I picked a silky saw over a chainsaw for a big takedown last month

Had to drop a 40 foot maple in a tight backyard near a fence and a shed. My climbing partner said I was crazy to use a handsaw, but I went with the silky zubat to keep control. Took me about 3 hours instead of maybe 1 with a saw, but I placed every piece exactly where I wanted it. Zero damage to anything around it, and my partner admitted it was the right call. Any of you guys ever stick with manual saws when power tools seem easier?

2 comments

2 Comments

paigewood1d ago

Took me about 3 hours instead of maybe 1 with a saw" - that right there is the whole trade off, isn't it? I've done the same thing with a Silky Bigboy on a dying oak near a neighbor's fence. My question is, did you have to deal with any nasty kickback or binding on that maple? Because that's the part people don't get about manual saws in tight spaces. They think you're just being slow, but the real win is you can feel every grain shift and adjust before the blade gets pinned. I'd rather take three hours of controlled cuts than 45 minutes of praying a chainsaw doesn't kick into my shin or chew up a fence post.

tessawebb1d ago

Had a buddy get a chainsaw hung up so bad in a locust tree he had to leave it there overnight and come back with a handsaw to free it.