Silky are Japanese hand saws made in the city of Ono since 1919. The blades are ground to a pull-stroke cut, the steel is harder than that found in most European saws, and the teeth increase in size from the handle to the tip, allowing the saw to grip the wood itself. This is why arborists carry Silky on their belt.
We have been selling the Silky range since 2015. This guide explains which model suits which job, without trying to sell you the most expensive saw on the shelf.
What makes Silky different
Two things. The steel and the tooth design.
Silky uses a steel they call MIRAI. It is harder than the standard steel in competing saws, which means the edge lasts longer between sharpenings. A Zubat can cut through 200–300 branches before the teeth start to lose sharpness, compared to 50–100 for a standard saw.
The progressive tooth design is the other difference. The teeth are small near the handle and large at the tip. When you pull the saw towards you, the small teeth grip first, then the larger ones take over. You don't need to push. The saw bites on its own. The result is that you can saw longer without getting tired in your arm.
Sheath Saws: the one you carry up in the tree
This is the group most arborists want first. A sheath saw is fixed in a holster on your belt or harness. You draw it, saw, then put it back. It should be able to handle 100 cuts a day without losing its sharpness.
Silky Zubat Professional 330 mm is the most common choice. Curved blade, progressive tooth design, classic Silky. SEK 767 for a complete saw with sheath. If you're hesitant between Silky models, this is the one to buy.
Silky Zubat Arborist Professional 330-5.5 has the same shape but with larger teeth (5.5 per 30 mm instead of 7.5). Larger teeth provide faster cuts on dry branches. Not as good for clean cuts in live wood. Buy it if you remove a lot of dead wood.
Silky Tsurugi Curve 330 is the draw-saw's answer. Narrower blade, tapered grind. Takes up less space in dense branches, better suited for precision pruning. It's SEK 130 more expensive than the Zubat and worth it if you work a lot in dense canopies.
Silky Sugoi is the heaviest choice for a sheath saw. Available in 330, 360, and 420 mm blade lengths. Handles branches up to 12 cm without complaint. The Sugoi weighs more than the Zubat, so keep it away from light pruning jobs. For rigging work or thick wood, it's worth the weight.
Silky GunFighter Curve 330 mm is an intermediate option. Curve blade like the Tsurugi, but with thicker steel. Less popular than the Zubat and Tsurugi in Sweden, but suits those who want the combination of draw-cut properties plus impact capacity.
Folding Pocket Saws: the one you have in your harness
Folding saws complement the sheath saw. When you're high up and need a short, quick saw for a branch you can't reach with your Zubat, a Pocket Boy emerges from a side pocket and solves the problem.
Silky Pocket Boy is the classic. 170 mm blade, foldable, lightweight. Awarded "Best in Test" by "Allt om Trädgård" for several years in a row. SEK 407 for the complete saw. Buy it.
Silky Gomboy 300mm is larger, with medium-coarse teeth. Good if you need something between the Pocket Boy and the Zubat. Works equally well on green and dry wood.
Silky Bigboy Curve Extra Large is the folding saw that replaces a chainsaw on medium-sized branches. 360 mm blade, robust construction, SEK 760. We sell it to ground staff who don't want to haul a chainsaw up to a tree bed for a single 8 cm branch.
Silky Super Accel 210-7.5 is the bushcraft favorite. Lightweight, foldable, cheaper than the Pocket Boy. More popular among outdoor enthusiasts than arborists, but it works.
Silky Gomtaro 240/300 mm is not foldable but has a dedicated sheath. Clean cuts for formative pruning of young trees. Suitable for those who work more in cultivation or parks than up in the canopy.
Pole Saws: when you're on the ground
Pole saws are for branches you can't reach. Three Silky models, three different price points.
Silky Hayauchi is the reference. Telescopic, fixed shaft, available in 3.7, 4.9, and 6.3 meters. The 6.3 m model costs SEK 3,440 and is the most used pole saw among Swedish arborists. Stable, safe, durable.
Silky Longboy is foldable. Folded 1.4 m, extended 3.6 m. It suits those who transport saws in a car and don't want a 4.9 m Hayauchi sticking out the back. SEK 2,639 for the complete saw.
Silky Forester is the entry-level model for pole saws. 3 m or 4.5 m, lightweight, affordable. Good for garden work and forest edges where you don't need maximum reach. SEK 2,240 for the 3 m model.
For all three, the Hook Fox, which is mounted under the blade, is suitable. It helps you pull down stuck branches without climbing up.
Axe and splitting: Silky Nata
Silky Nata 240mm is a double-bevel axe. It can withstand more than most bushcraft knives and works for splitting, cutting, and chopping. Not an arborist must-have, but a good extra if you do a lot of ground work or have a bushcraft soul.
Spare parts and maintenance
All Silky models have interchangeable blades. You buy the saw once and maintain it with a new blade when the teeth are dull. Replacement blades for each model are available in the store, usually 50–60% of the price of the complete saw. This is economical over time compared to discarding the entire saw.
How to choose
If you are a new arborist and want a Silky: start with the Zubat Professional 330 + Pocket Boy. That goes a long way and two saws will cover 80 percent of your needs.
If you already have a sheath saw and want to upgrade to something narrower for precision: Tsurugi Curve.
If you need a pole saw and are unsure about the size: the Hayauchi 4.9 m is the average people settle on.
Questions about selection? Contact us and we will help you. We have personally used all models in the field.