Bahco PG-72 Folding Pruning Saw

Essentially a high vis version of the Bahco Laplander and is easily found if dropped... (As far as I can tell the blade is very close the the Laplander one.) The body can take all the various tooth profile 396 replacement blades too.Very suited to volunteer groups etc as the blade is less fragile/more forgiving than the equivalent Silky (though perhaps not quite as efficient) as it cuts on both the push as well as the pull which more people are used to. Also the blade can be re-bent into shape with less chance of snapping. The colour makes it easy to find on the woodland floor, is easy to hold even wet and locks the blade closed as well as open. Plus the lock is not easily pressed when the saw is in use so safer.Easy to field replace the blade with a big slotted ... MoreEssentially a high vis version of the Bahco Laplander and is easily found if dropped... (As far as I can tell the blade is very close the the Laplander one.) The body can take all the various tooth profile 396 replacement blades too.Very suited to volunteer groups etc as the blade is less fragile/more forgiving than the equivalent Silky (though perhaps not quite as efficient) as it cuts on both the push as well as the pull which more people are used to. Also the blade can be re-bent into shape with less chance of snapping. The colour makes it easy to find on the woodland floor, is easy to hold even wet and locks the blade closed as well as open. Plus the lock is not easily pressed when the saw is in use so safer.Easy to field replace the blade with a big slotted bolt. The body is tough and light and should survive a lot of use.Bottom line: A tough, forgiving and easily found little saw which can do a lot; well suited to the average user/volunteer groups.

A comparison of the original Laplander vs. Expert

Like a lot of people I was wondering if the new 'Expert' model that MEC stocks is as good as the venerable Laplander model, so I did the only logical thing (at least to me) and bought both to compare. First, both models are made in Sweden and have 190mm blades, 230mm rubber-grip handles, and weigh 190gm on the scale. Aside from color, the construction of both models is 100% identical. Both saw blades feature XT-hardened teeth, 7 teeth-per-inch, and are described by Bahco as good for both green and dry wood. In fact, I would not be able to tell the two blades apart if they were not marked 'Expert' and 'Laplander'. I tried sawing through some scrap lumber to gauge performance, and again I could not tell the difference between the two blades. They each cut through the ... MoreLike a lot of people I was wondering if the new 'Expert' model that MEC stocks is as good as the venerable Laplander model, so I did the only logical thing (at least to me) and bought both to compare. First, both models are made in Sweden and have 190mm blades, 230mm rubber-grip handles, and weigh 190gm on the scale. Aside from color, the construction of both models is 100% identical. Both saw blades feature XT-hardened teeth, 7 teeth-per-inch, and are described by Bahco as good for both green and dry wood. In fact, I would not be able to tell the two blades apart if they were not marked 'Expert' and 'Laplander'. I tried sawing through some scrap lumber to gauge performance, and again I could not tell the difference between the two blades. They each cut through the wood equally well. Thus rest assured that the Expert is virtually identical to the Laplander, and the only difference between the two models is color. Personally I prefer the orange handle as it's far less likely to be misplaced or lost while outdoors. The Expert is also much cheaper at MEC compared to buying the Laplander at other retailers.

Amazing camping/ hiking tool!

I went on a backwoods hike, turned out to be a lot more hills than I was expecting... Really needed a walking stick. So I found a great sapling for the job, and got ready for the tough work of hacking through the frozen wood with my knife. Then I remembered I had the folding saw, so lightweight it was just in my waistpack and I forgot about it. Took it out and bbbbzbzzzzzzzzzz ..... DONE! Took roughly 8 seconds to saw through a 2 inch diameter sapling. Cut it down to size a couple more times with no problem. An incredibly energy efficient tool. Indispensable for shelter building, and firewood processing.

Bahco Laplander Folding Saw

I asked my husband to give this Bahco Laplander folding saw to me for last Christmas. Due to the weather it had been sitting in my emergency pack until today.The tree outside our bedroom was getting very big. About 1/5 of it was leaning on our roof and scraping the tiles each time the wind blew. We were afraid that it might damage our roof in a long run. We looked into hiring someone to trim the tree but it was ridiculously expensive.So I took matters into my own hands. Cut down a trunk that was almost 5" in diameter. And I was standing only on top of a step ladder. When I climbed the ladder my husband said "Are you going to cut that big trunk with "that thing"? By the time I brought the tree down my husband suggested using a bow saw to cut the tree into smaller ... MoreI asked my husband to give this Bahco Laplander folding saw to me for last Christmas. Due to the weather it had been sitting in my emergency pack until today.The tree outside our bedroom was getting very big. About 1/5 of it was leaning on our roof and scraping the tiles each time the wind blew. We were afraid that it might damage our roof in a long run. We looked into hiring someone to trim the tree but it was ridiculously expensive.So I took matters into my own hands. Cut down a trunk that was almost 5" in diameter. And I was standing only on top of a step ladder. When I climbed the ladder my husband said "Are you going to cut that big trunk with "that thing"? By the time I brought the tree down my husband suggested using a bow saw to cut the tree into smaller pieces for disposal. I told him that he could use the bow saw and I would prefer my Laplander. For every 3 pieces I cut my husband managed to cut just one with his bow saw! He finally realized how powerful my Laplander was and let me do the rest.FIY, I am a 50-year-old woman and I weigh about 110 pounds. Took me just a few minutes to bring the large trunk down. Cutting the trunk into short segments was like cutting butter. This Laplander definitely has its spot in my emergency pack!

