Silky Bigboy Outback - 1st Wood

[Spey]

Out of the package, and into some Big Dry Wood (first cuts out of the packaging ;-)
Not a review, just the first use application & gettin' some work done solo.
Local told me the trail was blocked by a couple large downed trees.
He kinda smiled side-ways at me :-/ when I said I just got a new pocket-saw :-o , and would check it out that afternoon.
I was not expecting such a pre-tensioned mess, but this new Silky had not been broke in yet ;-)

A few post-first-use comments:
1) The blade coating appears to be doing a better job than non-coated Silky blades I have used previously.
2) Thick bark, on larger diameter logs, clogs up the teeth (kerf) pretty fast. Learned quickly to strip the bark before the cut. At 8:50 into video, you'll notice I partially stripped the bark on the Tension Cut of 2nd cut (all remaining cuts I paid particular attention to strip all bark in cut area.) Tomahawk made quick work of this ;-) At 3:15 into video you can see the bark thickness where I cut just thru it to make a stand for my camera-phone to rest while filming the under-cut (tension cut). At 11:15 into video I show/discuss bark stripped entire circumference of saw cut area.
3) Blade Pivot came loose during cutting (you can hear some rattle occasionally). Suggest tensioning and thread-locking (done now).
4) I think the curved blade gave me more problems than solutions :-/
5) Noticed some blade chatter (bounce out of cut) with these XL Teeth (6.5/30mm aka 5.5/inch) on dry wood.
6) I find the KatanaBoy 500 too large for my pack, the Gomboy 240 nice in pocket and in use but small for pack and would have been left wanting on this project, Bigboy perhaps my Goldilocks saw
7) Grain direction of wedges should be perpendicular (opposite orientation from how we would select grain direction on a hawk haft, but similar to grain orientation of a wedge we would use for an axe handle eye).

Youtube direct link:
Silky Bigboy Outback - 1st Wood

 

[bearcut]

Bought one of these a couple months ago, haven’t used it yet.
Thanks for the video and tips.
I shall theadlock the pivot before using.

 

[Guy McVer]

Youtube direct link:
Silky Bigboy Outback - 1st Wood

Nice bit of work you've done there. I enjoyed watching. Thank you.

 

[Wicked Sharp]

Impressive saw (and skill) performances. You didn’t even break a sweat. Lol.

 

[Spey]

Impressive saw (and skill) performances. You didn’t even break a sweat. Lol.

Appreciate your taking time to comment (bearcut, Guy McVer, Wicked Sharp).

News flash, I DID break a sweat and the f-k'g skeeteres were obnoxious (just not a complainer whilst working - LOL), along with the Spring growth ankle-biters . My biggest mistake was only bringing <20oz of water on my hike that day, and it being a heat-rising afternoon instead of cooler-morning :-/

I was actually quite surprised the saw tackled the size of the logs as well as it did, and the pre-plan attack (that was adjusted after first buck) provided easy means of moving those 12' sections off to the side of the trail. I had initially considered bucking each fallen tree into three 4' sections (width of trail) that would be one-person moveable, but after the first buck re-evaluated to reduce the sawing time to complete the task. Long ago learned to do my best in attempt to be a smarter Tool than the tool being used.

 

[Blue Sky]

I like how you dropped the logs onto a pivot point to make them easier to maneuver once on the ground. Good thinking.

I noticed you were changing blade to handle orientation often making the undercuts. How do you feel about the security, and possibly durability, of the the saw pivot/lock?

 

[Spey]

I like how you dropped the logs onto a pivot point to make them easier to maneuver once on the ground. Good thinking.

I noticed you were changing blade to handle orientation often making the undercuts. How do you feel about the security, and possibly durability, of the the saw pivot/lock?

If I had not come up with the fulcrum point pivot option (and a plan for dealing with BOTH of the two 12' logs, and the order of making cuts), I would have had to make additional cuts to reduce each section weight (and going into this, I had serious concern related to the saw, with that curve, effectively getting through the logs diameter). Main goal was to get basic job done without leaving a mess for someone else to deal with ;-), then reflect on the saws performance or lack there-of.

