Before I got my Silky Ibuki I used a Fanno 17" for 8 years. I liked it because I could do one pull stroke and then use the enclosed handle like a pair of brass knuckles to smash off the rest of the branch. It was faster than cutting it the rest of the way. Now that I have my Ibuki though, I can't do this anymore because it doesn't have an enclosed handle. In spite of that, I still like my Ibuki better because it cuts faster and stays sharp longer. IMO, nobody makes better handsaws than Silky.