Do You Use A Handsaw?

I Use A Handsaw

  • Yes! They're an awesome labor saver!

    Votes: 37 94.9%

  • Heck no! Too much stuff on my saddle already!

    Votes: 2 5.1%
  • Total voters
    39
Koa Man said:
I take a handsaw up on all jobs. I much prefer Kanzawa saws. My Zubat just sits on the shelf. The blades get dull too fast.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure I agree with that comment. Been using my Zubat more lately, as I scored a bunch of blades cheap on ebay last year. Kanzawa blades are cheaper, cut as fast or faster, and hold an edge longer, it seems.

The Ichiban pro blade was a bit fragile, so they beefed it a bit. I had broken a couple of the old ones. Still on my first new blade. It may not cut quite as fast, but is fine.

I like the Kanzawa handle, which is identical to the old trusty Corona. Sure, the hook does occasionally get caught and pulled out, but it provides great cutting power.

Butch, Bishop has the best selection and price I've seen on Kanzawa products. www.bishco.com (and on other gear as well.)
 
Mr. Sir said:
I still have my first handsaw. Its about 3 feet long and weighs about 5 pounds. Now THAT puppy could strip some suckers, let me tell ya. I think I still have the leather scabbard too, the one with a clip for the paint pot. Who remembers paint pots?

Of course, I haven't used that one for quite some time. I now use a small Fanno pony saw with the wooden handle. I didn't like the Silky scabbard, kept falling out of the clip thingy.
Click to expand...


I also still have my first saw...a 24 inch Fanno...Keep it on the truck in case the chipper clogs up...it's great for reaching those hard to get stuck chips.
Only reason it gets any use at all--the tach on the chipper doesn't work, which means the auto-feed is inoperative, so sometimes someone forgets to reverse the feedwheel.....otherwise, that Bandit never clogs.

I bought one Fanno ponysaw years ago, and ditched it for Corona, and lately Silky and Kanzawa. Nice handle, but the Fanno blades dull too quickly. Kanzawa scabbards are even less practical than Silky. Don't use either of them, save on polesaws.
 
I was at my local saw shop yesterday and they have apparently ditched Corona for Kanzawa hand saws. I didn't buy one as I'm all set for now but it sounds like they are good.
 
Kanzawa rocks, have to be careful though when ordering spare blades from Bishop. They have 3 styles and the cheapest one is that way for a reason. I like the thin pro model. I've been using Silky for a long time. My handsaw I take on removals is still the Ibuki. Everything else its either a Zubat or one of my Kanzawas.
 
Hand saw and pole saw real regular. I do a lot of mistle toe and the job wouldn't be easy with out them. Climbing live and white oak, great for just pruning the "fuzz" out my way. I find I often would rather cut it with the hand saw and not start my chain if not needed, fact I use the chain saw last in mistle toe. I do have times I don't use, like in Ponderosa, or most pines. If I am pruning, same applies, don't use the chainsaw unless its 2-3" or larger. Would not be with it. And no bucket here, so I go up as high as I can get with the pole saw, amazing what you can do with them ;)
 
Last edited:
MB,
The Kanzawa I use and like a lot is the GKC330LH.
Do not buy the red handle models. They are cheaper and the
blade steel not as good. Those last only about as long as a
Silky.
 
You probably have to put in Bishop's item number for that product. The Kanzawa number I gave you is stamped on both the saw and the scabbard. I bought mine from Zenith Cutter.
 
Yeah good luck trying to use Bishop's site for anything. :roll: Kanzawa definitely makes good blades.
 
I think I may have bought an item from Bishop once. It had to be at least 4-5 years ago but they still to this day send me crap in the mail. Their website is horrendous, same with Sherrill's website. At least Sherrill's website used to be functional until they 'improved' it. :roll:
 
That one should be the same one I use. CS stands for curved saw.
 
Koa Man said:
This should be the one.
http://www.zenithcutter.com/products/treeCare/saws/dsp_part.cfm?length=13&part_num=CSGKC330LH
Click to expand...


That's the self cleaning Daichi.... http://www.samurai-tools.com/cgi-bi...t&categoryid=9&crid=&lowlimit=0&cmrid=&cmpid=

with the rakers, it's supposed to be better for softwoods. Could be. I have no problem with the Ichiban....only difference is the raker, it sounds like.

Someone said to stay away from the red handled Kanzawas. Incorrect, the red ones are the fast cut series. Nothing wrong with the standard series either. The blades are beefier, less chance of breakage from sloppy usage. Same good hard steel and impulse hardening process, just thicker, slower cutting blades, and not hollow ground.

I also hate the Bishop website...far prefer to use the print catalog..same goes for all supply houses.... Bishop has always done right by me....quick service, good selection, good prices. Ordered my first NE safety blue line from them, circa 1979.....
 
stehansen said:
I was at my local saw shop yesterday and they have apparently ditched Corona for Kanzawa hand saws. I didn't buy one as I'm all set for now but it sounds like they are good.
Click to expand...

The original Corona products were made by Kanzawa, as I understand it. Now, the Corona name is owned by a different company. Thus the crappy product and poorly designed handle. Kanzawa retained the design rights to the original product.
 
My son-in-law has the red handled Kanzawa which has far less use than mine and is not as sharp. We have a lot of softwoods and hardwoods in Hawaii and the Daichi seems to work good on both.

The red handled Kanzawas are cheaper. I bought all the Kanzawa saws and spare blades Zenith had at their booth at the 2006 TCI.
I got 10 saws and 10 replacement blades.
 
Koa Man said:
My son-in-law has the red handled Kanzawa which has far less use than mine and is not as sharp. We have a lot of softwoods and hardwoods in Hawaii and the Daichi seems to work good on both.

The red handled Kanzawas are cheaper. I bought all the Kanzawa saws and spare blades Zenith had at their booth at the 2006 TCI.
I got 10 saws and 10 replacement blades.
Click to expand...

Wesley, if you go to the Kanzawa link I furnished, you'll see that, currently, the good Kanzawas have some red on the handle, the others don't......mine have red as well, bought I think in 2007....

Regardless, the thin blade (Ichiban or Daichi) is the good one, and will fit on any colored handle.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #71
Man, I hate those hooks on the handles.

Is there anywhere online to BUY the danged things???
 
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