I'll go into more detail of the various tools in dedicated posts. Here's an overview:
If you're only working on very small trees, shrubs, etc., it may be possible to get by with only hand pruners, provided you do have hands and the tree hasn't been growing long without needing pruning.
But you're probably gonna need more. In order, these are the tools I use the most.
First, alcohol. What fun is pruning, and where would the great stories come from without alcohol? Actually, rubbing alcohol is what I use to disinfect my tools between trees and between cuts if necessary. Mostly what you read about is a bleach solution, which is cumbersome and corrodes the blades. I think alcohol is much more practical. They have it in little spray bottles, which you can carry in a belt pouch, and it's faster than wiping. I can only imagine that alcohol is a better disinfectant than bleach or Lysol. It is, of course, what they use in hospitals, which have higher standards of sterility.
Then, you should really wear gloves. I've done plenty of pruning without, but there's no good reason.
And shoes. You want good, stiff-soled shoes for this work. Sneakers don't really cut the tough stuff and don't grip ladders that well. Steel toes are a good idea, too.
Wearing a helmet is a great idea. A branch could fall on you or you can fall off a ladder or roof, or out of a tree. I like using a bike helmet, which ventilated, fits snugly, and is comfy.
Safety glasses. Ok, I'm guilty of not using these much of the time, but there's little excuse except for misplacing them. You should have clear ones and sunglass ones.
On to the tools:
1. Hand pruners. There's are an absolute must. Get a good pair, or at least a mid-range pair, to keep from damaging your trees. Recommended brands include Bahco, ARS, Felco and Corona, but there are tons of brands that work well. I also frequently use my Japanese bonsai concave pruners quite a bit. Love those.
2. Long-reach lopper/pole loppers. I use pole pruners more often than short loppers. I have several different styles depending on the need. I have a Corona 6' model with an articulating head that lasts me cut up to 1-1/2". It's great, but the head sticks shut all the time, making it a bit frustrating. I can't figure out how to keep it from sticking. Oiling doesn't do the trick. I have a Fiskars ropeless pole pruners that goes to about 12', with an articulating/tilting head. It works great and is very user-friendly, but they become troublesome in a very short time, just a couple hours of use. I've returned two of them for a refund and then bought new ones. They're not terribly expensive, but work very well up until the time they don't. I have longer, standard pole pruners, but don't like using them as much.
3. Reciprocating saw. I stray from the crowd here. People tend to use either hand pruning saws (a bit slow) or a chain saw (cumbersome and rough), or a pole saw (too long for close work). I have a couple I use. One is two-handed, and cuts fast, and the other is single-handed, which works great if you need a free hand to stabilize yourself or a branch you're cutting. A reciprocating saw can also do the work of loppers, in about the same amount of time, and especially useful if you need to cut anything over about 1-1/4" thick, and they're much better with dead wood. I use corded models, but cordless ones are great to, as long as you don't run out of juice in the middle of something.
4. Extended pruners. I have a Stihl model that's about 7' long, which is like a hand pruner on a lightweight pole. This works much better on anything under 3/4" thick than a pole pruner/lopper. I actually use this tool almost as much as my handpruners. Love it.
5. Loppers. Short loppers are good at pruning branches up to 1-1/2" thick. And then it becomes a struggle for most people. There are some that go up to 2-1/2", but at that size you're probably better off with a reciprocating saw. I have various types and sizes depending on the application. Avoid buying discount brands. They'll be a hassle and fall apart almost right away.
6. Ladders. I have a 10' orchard ladder that's a dream to use, much better and safer to use than a stepladder. If I smarten up, I'll get a standing platform to save my feet. It's not tall enough for a lot of things, so extension ladders are needed sometimes. With those, however, you should have some rope to tie them off if at all precarious. Standing on a 10' orchard ladder, up to the 7' rung, I can reach up to about 21' easily with my extended pruners. If you're cutting a tree about 24' high, this is perfect. Orchard ladders come taller, which is a good idea much of the time. I have carried my orchard ladder on top of my car, with padding underneath and ratcheting straps to hold it to the roof. This worked surprisingly well. But I really should have a truck.
7. Pole saw. I don't like using a pole saw very much for various reasons, unless there's no other way. You usually get a saw that comes with pole loppers, but the blade are really too short. The really good ones are very expensive, and I haven't gone that way yet. These can lead to disastrous consequences if you don't think through what you're doing.
8. Binoculars. What?! These are very useful for evaluating what to cut. Dead wood can be spotted from a distance, and if you need to use a pole saw, you might need someone looking at your positioning from a distance as you start cutting.
Other things you might want:
Took bag/holster. Once in a while I keep hand pruners in my back pocket, but regret not having my bag or holster. You might want a bag large enough to hold alcohol, protein bar, or good luck charm.
Buddy. It's gross to have someone close for various reasons. But try to train them not to say what most people say, "there's not gonna be anything left of that tree when you're done, yuk yuk".
Hot tea. Winter pruning can get cold, and hot tea is really comforting.