Bahco first timer.

After seeing much hype about Bahco folding saws I bought this one without doing a lot of research. I ended up getting a coated, stamped metal blade without realizing it.I also use Silky brand saws and they have a 3 side edge to their sharpened blades, absolutely no comparison to the Bahco, the price I paid via the MEC online store is fair but if you have the budget to bump up to a longer lasting sharpened edge, higher budget saw, do it.I will be using this one sparingly until my son is old enough to have his own saw, then it will become his.

Good Value

I purchased this as a saw for a weekend camp with cadets. We were looking for a reliable saw that didn't take up much space. Bow saws get dull and then bend and become ineffective after a while. This saw is small enough that it will fit in my jacket pocket. It folds out to a sturdy blade with a comfortable ergonomic sort of handle and cuts thru wood relatively easy. It would be nicer if the blade was sharper and the teeth set out a little farther but still a good product. Works well on the 1.25 inch wood but I wouldn't use it on a large piece of log. Teeth aren't set wide enough to get rid of the wood chips and it binds. I would recommend this to anyone as a camp saw. Does what it was designed to do, does not empty your wallet and doesn't take up a lot of space. ... MoreI purchased this as a saw for a weekend camp with cadets. We were looking for a reliable saw that didn't take up much space. Bow saws get dull and then bend and become ineffective after a while. This saw is small enough that it will fit in my jacket pocket. It folds out to a sturdy blade with a comfortable ergonomic sort of handle and cuts thru wood relatively easy. It would be nicer if the blade was sharper and the teeth set out a little farther but still a good product. Works well on the 1.25 inch wood but I wouldn't use it on a large piece of log. Teeth aren't set wide enough to get rid of the wood chips and it binds. I would recommend this to anyone as a camp saw. Does what it was designed to do, does not empty your wallet and doesn't take up a lot of space. Overall a good product.

Great saw!

I just gave this thing a try after picking it up a few days ago. Living more or less in the middle of the woods, with the winds this winter I've got lots of downed tree branches to test on. I cut a a variety of diameters ~10cm down to 1cm. This "little" saw cut extremely well, similar to a 8cm knife saw just bigger, faster, with a locking blade, and more comfortable handle. It only took me a minute or so to cut through the 10cm piece. I'd say it cut better than the rectangular style saw I have, which tends to bind more. What I also like about this in-line style is that it allows for cutting in tighter places vs. a rectangular saw, and it folds up small for easy carrying. For sure, I'll be using the chain saw to clean up the rest of the mess around the house, but ... MoreI just gave this thing a try after picking it up a few days ago. Living more or less in the middle of the woods, with the winds this winter I've got lots of downed tree branches to test on. I cut a a variety of diameters ~10cm down to 1cm. This "little" saw cut extremely well, similar to a 8cm knife saw just bigger, faster, with a locking blade, and more comfortable handle. It only took me a minute or so to cut through the 10cm piece. I'd say it cut better than the rectangular style saw I have, which tends to bind more. What I also like about this in-line style is that it allows for cutting in tighter places vs. a rectangular saw, and it folds up small for easy carrying. For sure, I'll be using the chain saw to clean up the rest of the mess around the house, but this little guy wins the prize for portable cutting needs (trail maintenance, camping, etc).

NOT the LAPLANDER BLADE - old reviews misleading

Old reviews are for the Laplander Blade, this is NOT the laplander blade, very misleading to leave the old reviews for this product. Same type of handle (diff colour) but this is not just a name change, it is NOT the same blade. I am returning it as I do not want to bother with this, plus mec should have cleaned up the old reviews. This is not a hardened blade and will not perform or last like the laplander, especially for green cuttings and harder materials. I would also take the mec replacement blade recommendation here with a grain of salt. Do your research and look at reviews outside of this site before ordering this. Reviews and ratings here are not representative of this blade.

Perfect Backcountry Saw

I’ve been using this saw extensively for 4 seasons and I love it. Just purchased a replacement – so it lasts long! The teeth on this beast are very aggressive and it usually doesn’t take more than a dozen passes to get through camp-fire sized wood. Fits perfectly in your hand and is easy to operate. Non-stick coating on the blade actually helps and it took nearly three years of solid use before beginning to wear off. Reviews for the replacement blade suggest they aren’t as good as the original, so for the minor price difference I opted to just buy a whole new Bahco. Great saw.

Won't be leaving this at home

This saw is pretty awesome. I just took it backpacking for the first time to a place where no easy firewood can be found, so pretty much had to find dead trees and cut branches off. This thing goes through them like nothing. Not sure how long that sharp edge will last, but I’m glad to see that you can get replacement blades. I found a fallen tree that was prime for our fire and used this saw to cut some manageable pieces. It starts to max out at about 6” diameter, but you wouldn’t expect more from something this size and weight. The long handle is great for two handed sawing for those thicker logs. I worked it hard with no problems. This saw was a total asset on our trip.