Bow saw and axe advice

ive used el cheapo small pruning hand saw and small axe for a while, thinking as im hitting 50 this year im going to shout myself some decent stuff for a change!

mainly for clearing around the odd track, batch and clearings for bivy etc

heard good things about silky bow saws???? but know very little about axes other than one sides bloody sharp and the others good for knocking in pegs / wooden stakes. don't need a massive axe, in fact im guessing a decent tomahawk would do the job?

happy to buy decent old school or modern what ever, as long as they work.

Constructive comments happily received, and not really interested in a chain saw, sometimes quiet is good! BUT im guessing that may well be next??

After years with a silky saw, I've upgraded to a folding saw, thing of beauty, so much better for firewood gathering, and a Fishers hand axe 24", if I am flying in and weight isn't a problem.
the folding saw is brilliant for a fly camp, so much easier to gather decent fire wood, as well as make setting up a camp.

https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop...on-folding-saw

I think I read a thread on here about the Husqvarna axes with wooden handles being top notch stuff. Check them out, look like the business to me and on my radar for buying.

Probably too cheap for what you want but the bahco triangle shaped frame pruning saw is a great bit of kit around the home.
https://www.bunnings.co.nz/bahco-bow...51-kp_p0828656

mate i appreciate any suggestions!

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Originally Posted by RUMPY

Probably too cheap for what you want but the bahco triangle shaped frame pruning saw is a great bit of kit around the home.
https://www.bunnings.co.nz/bahco-bow...51-kp_p0828656

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I have a couple of old bow saws that I would be happy to give away, no one here uses them...the last time I flew into the bush we took a sabre saw and several batteries so as not to break the no chainsaw rule, never used all the batteries and cut ourselves a shit load of wood.

my older Brother has a battery powered chainsaw....dont have to fluff around with fuel...just a little oil for chain....he keeps track open with it WITHOUT spooking all deer in area and by sounds of it cut a trailer load of kanuka with battery and a half!!!!!
you can do a hell of alot with a set of cicatears (know thats spelt wrong...what mrs uses to prune roses) branches and saplings up to finger sized are easy to whack off,supplejack and lawyer are gone in a wink.
a handsaw for $10 off the bargain table in mitre 10 etc work pretty good too.and when they blunt......no big deal to replace.

I use a Sliky F180 for tidy up around camp and track work. Blades last a fair while if not cutting hardwood and cheap enough to replace.

I have a bahco folding saw i use for work. Got one in the tractor for driving the farm and got them on our sxs. Brought it from farmlands and at the time it come with a spare blade, also they sell spare blades there. Cant imagine the quality would be as good as silky

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Originally Posted by RUMPY

Probably too cheap for what you want but the bahco triangle shaped frame pruning saw is a great bit of kit around the home.
https://www.bunnings.co.nz/bahco-bow...51-kp_p0828656

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Attachment 130271

These are excellent. I have five :thumbsup:
Some bits of advice to go with them: do not loose the plastic tooth guard, as without it the blade will rip anything it comes into contact with to ribbons, and the guard is easy to misplace. Secondly the blade will need setting from time to time. The plastic hand-guard can be cable-tied in place as this is also easy to misplace.

Consider a Silky "Big Boy" 360mm folding saw with a choice of 4 teeth sizes.

Attachment 130286

A link to a video...... https://tinyurl.com/rzoel24

@Puffin @RUMPY ok, might go for a wander down to Bunnings and have a look, Will even see what small axes they have, will keep an eye out for a silky as well :) one for the truck the other for the pack!

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Originally Posted by Puffin

Attachment 130271

These are excellent. I have five :thumbsup:
Some bits of advice to go with them: do not loose the plastic tooth guard, as without it the blade will rip anything it comes into contact with to ribbons, and the guard is easy to misplace. Secondly the blade will need setting from time to time. The plastic hand-guard can be cable-tied in place as this is also easy to misplace.

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Originally Posted by dvk-kp

I think I read a thread on here about the Husqvarna axes with wooden handles being top notch stuff. Check them out, look like the business to me and on my radar for buying.

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I bought one and did the Akaroa 1 tidy up on it. Great Axe, sort through pick the best handle and head ( alignment to handle) and buy it. A forestry pruning saw is good, but for carrying in an ordinary Bacho double cut carpenters saw is better and has an orange handle so it doesn't get lost in the bush.

Another vote for silky saws, have a few of them of various sizes.

Have had a really good run on my estwing axe, they do a few small camp hatchet and a full size. Got the full size and it's a bit small for 2 hands and full swings.

Will read up on that post thanks

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Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

I bought one and did the Akaroa 1 tidy up on it. Great Axe, sort through pick the best handle and head ( alignment to handle) and buy it. A forestry pruning saw is good, but for carrying in an ordinary Bacho double cut carpenters saw is better and has an orange handle so it doesn't get lost in the bush.

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What is the best teeth no/inch in the Silky for taking skull caps off?

Assuming something in the middle of the range?

It sort of depends what you want it for I think, an axe is a heavy tool, I have several, and a hatchet and a tomahawk, if it’s serious wood you want then an axe is your tool, will split open a carcass too, a hatchet will do the same to the carcass and will get you firewood but would not want to do any serious limbing with it, a good hawk is a happy medium will cop, has a long reach, would not want to fell a tree though.
I have a folding silky, pocket boy maybe, it’s ok for small stuff, I also made a folding buck saw from a bahco 600 mm saw blade, that works on bigger stuff. Was pretty satisfying to make as well. Of course a good machete or golok maybe a better option, will do everything you want.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RUMPY

Probably too cheap for what you want but the bahco triangle shaped frame pruning saw is a great bit of kit around the home.
https://www.bunnings.co.nz/bahco-bow...51-kp_p0828656

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I second the motion. I don’t have one but I’ve seen one used for pruning they punch above their weight.

Check out these axes, Also this company is a mobile shop and he's coming to Canterbury & West Coast South Island 17th Feb for about a week. He sells quality hard to find tools. I've bought a couple of things from him and is helpful to deal with.

https://piranhatools.co.nz/search?type=product&q=axes

These guys make great axes. Well worth a look.

https://www.gransforsbruk.com/en/

I bought a wee hatchet for 24.99at complete angler(next to GC HQ in cranford st CHCH.)it features hammer head nailpuller claw and axe hblade .Ilittle file owork on the axe edge rendered it reaonably sharp -must ne sank itself deep into edge of my finger! bheavy wee bugger but ideal for round a fixed base camp or in ya wagon-will bowl jacko swedes nicely
machtets -Ive got the british martindale Mk2 golok-used to see a lot of our ex vietnam RF staff carrying them in my TF days _alo i beleive at one stage SAS issue -bloody wicked tool for bush work.Ive two small ghurka kukris too-one on display the other also rides in my pack.have used it at times -dont shag round!