This list could go on and on, but I'll stop there.
Showing posts with label pruners. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pruners. Show all posts
Monday, December 28, 2015
Sunday, December 27, 2015
Cut it Out Vol. 2: Pruning Tools: Hand Pruners
I've always been a tool nut. Some people would say I'm just a tool, others would say I'm just a nut. Whatever.
Anyway, quality is important to me, but I'm sensible enough to know when a certain budget tool will do just fine, and can even do a better job sometimes.
When it comes to pruning tools, there's a lot of stuff out there. What works on one job or for one person may not be best for another. If you read reviews, opinions are all over the place.
I recently decided that I may be in for some trouble if I'm doing a lot of repetitive cuts. It may take a full day or more, but my hands or forearm may regret using pruners that are less than ideal. I've been using 1" capacity Corona hand pruners, and can't complain about them really, except they're not terribly ergonomic. They're fine, but not the best for great cuts or comfort.
I've checked out some other brands in person and read a lot of reviews. It seems that having more precise, ergonomic, extra sharp cutters can make a big difference over time.
It sure looks like the industry standard has been Felco for some time. And most people love them. But now there are at least two other contenders worth considering. I must admit I had a hard time figuring out which brand to get.
ARS is a Japanese brand, known for having the sharpest blades and for staying sharp the longest. I haven't seen them in any stores, so it looks like online is the way to go.
Bahco is the third one to mention. Instead of $50-something for Felco or ARS, these cost about $34. They're probably the most ergonomic pruners of all, and very high quality.
I was ordering some Bahco pruners last night, but wasn't able to get them delivered to my area from Amazon. I figure there's some lead in the metal or suffering, so that was that. So instead I ordered the ARS instead. We'll see what they're like in a few days. I'll report back after I spend some time with them.
Meanwhile, I have a pair of Barnell pruners that I bought for lighter jobs. They have a nice feel, but I haven't spent enough time with them to give my best two cents. And I still have my Coronas for the heavy hand work.
Most of these brands have at least a model or two with rotating lower handles. This is great for people with issues or if you hold the pruners in your hand for long periods of time. I don't find it ideal because I put my pruners in my pouch frequently, while using other tools at the same time, and each time you pick them up, you have to regain your grip so it feels right. I'll stick with the fixed-handle models for now bb
One thing that's never mentioned in these articles is BONSAI PRUNERS. Well, I have two pairs of these, and for certain kinds of work, like Japanese Maples, they can't be beat. They cut better than "normal" hand pruners, but you have to hold them differently and they would probably tire you out faster. I love them, and feel sorry for those who never have tried them. They have the added advantage of making a concave cut, which is great for certain situations. Cutting close in a very precise way is something standard hand pruners can't do as easily, like if you're trying to surgically remove a third twig from a whorl, for instance, these things are the way to go. They're also great for nipping away at a cut if your first cut wasn't exactly as close as you wanted. I have an 8" and a 10" pair. Since both edges are very sharp blades, they have the ability to cut more cleanly and seem to be even better at cutting thick, hard branches, though I wouldn't sensibly go larger than 1" with either type. Gosh darn, I try often enough. I should know better. But I never break tools trying, just get a bit frustrated momentarily.
Now, if you have a fat wallet or some real grip or arthritis problems, there are cordless pruners. You pull a little trigger and it does all the work. Problem is, they start at around $800 or $900 and can go up to $2000 or more. Come on! These are made in China! Well, I'm gonna do a little research and see if there's another tool that can be modified or something. I did glance at some similar but lighter-weight models from Craftsnan or Ryobi or one of those. As I remember, the maximum cut was only 1/2", which doesn't excite me that much. Maybe these could be modified. I also like the idea of the organic nature of a fully manual hand pruner. We'll see what happens when I get older and lose strength and flexibility.
UPDATE:
I received my ARS pruners today. They look very similar to most other pruners of the same style, which I dose are made to mimic Delco. You can tell the quality is great. And they're super sharp. They weren't kidding. I pruned a peach and an oak tree. I don't think I cut anything bigger than about 3/4", maybe a couple that were an inch. You still have to use pretty good hand strength, so it's not like cutting butter. But pretty darn good. The action of the pruners is smooth and sexy and it was a pleasure.
UPDATE #2
I'very been using my ARS pruners for about 2 weeks now. Unlike a lot of other people, I use a variety of hand pruners for didn't tasks. But my ARS's are the main machine. They do cut really well, but I wouldn't go so far as to say it's night and day between those, my slightly smaller Barnels, or equally-sized Coronas. I fix come across a couple occasions where I cut about a 5/8" branch, and they acted up. Lo and behold, the blade had a nick or dent or starve you want to call it, and they wouldn't close. So I immediately had to go sharpen it. It seems the tolerance is much closer than other pruners, so a small flaw in the blade can really make a difference between working great and not at all. I still can't figure out how cutting wood ended up like cutting into a metal cable. Head-scratcher on that one. Are these pruners worth 2 or 3 times what others cost? Hard to say, but if you use them for years, the daily cost is so minor that it makes sense to get the best. And these probably are the best, or at least tied.
