For those of you with a small orchard, a good pruning saw may stay sharp enough for years of use, but I used to need to replace mine every 2-3 weeks when I’m pruning all day long during much of the year. The Silky Gomtaro 300mm, large teeth saw I use has a straight blade and comes with a holster, which during frequent use is the most efficient configuration. I believe straight blades are better when working over the wood you are cutting at applying the most pressure to the cut with the least effort. I’ve never understood the advantage of curved blades when compared during use. I suppose the idea is they use less space during the cutting motion so allow you to work in tighter areas, I will let an engineer provide a better explanation.
The last batch of blades I purchased cost $52 per, which seems outrageous when just a few short years ago they were just over $20, but I’ve noticed in the last couple of years that I don’t have to replace the blades nearly as often. I am almost half way through the winter pruning season that I began in mid-Dec (starting with very old and very large apple trees) and am still using the blade I started the season with. With the older blades I would probably be on my third blade by now.
There may be Chinese Silky blades available which are cheaper, but in the past they were of inferior quality to those made in Japan and not up to professional standards- they tended to bind when making cuts over 2" in diameter or so… utterly useless to me as long as superior blades are available.
I found Chain an electric chain 20 years ago for $29.99 Plastic gears 9 amp motor I found that it was only good for dropping and cutting up about 5 trees about 15 inches diameter, well branched. No cutting hand clippers, loppers and handsaws could do that. I just wonder why hand tools are expensive and for so little.
I don’t do chainsaws anymore because I’m afraid of them. I just don’t have enough experience to safely use a chainsaw. I have the Silky Big Boy instead and I can cut firewood with it very quickly.
I had a big section of ash tree (actually it was my neighbor’s tree) fall on the fence between our properties.
I was cutting back a limb and had a branch quickly move and knock me right in the head. I swear I saw the chainsaw I was using flip out of my hands and fly into the air.
Thankfully I only ended up with a knot on the head and somehow avoided the chainsaw entirely.
Definitely left me with a renewed respect for such tools. I avoid the chainsaw’s use unless the wife, or someone else, is nearby enough to save the day… Otherwise I stick with my manual tools.
