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The Silky Katanaboy Professional is a folding handsaw that’s “engineered to rival the performance of a chainsaw,” and it comes with a price tag to match: $459.99 and up. When it comes to backcountry trail work, the Katanaboy, available in 550mm and 700mm lengths, seems like it could be a good choice, but we had to know why it costs just as much as a decent chainsaw.
In some ways, it’s better than a chainsaw
Chainsaws are powerful and can tackle big jobs quickly. The Silky Katanaboy, on the other hand, is 100% human-powered.
However, the Katanaboy has a few advantages over a gas-powered chainsaw. For starters, it’s far more portable than a chainsaw, with the larger, 700mm saw weighing about four pounds. Compare that to a Stihl gas- or battery-powered chainsaw, which can weigh between six to 15 pounds. And a Katanaboy folding saw takes up far less space in a pack, or strapped to a bike, than a chainsaw.
A folding Silky saw requires no fuel and lasts as long as you do. There’s also very little noise compared to a gas- or even battery-powered chainsaw. A quick search shows that battery-powered chainsaws produce between 85-100db, and a gas saw is 100-120db.

The same rules that prohibit bikes in designated Wilderness areas generally apply to chainsaws as well, which can make trail maintenance difficult. Compared to one of those old-timey, two-person lumberjack saws, the Silky Katanaboy looks like a pretty good choice. The saws come with a new carrying case featuring a strap for easy portability.
Silky claims the Katanaboy 700 cuts branches up to 14″ in diameter with “incredible speed and efficiency.” Unlike smaller folding saws, the Katanaboy is designed to be used with two hands for maximum grip and power.



High quality materials and construction
The Silky Katanaboy features a nickel-plated steel blade with impact-hardened, non-set teeth. The 550mm saw has five teeth per 30mm for fast, smooth cuts, while the longer, 700mm saw has four teeth every 30mm for maximum speed.
The straight blade ensures clean, precise cuts. Silky says the blade can be sharpened, though a rep tells Singletracks “you need some skill and specialized tools like a diamond-shaped file.” This video shows how the sharpening process works.
Silky saws are made in Ono, Japan, “home of the finest cutlery steel known to man.” The company has been making saws since 1919, and though the process has evolved to utilize new tech like laser cutting and electro-impulse hardening.
Of course all that tech comes at a price: the Katanaboy 550 costs $459.99, while the longer 700 is priced at $479.99. That’s more than the cost of a decent chainsaw, but then again, it’s hard to beat the portability and the overall cool factor of a Katanaboy.