Now, cut loose.
Anyway, quality is important to me, but I'm sensible enough to know when a certain budget tool will do just fine, and can even do a better job sometimes.
When it comes to pruning tools, there's a lot of stuff out there. What works on one job or for one person may not be best for another. If you read reviews, opinions are all over the place.
I recently decided that I may be in for some trouble if I'm doing a lot of repetitive cuts. It may take a full day or more, but my hands or forearm may regret using pruners that are less than ideal. I've been using 1" capacity Corona hand pruners, and can't complain about them really, except they're not terribly ergonomic. They're fine, but not the best for great cuts or comfort.
I've checked out some other brands in person and read a lot of reviews. It seems that having more precise, ergonomic, extra sharp cutters can make a big difference over time.
It sure looks like the industry standard has been Felco for some time. And most people love them. But now there are at least two other contenders worth considering. I must admit I had a hard time figuring out which brand to get.
ARS is a Japanese brand, known for having the sharpest blades and for staying sharp the longest. I haven't seen them in any stores, so it looks like online is the way to go.
Bahco is the third one to mention. Instead of $50-something for Felco or ARS, these cost about $34. They're probably the most ergonomic pruners of all, and very high quality.
I was ordering some Bahco pruners last night, but wasn't able to get them delivered to my area from Amazon. I figure there's some lead in the metal or suffering, so that was that. So instead I ordered the ARS instead. We'll see what they're like in a few days. I'll report back after I spend some time with them.
Meanwhile, I have a pair of Barnell pruners that I bought for lighter jobs. They have a nice feel, but I haven't spent enough time with them to give my best two cents. And I still have my Coronas for the heavy hand work.
Most of these brands have at least a model or two with rotating lower handles. This is great for people with issues or if you hold the pruners in your hand for long periods of time. I don't find it ideal because I put my pruners in my pouch frequently, while using other tools at the same time, and each time you pick them up, you have to regain your grip so it feels right. I'll stick with the fixed-handle models for now bb
One thing that's never mentioned in these articles is BONSAI PRUNERS. Well, I have two pairs of these, and for certain kinds of work, like Japanese Maples, they can't be beat. They cut better than "normal" hand pruners, but you have to hold them differently and they would probably tire you out faster. I love them, and feel sorry for those who never have tried them. They have the added advantage of making a concave cut, which is great for certain situations. Cutting close in a very precise way is something standard hand pruners can't do as easily, like if you're trying to surgically remove a third twig from a whorl, for instance, these things are the way to go. They're also great for nipping away at a cut if your first cut wasn't exactly as close as you wanted. I have an 8" and a 10" pair. Since both edges are very sharp blades, they have the ability to cut more cleanly and seem to be even better at cutting thick, hard branches, though I wouldn't sensibly go larger than 1" with either type. Gosh darn, I try often enough. I should know better. But I never break tools trying, just get a bit frustrated momentarily.
Now, if you have a fat wallet or some real grip or arthritis problems, there are cordless pruners. You pull a little trigger and it does all the work. Problem is, they start at around $800 or $900 and can go up to $2000 or more. Come on! These are made in China! Well, I'm gonna do a little research and see if there's another tool that can be modified or something. I did glance at some similar but lighter-weight models from Craftsnan or Ryobi or one of those. As I remember, the maximum cut was only 1/2", which doesn't excite me that much. Maybe these could be modified. I also like the idea of the organic nature of a fully manual hand pruner. We'll see what happens when I get older and lose strength and flexibility.
UPDATE:
I received my ARS pruners today. They look very similar to most other pruners of the same style, which I dose are made to mimic Delco. You can tell the quality is great. And they're super sharp. They weren't kidding. I pruned a peach and an oak tree. I don't think I cut anything bigger than about 3/4", maybe a couple that were an inch. You still have to use pretty good hand strength, so it's not like cutting butter. But pretty darn good. The action of the pruners is smooth and sexy and it was a pleasure.
UPDATE #2
I'very been using my ARS pruners for about 2 weeks now. Unlike a lot of other people, I use a variety of hand pruners for didn't tasks. But my ARS's are the main machine. They do cut really well, but I wouldn't go so far as to say it's night and day between those, my slightly smaller Barnels, or equally-sized Coronas. I fix come across a couple occasions where I cut about a 5/8" branch, and they acted up. Lo and behold, the blade had a nick or dent or starve you want to call it, and they wouldn't close. So I immediately had to go sharpen it. It seems the tolerance is much closer than other pruners, so a small flaw in the blade can really make a difference between working great and not at all. I still can't figure out how cutting wood ended up like cutting into a metal cable. Head-scratcher on that one. Are these pruners worth 2 or 3 times what others cost? Hard to say, but if you use them for years, the daily cost is so minor that it makes sense to get the best. And these probably are the best, or at least tied.
Now, cut loose.
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