Words by Jason Livingston
Besides a way to keep beer cold, one of the most important support tools for remote travel is a saw. There’s nothing worse than travelling 80 km (50 mi) down a remote logging road and hitting a dead end by downed trees or overgrowth. While some enthusiasts bring along a small chainsaw others resort to handsaws. Both can get you through, but which one is the better option for overlanding? To find out, we put two of the most capable options in the ring for nine rounds of bare-knuckle boxing!
In the first corner, weighing in at 4 kg (8.8 lb) we have the Stihl MS170 chainsaw ($289.95 CAD). This reputable, lightweight chainsaw sports a 41 cm (16 in.) bar and 30.1 cc, two-stroke motor. Commonly used for limb removal and smaller cutting tasks, it’s an ideal tag-along chainsaw for overland use.
In the other corner, weighing in at 1.27 kg (2.8 lb), we have the Silky Katanaboy 650 pull-saw ($268.75 CAD). As the name suggests, this behemoth folding pull saw features a 65 cm (25.6 in.), taper-ground, Japanese steel blade. Silky manufactures a larger version, the Katanaboy 1000, but the 650 is the best balance of price point, pull length, and ease of use.
Without further ado, let’s get down to it!
Jason Livingston
With most off-road ventures, saws are used to cut limbs or downed trees blocking forward progress.
Portability
The Stihl MS170 is three times the weight of the Silky Katanaboy 650 before including two-stroke fuel and any safety gear that you choose to carry, all of which takes up valuable space in the vehicle. Conversely, the hand saw is very slim and has a folded length of only 85 cm (33.5 in). It can be stored just about anywhere.
Winner: Silky Katanaboy 650
Cutting Speed
During most off-road ventures, saws are primarily used to cut limbs or downed trees blocking forward progress. To simulate this, each saw was unpacked, used to cut through a seven inch diameter section of green hardwood three times and then re-packed while on the clock. Doing multiple cuts allowed us to account for fatigue experienced while using the handsaw.
I provided the muscle behind the Katanaboy, having gained plenty of experience with it on my travels over the last year. To make things interesting, I recruited my father, Bev Livingston, to run the Stihl. A forestry veteran, he provided a solid showing.
Shootout Cutting Times
For three cuts, the Katanaboy wins out. This would hold true up to four or five cuts even accounting for increasing fatigue. Beyond that, the Stihl pulls ahead making the winner task size dependant. The most surprising result of the test was the incredible cutting speed of the Katanaboy. The first cut was completed in just 15 seconds! The Stihl was consistent at 12-13 seconds; only slightly better.
Winner: Draw
Jason Livingston
Safety
The Stihl MS170 is a compact chainsaw that is easy to handle. Its Quickstop chain brake system is designed to stop the rotation of the chain under any violent kick-back, making it about as safe as chainsaws can get. That said, chainsaws can still be unpredictable and dangerous, particularly in the hands of an untrained user. It is strongly recommended that you take a training course to familiarize yourself with proper handling and safety risks if you purchase one.
The Silky Katanaboy 650 is certainly safer to use. It doesn’t kick back or remove legs at a touch of the blade. That said, the teeth are very sharp! Silky has incorporated a safety stop that locks the blade short of fully closing, minimizing the risk of catching fingers. While this helps, care must still be taken.
Winner: Silky Katanaboy 650
Jason Livingston
The Stihl’s cut time was 37 seconds after doing three cuts at 17 cm (7 in.) in diameter.
Reliability/Durability
Generally speaking, the less moving parts a tool has, the less likely it is to fail. The Stihl MS170 will require regular maintenance, including cleaning, oiling, chain sharpening and tension adjustments, motor maintenance, etc. Stihl is known for making dependable saws that keep on working. With proper maintenance, this saw should provide plenty of reliable service for any general duty use.
The Silky Katanaboy will run as long as you are willing to pull on the handle. It is very simple. Other than cleaning the blade, there is no real maintenance required. The impulse hardened teeth will remain sharp for a very long time and replacement blades are available if something goes wrong. The only real damage risk is blade bending due to binding on the forward stroke. This can be easily avoided with proper technique and will not stop you from cutting if it does happen. The product is also backed by a limited lifetime warranty.
Overall, the nod goes to the hand saw for simplicity and ease of maintenance.
Winner: Silky Katanaboy 650
Jason Livingston
The Katanaboy’s cut time was 52 seconds after doing three cuts at 17 cm (7 in.) in diameter.
Conclusion
In almost every way, the Silky Katanaboy 650 comes out on top for a dedicated trail saw. It is compact, safe, reliable, and surprisingly effective, even compared to a chainsaw. That said, if you intend to also use your saw for other purposes such as firewood collection or property maintenance, the Stihl MS170 may be the better choice due to its ability to efficiently handle larger cutting tasks with minimal strain to the user. Both saws are worth a look, but my recommendation goes to the Silky Katanaboy 650.