EDIT: (just re-read this and added)
BbOb360XL = Bigboy Outback 360mm XL-Teeth (5.5/inch aka 6.5/30mm)
Gb240L = Gomboy 240mm L-Teeth (6/inch aka 7/30mm)

RE: Pivot/Lock
The slot-cuts in the blade tang are deep, and the stop-pin is stout on the BbObXL360 (fairly secure engagement in my mind). Additionally, if lock were to fair on a pull-saw the saw would open (not close on you hand ...).
Understand there are AT LEAST two different types of lock-stop-pins (and sizes of rocker-lock assemblies) on Silky Saws that I am aware of. I am not going to make much comment related to the different pin construction as I have not yet had enough inkling to investigate further as you either get one or the other based on the model selected (so no user option on this like teeth per inch, curved vs. straight blade, blade length options with a model, etc.). Example: the stop-pin on my Gb240L is rectangular, where-as on my BbOb240XL the stop-pin is round and larger in both cross section and length. Additionally, there are at least two different diameters of rocker-lock pivot-pin (example: My BbOb360XL in video is both larger in diameter and length and peened on one side, where-as my Gb240L is both smaller diameter and shorter and peened on two sides).

RE: "security, and possible durability, of the saw pivot/lock?"
I am gonna reference the two open positions as;
P1 as Position1 (top cut typically, most curved overall blade/handle)
P2 as Position2 (bottom cut typically, most open overall blade/handle)
You may have noticed in the video, occasionally when adjusting into P2 the saw occasionally opens past the P2 blade notch lock into a condition that would be similar to a slip-joint knife. The blade will cut fine as long as there is pressure against the teeth, however the blade is kinda free-floating in the pivot (between fully open & P2). I used the saw in this position testing a few times and there may be times this could be advantageous, but generally the overall configuration of the saw with the curved blade was too open from an ergonomics consideration in this fully-open position. Different cutting positions than what this job required (thinking down low on a top-cut maybe ...) that fully open position may have some advantages ... :-/

Caution-1
So long as the blade stop pin is engaged in either of the two lock slots (there is no closed slot-lock), the stiffness of the lock-spring (BbObXL360 much greater than my Gb240L) being very positive holds fairly well (notice the very first time I open the saw, "say hello to my little friend" I need to re-grip to overcome spring tension because of the firm spring pressure). When gripping one or two handed in P2 on a bottom cut, where one hand indexes on the lock (as you see in video), upward hand-pressure forward of the locks pivot pin is putting up pressure on the area of the saw where the lock adding to the lock performance. If on the other hand, that upward hand-pressure is rear-ward of the locks pivot pin (as you can also see in video if you pay attention - I go back and forth between hand position fwd & rear-ward of the lock pivot pin) is putting up pressure on the area of the saw where the lock could become dis-engaged allowing the saw to fold at pivot.

Caution-2
If/when your hand is indexed in the blade-lock area (I mention one of my favorite grips, as learned from both Gb240L & Katanaboy 500), allowing your hand to slip forward could be a SERIOUS safety lapse (imagine haphazardly allowing your hand to forcefully move forward into a pull-saws teeth (especially the XL teeth at 5.5Teeth/inch aka 6.5Teeth/30mm). The laceration from those teeth would be very hard to close !##! :-/

I have been considering a modification to my saws lock-mech that would lock the lock-rocker into position (beyond just the spring-pressure). The Katanaboy has a secondary screw safety lock, but I find it's position and orientation (protruding straight up out of the rocker-lock assembly) to be problematic for how I like to use the saws related to gripping, and also very slow to transition blade positioning as it takes quite a few turns to lock/un-lock. I just need to get some test time on a couple ideas floating in my head, then see if I can make something compatible with each of my saws.

RE: "durability, of the the saw pivot/lock?"
Each of the Silky saws I have worked with had the pivot-screw come loose at some point, even though there is a type of locking washer in the assembly (if you pay attention, you will hear rattle during some of my cuts in video, and pivot was tight at start). I recommended some type of additional screw lock be added (light weight thread-locker, Teflon tape, nail polish, etc., BUT be-ware both screw & nut turn freely). The first time this occurred on my Gb240L was on a day I was pocket carrying with pivot down in a pocket. Something small and abrasive (tiny rock my guess) got lodged between blade tang and inner pivot assembly that created some grinding and galling that I later needed to dress down. Also, over-traveling the saw on the push can strike what is being cut potentially lodging debris into the pivot, so in my mind you still want a pivot that is field serviceable (ability to disassemble for cleaning in the field).

RE: "changing blade to handle orientation often making the undercuts"
I almost forgot to mention ... clearing of cut debris in the teeth (major debris from the thick bark was mentioned a few times in the video along with bark stripping to reduce this problem) is another reason why I was making frequent adjustments (to give the teeth a place to drop the cut debris), along with efficient cutting of the three areas of the under-cut Front, Back, Middle.
Example: during the undercut the Front, Middle, and part of the Back can be worked in P2, but the far Back side of undercut can be reached better/higher in P1. This may simply be a matter of the cut elevation being shoulder high. Also, many of the changes P1/P2/P1 had to do with clearing the kerfs width as the tensioned log moved during cutting (the kerf would close on the back-side and/or front-side and need to be re-opened with a few strokes then back to working the main cut again. As the log progressively drops during the under-cut, the center opens up (the kerf width) but the front or back typically closes a little depending on the settling.

