Do You Use A Handsaw?

I Use A Handsaw

  • Yes! They're an awesome labor saver!

    Votes: 37 94.9%
  • Heck no! Too much stuff on my saddle already!

    Votes: 2 5.1%

  • Total voters
    39

MasterBlaster

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Mar 6, 2005
Messages
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Location
Louisiana!
I wouldn't go to work w/o my handsaw. If I had two climbers applying for one climbing position, and both were equal in all ways except one didn't have a handsaw, guess which one I would hire?
Cranking a saw for every cut is INSANE, and besides that it damages the tree on things like watersprouts and tiny dead/twigs. There is no way I would believe anyone saying they're making proper cuts doing like that.

No handsaw? Unbelievable. Carrying a handsaw is one of the marks of a professional.
 
I climbed for years without one. I became aware of climbers using handsaws by reading about it on the internet forums. I bought my first handsaw (a Zubat) about 7-8 years ago and have been using them ever since.
 
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  • #3
Same here! Plus, my handsaw's gotten me outta one or two pinched saw situations!
 
Just about to put fresh blades on the silkies for the week. How often do you guys change yours?

I am gettting to where I wont take a chainsaw up unless I have alot of stuff over 3" to remove. I can get around the tree faster without dragging the chainsaw. Now that its a lovely 100 degrees any reduced weight helps.

Swatted my knee with the silky last week. My sock was already getting soaked by the time I got down. Those little cuts bleed something aweful.
 
Handsaw here. I find I use it a lot when in an uncomfortable position. From cutting notches, to finishing the back cut on limb I know I am going for a ride.

Def. cannot get up a tree without it, although I used to use it TOO much.

Ditto on the silky cuts. I swatted my arm one day in a hickory, 3 teeth got me and it gushed like a water fountain.
 
I get 6 months to a year out of my Zubats, depending on where it's used. The one hanging in the bucket gets used a lot. The one hanging on my saddle, not so much. :P
 
I use a Zubat for anything 3-4" and under. I love mine and take it with me on all climbs.
I replace my blades every 8-12 months. Deadwood really seems to kill them faster.
 
In most cases, my limit is about 1"-1.5" diameter. I'd get laughed out of the tree if I was wasting time trying to cut 4" limbs with a Zubat.
 
I use an Ibuki. I don't know what I would do without a handsaw in the tree, it is nice not having to carry around the regular saw all the time.
 
Ibuki, the new handsaws are so sweet compared to our old offsets. But didn't know the fanno #12 was a dinosaur at the time.

Good for tripping cuts that you expect to get a ride out of. Just that last little strap,,, that could be too dangerous to trip with a powersaw.

Great for freeing up a stuck saw.

Light work, like small branches and sections you have to handle and toss out of the tree. Ah, working over 3 phase 12KV.

Busting deadwood out! Backside only!

Snaring that rope that is just out of reach, and throwlines that are being tossed up to you.

Fine pruning cuts when trimming. I think that's number one.

Style??? I style with my Ibuki.
 
Just realized my replacement zubat blades are 300mm whereas I had 330mm before. A bit shorter, might like it better. what length are you guys running?

Cant stand silky scabbards, I roll a jameson leather looking one. Quick draw McGraw.
 
I use the zubat and occasionally the Ibuki. That think will rip through some pretty big wood!

Anyone have an extra Zubat scabbard I can have?

love
nick
 
I use the Sugoi that I modified to suit my needs. I cannot believe how useful it is having the hook on the end. The hook on the handle was just a pain.

Dave
 

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  • #18
I wonder who the one lone holdout is? I'd like to hear why they voted like that. I have an idea... :/:
 
Handsaw for me - always comes in handy, tidy pruning rips through some decent sized wood. plus, it doubles up a a rescue knife should you need it.:D
 
I still have my first handsaw. Its about 3 feet long and weighs about 5 pounds. Now THAT puppy could strip some suckers, let me tell ya. I think I still have the leather scabbard too, the one with a clip for the paint pot. Who remembers paint pots?

Of course, I haven't used that one for quite some time. I now use a small Fanno pony saw with the wooden handle. I didn't like the Silky scabbard, kept falling out of the clip thingy.
 
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I carry one whether in the bucket or climbing. For all the reasons stated above. I think anything over 2 inches and I'm probably going to be starting up the chainaw, depending on if it is an awkward cutting position or not. I've never used a Zubat, sounds like they are considered to be the best. They sell Silkys at my local saw shop but i have never seen a Zubat on the rack, so I've used the Sugoi and the Ibuki, and I"ve used the Stihl handsaw also. Can't say as I can tell the difference between them. Are these sharpenable? I have a saw set and one of those skinny tapered files, but they look to be a lot more complicated than the old style of teeth. The guy that taught me to climb used one of those huge Fanno saws, and when I went to buy one they didn't have any of them and I bought one of the smaller ones. Way easier to carry IMO.
 
Use it all the time climbing or in the bucket. Good for cutting stuff and pulling it back away from the line.
 
Sugoi here but i don't use it that much but if i need it its there.
 
Zubat 330 here all the time.

I like the Ibuki, but I think their straight scabbard needs to be curved. It is too easy to cut the scabbard up in a little period of time.
 
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