After extensive testing, Silky Boy hand saws join the elite Cool Stuff Hall of Fame life changing products. Like Goal Zero solar/battery backups, like Altera socks, like ESEE and Ken Onion CRKT knives, like the Flame Stower (...oh guess you'll read about that magic next week), the Silky Boy will make your life easier, safer, pretty up your home, save you money since you won't have to hire anyone, and could put money in your pocket. Sound a little too much?

Silky saws (www.silkysaws.com/Silky_Saws/Folding-Straight_2) are built on hundreds of years of Japanese steel manufacturing traditions. Function, style, and quality are an essential Japanese cultural essence that is embraced in modern Japanese manufacturing production. I wouldn't be surprised if Silky saws have a direct lineage to Samurai sword craftsmen of long ago.

My ongoing battle with evil Halekoa weeds/trees melted to victory for we Coolios when my trio of Silky Boy saws decimated the obnoxious growth. My 14.2 inch long Silky Big Boy ($61.95) removed huge tree trunk size branches in minutes, around walls and steps my 8.33 inch Gomboy ($42.95) tidied up areas too awkward to challenge, while the 5" Pocket Boy ($35.95) did delicate finesse work around my chain link fence where branches had grown through.

So how did Silky put money in my pocket? My waterfront prior to Silky's intervention was an obscure mystery. After Silky? My waterfront is now a magnificent view of ducks, jumping fish, stand up paddlers that have increased my property value by over $50,000. No exaggeration. Also nice, Silky's special rubberized grips were comfortable and resisted slippage due to humidity, rain or old man out of shape fatigue.

They are ‘hand tools’ — which operate on your own ‘sweat & tears’, which is an excellent thing!

You just can't store generator or chain saw gasoline that long— for who knows when an afa or other major natural disaster will hit again. From personal experience, chain saws will be the most finicky when you really need them, with chains slipping off & breaking, teeth dulling, and it's whiny cries for special two stroke oil. So no fossil fuel generator power remains an easy solution with Goal Zero portable solar panels and Sherpa 100 backup battery units.

The gold  standard for saws is the Silky Big Boy... not to big, not too small… always performing with ease and excellence, just like yours truly.

If your family needs help in Manu’a, Upolu, or Savai'i, the Big Boy slips easily in your backpack. Repeat after me "No need fuel, ultra strong blades, cleans up easily, safe, and a heck of a back scratcher."

A terrific feature of the all Silky's is that it has a two-position lock, enabling you to get right up next to a wall or step and cut parallel, at an angle without scraping your knuckles. After two months of destroying my mean spirited jungle forest, none of my Silky's blades ever snapped, like my previous brands had.

My only suggestion is to use a coin to check the tightness of your blade lock prior to every usage. For maintenance, I wash my Silky in dishwasher soap, then coat the blade and metal parts with olive oil. Keeps them looking new, no rust, and no petroleum nasty smell.

Silky saws have all bases covered. You like a more aggressive saw, they have curved blade saws. Long pole saws? They make'em 9' to 20' just right for tidying up your favorite coconut tree without that daring freestyle climb you used to do at age 13. Heard about legendary traditional Japanese carpenter saws? Silky is still your boy!

My next trial will hopefully be with the 19.8" Katana Boy, as it remains relatively compact but greatly extends my reach without needing a ladder.

Since we Palagi Savaiians are looked at sideways by our indigenous relatives, I handed a Silky to a Pago relative then to another from Apia. You and I both know it was a Huck Finn/Tom Sawyer kuluku moment to have them work for me while I took a nice long break.

So the Pago cousin said, "Wow! This cuts like butter, so smooth, so awesome." The Apia relative said, "Oi ka fefe, scary kine, like a sapelu through Anchor pata!" Of course as a stupid Palagi, I forgot that both would lift the Silky over their head and in two-part harmony, sing "Fa'afetai tele for the mealofa Dude."

Samoans always win. I surrender, but I won't surrender my Silkys. Instead, since no local dealers, you or your relatives need to stop by or call the following official Silky dealers in Oahu, Hawai’i. Trust me, deal with them instead of Ebay. I bought what I thought was a Silky saw, only to end up with a plain ole blade.

EXACTA SALES INC, 2815 UALENA ST, Honolulu, HI 96819, phone (808) 840-1919

ISLAND LAWN EQUIPMENT LLC, 905 KALANIANAOLE HWY, SUITE 1 UNIT 11B, Kailua, HI, phone (808) 261-2600

LANDSCAPE EQUIPMENT & SUPPLY, 2621 WAIWAI LOOP, Honolulu, HI 96819, phone (808) 836-2222