialises in pruning and felling trees in urban environments and challenging locations. They specialise in situations where access by lift or aerial platform is not possible. They work to keep trees healthy, safe and aesthetically pleasing.
Jan argues that trees are complex organisms that live in challenging conditions and must be treated with care. We often only think of them when they get too big and start to cause us problems. By pruning less intensively on an ongoing basis, we can ensure that trees have the right structure, and that their reserves are not depleted by proper pruning, so that they remain healthy and vigorous.
Jan uses Silky Sugoi and Silky Hayate saws to prune trees at height. Read below how he comments on the practical use of both.
Silky Sugoi
If I climb a tree, Silky Sugoi will definitely be on my foot in the current. Whether I’m pruning or felling, the Sugoi is a must-have.
The Sugoi makes quick and precise cuts when pruning, and when it’s well crimped, it can cut through thicker branches with ease. We use only hand saws for pruning, as they allow for better cuts without bark chips. You work more precisely and don’t accidentally damage the bark around the desired cutting point.
For more challenging pruning work over power lines and cables, Sugoi allows tree climbers to hold the branch with one hand and cut it with the other in a controlled manner, and then safely drop it in the desired location.
The saw can be attached to the calf or thigh with a leg strap, for example, making it safe and very practical to carry the saw within easy reach and without impeding movement.
Curved blade
Sugoi has extra-large, precision-cut teeth with a unique curved blade. This design allows the saw to cut branches and twigs quickly and cleanly with minimal effort, which is essential for us tree climbers as it is time and energy efficient.
The curvature of the blade also helps the saw to stay in contact with the branch throughout the cut, allowing for a smoother cut.
In addition to its basic role, the Sugoi with its curved blade and peg at the end is an excellent extension arm. It is used to grasp the rope that you have tied to the branch to be released. You also pull the lanyard of the positioner you’ve thrown on the branch over your head towards you, allowing you to climb safely and efficiently.
Durability and high-quality blade material
The Sugoi saw blade is made of high carbon steel, which is durable and flexible. Even with heavy use, the blade has stayed sharp for a long time, longer than many other saws I have used before the Silky.
Silky Hayate
The Hayate is a telescopic saw with a longer pole. A high-profile tool, usually used with the user standing safely ( 😀 ) on the ground and sawing. Such use is the most obvious.
Exceptional reach with telescopic pole
Often we don’t even climb the tree, because with a reach of almost seven (7!) metres, we can cut the tree from the ground. When it comes to lifting canopies over car parks, the Hayate’s length, sharpness and precision certainly make it a better choice than heavy telescopic chainsaws.
Hayate has the ability to extend the pole up to 7 metres (even higher on some models), allowing climbers to reach branches that would otherwise require them to move or reposition themselves inside the tree.
This extra reach is a great advantage for climbers as it allows them to make high cuts without having to climb too high or awkwardly stretch from one position to another.
Aggressive and fast blade
Hayate has a high-quality, aggressively curved blade with large, razor-sharp teeth, specially designed to cut large branches quickly and smoothly. The aggressive tooth pattern of the blade allows efficient cutting even through thick branches.
The curved blade helps maintain good contact with the branch, allowing smoother, more controlled cuts that require less force. This makes it particularly useful for climbers working from a distance, where cutting control can be more challenging.
The design of the teeth is also very effective in terms of cleaning, as sawdust and wood debris do not get caught between them, allowing smoother and faster cuts without jams.
Other uses of the Hayate saw
In addition to pruning from the ground, Hayate is used daily by tree climbers to install an entry climbing rope into the tree canopy. It easily reaches suitable places up to a height of a good seven metres, saving time wasted throwing ropes and weights.
When cutting down trees at Hayate height, it allows the climber to trim the tree above a point where he finds it too thin to climb, reducing the weight and profile of the top that will be bounced off. If the top needs to be belayed with a rope, an additional hook can be fitted to the Hayate to position the rope high above the head, allowing for better pulling leverage. The Hayate really is an indispensable tool for demanding harvesting operations.
The Hayate has a hook at the tip which helps to secure the saw to the branches while cutting and prevents the saw from slipping while cutting. This feature is invaluable for climbers who may not be able to stabilise the saw themselves.
Conclusion
In summary, the Silky Sugoi is a popular saw because it offers a combination of speed, efficiency and ease of use. It is also very durable and safe to use in the tricky, often awkward positions that tree climbers find themselves in when working on trees.
The Silky Hayate is a favourite among tree climbers because it provides the reach, durability and cutting performance needed to prune high branches from a safe distance. High quality materials, efficient blade design and lightweight yet robust construction make it an invaluable tool for professional arborists. Because it reduces the need for repositioning and allows more controlled cutting at height, the Hayate is the ideal saw for safe, efficient and effective tree pruning.