After reading this, some of my dialogs during the video may makes more sense (as for example, I make a number of comments about how the kerf was closing front/back/front/etc. as the stresses of the tensioned log varied during the cutting process).

Hopefully something of use in my ramblings that makes sense to you.
Regards,

 

[Blue Sky]

Thanks for the detailed response, I really didn’t mean to make you work so hard, lol. I initially thought a bow saw would have been better but the Silky seemed to handle it quite well. I did hear some rattling, which is one reason I asked about the pivot and lock. Looseness in that area would make me nervous. Once you get your possible mod worked out, I hope you let us know how it went.

 

[Spey]

Blue Sky,
Thinking/writing in retrospective helps me to delineate problems and solutions a little more effectively. I am sure it puts many people to sleep. I would say sorry to those, but that would be dumb as they are sleeping - LOL. My hope is that it stirs comments where I can further learn from the thinkers.

Looseness in the pivot is simply a matter of keeping your pivot screw tight (I should have stopped and addressed tightening the pivot in use, but in reality I was too focused on the task - this could have been bad had I lost a nut). Any type of thread-lock compound or thread-tape should eliminate this issue from occurring in use. I am surprised not to read about this more often (can not remember ever reading about this related to Silky Saws ... :-/ but O have difficult time finding anything very substantive outside arborist forums where most discussions relate to fixed-blade saws and/or pole-saws (also fixed-blades).

Lock-up on these saws is rock-solid in my mind, and for the average user should be of not concern in my mind. My only folding saw, as a boy, was a wood handled slip-joint with a wing-nut to tighten the pivot, and my next great woods saw was the folder in my SAK (a true slip-joint saw).

The mod I referenced has nothing to do with the pivot screw/nut securement, it was related to hand pressure during a cut possibly releasing the blade lock pin from the index slot.

 

[Guy McVer]

News flash, I DID break a sweat and the f-k'g skeeteres were obnoxious (just not a complainer whilst working - LOL), along with the Spring growth ankle-biters.

You probably already thought of this, but the amount of body heat you were generating might have been what was drawing in the tiny critters.

Maybe next time you can carry a small bug net to wear over your head if you need to. They weigh nothing, are generally pretty cheap, and you get used to seeing through them pretty quickly. Just make sure the mesh is small enough to be effective.

Long ago learned to do my best in attempt to be a smarter Tool than the tool being used.

It seems to be working well for you. I learned a thing or two from your video.

Thinking/writing in retrospective helps me to delineate problems and solutions a little more effectively.

Writing is very useful for honing your thoughts and ideas, especially when you are thinking about the most effective ways to communicate them to someone else. It often brings clarity.

Cheers.

 

[Spey]

You probably already thought of this, but the amount of body heat you were generating might have been what was drawing in the tiny critters.

Maybe next time you can carry a small bug net to wear over your head if you need to. They weigh nothing, are generally pretty cheap, and you get used to seeing through them pretty quickly. Just make sure the mesh is small enough to be effective.

It seems to be working well for you. I learned a thing or two from your video.

Writing is very useful for honing your thoughts and ideas, especially when you are thinking about the most effective ways to communicate them to someone else. It often brings clarity.

Cheers.

Guy McVer,
I appreciate your comments.

RE: the bugs aka "skeeters" on this day (body heat & head nets)
Not sure about the "body heat ..., drawing" the skeeters to me, as they (skeeters) were in clouds this day and it was hot an muggy afternoon. I think it's more a 'blood sport' for skeeters.

RE: "small bug net to wear over your head"
I reserve wearing head-nets for bush-time in Alaska where those skeeters are so big they can pick you up and drag you away ..., LOL. Seriously though the No-See-Ums are worse than the skeeters in AK and the primary reason I actually bring a head net with me up there for times when it's seriously bad. Smoking a pipe or cigar has also proven to be fairly effective deterrent.

Additionally, l have found locally sourced Fatwood to be a good bug deterrent as the smoke produced seems to work well. I make stick-candle-stakes from Fatwood and position a couple so I am on the lea side of the burning/smoking sticks. I should have taken a short break to source some Fatwood this day, but like so many things ..., hindsight is 20/20.

Example Video Link: (regarding insect deterrent smoke from Fatwood Candle(s) whilst harvesting Fatwood)
Video is currently uploading, and should be good for viewing in HD-1080 as soon as U-Tube finishes processing.

Youtube direct link:
Fatwood Stump Harvest