# tree climbing spikes



## mga (Jan 18, 2007)

maybe the wrong forum for this, but i have a question on tree climbing spikes. someone is giving me a "professional" set of pole spikes. however, i was told they are much different than tree spikes....something about the spike angle or depth(?)

how much of a concern is this?


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## Tree Slayer (Jan 18, 2007)

*Do Not Use*

Unless they have replacable gaffs and you change them to tree gaffs do not use them. The gaffs are to short on pole spikes to get thru to good soild wood.


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## mga (Jan 18, 2007)

thanks, slayer. damn, they were free too.


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## IBleedOrange (Jan 18, 2007)

If you are looking for tree spikes then take the free spikes, sell them on e-bay and then take that money and buy yourself real tree spikes. Before you go through all that trouble see of the gaffs are replaceable as Tree Slayer indicated. 

Just an idea....


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## Ekka (Jan 20, 2007)

Before you do anything can you post a pic of them here please.

Some-times people call short gaffs pole climbers but they are suitable for trees with thin bark.

I have both shorts and longs depending on what I'm doing.


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## John Paul Sanborn (Jan 21, 2007)

I've climbed trees with pole gaffs, it's not hard. Just don't do any monsters with slippery bark.


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## Kneejerk Bombas (Jan 21, 2007)

I personally prefer pole spikes for most tree work. They are much easier to stand in, and easier on the legs because there is less leverage with shorter spikes.
If you are climbing trees with thick bark, like a Redwood or Burr Oak, then longer spikes will work better.
You will find that with different brands and styles of spikes, there are many different lengths and angles of hooks.


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## clearance (Jan 21, 2007)

They are pole spikes and there are tree spikes, pole spikes are for poles and tree spikes are for trees. There is a min. length for the gaffs on tree spurs, don't know about pole spurs, I am not a lineman. I only climb with spurs, mine are Buckingham straight shank, long gaffs. I can climb in them all day, safely. I would hate to see you gaff out and get hurt. It has nothing to do with the "slipperyness" of the bark, it is do with the bark thickness. Right tool for the job, or right job for the tool, something like that.


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## bigbadbob (Jan 21, 2007)

clearance said:


> They are pole spikes and there are tree spikes, pole spikes are for poles and tree spikes are for trees. There is a min. length for the gaffs on tree spurs, don't know about pole spurs, I am not a lineman. I only climb with spurs, mine are Buckingham straight shank, long gaffs. I can climb in them all day, safely. I would hate to see you gaff out and get hurt. It has nothing to do with the "slipperyness" of the bark, it is do with the bark thickness. Right tool for the job, or right job for the tool, something like that.


Pole gaffs have specifications also. We use kliens and buckinghams the kliens work best in soft poles such as cedar. But we now have the green treated poles that can get very very hard and the buckinghams work better as they have a longer gaff that is also narrower and ribbed. The buckinghams stick in the soft poles, if you use your weight on them when coming down on a cedar pole they are hard to get out. Both types have their own "gaff gauge".


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## smokechipper (Jan 22, 2007)

i climb about 5-15 telephone poles a week. the stirrup portion of the gaffs, tree and pole gaffs are the same except for the spike. a pole gaff will normally be 1 3/4" long with a triangle shape to it. tree gaffs are normally 2-1/2" to 2 3/4" long with more a bend to it


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## Davey Dog (Jan 25, 2007)

clearance said:


> They are pole spikes and there are tree spikes, _pole spikes are for poles and tree spikes are for trees_. There is a min. length for the gaffs on tree spurs, don't know about pole spurs, I am not a lineman. I only climb with spurs, mine are Buckingham straight shank, long gaffs. I can climb in them all day, safely. I would hate to see you gaff out and get hurt. It has nothing to do with the "slipperyness" of the bark, it is do with the bark thickness. Right tool for the job, or right job for the tool, something like that.



Comments like this make me laugh.....
I would love to see you 140' off the ground trying to take down a big Euc. wearing your so called TREE GAFFS.....

I keep a pair of short Buckinghams and a longer set of Bashlins... It all depends on what kind of wood you are working with.... 

I use my shorts in walnuts, eucs., accacias, some pines, sycs, elms and ambers....etc...

I use my longs in Redwoods and Red and Black oaks, fur, some pines...etc..

((((( I DONT ever touch a tree with a gaff unless its a full removal...!))))


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## Kneejerk Bombas (Jan 26, 2007)

Davey Dog said:


> Comments like this make me laugh.....
> I would love to see you 140' off the ground trying to take down a big Euc. wearing your so called TREE GAFFS.....


It's funny a guy can do something his whole carreer and know in his heart that it's the only and right way, even though he's totally wrong.
I bet dollars to doughnuts he's never had a pair of pole spikes on his feet...


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## Davey Dog (Jan 27, 2007)

I am not a lineman by any stretch of the words.... I work with trees.
I do thank the upper and wisers for the envention of short gaff hooks....
They have saved my BUTT a feeeeeew times when up a tree.


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## D Mc (Jan 27, 2007)

Davey Dog said:


> Comments like this make me laugh.....
> I would love to see you 140' off the ground trying to take down a big Euc. wearing your so called TREE GAFFS.....



I don't get it. I have never used "pole gaffs" in a tree just the long tree gaffs (both Bashlins and Buckinghams). I have taken down plenty of big eucs (as well as pretty much every other tree species in the northern hemisphere) and never felt handicapped by their length. I'm a bit confused by your comment, what am I missing here. 

Dave


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## Davey Dog (Jan 28, 2007)

To each their own... I dont use long gaffs in trees with thin or hard bark. I dont like standing on toothpicks. It is hard on my ankles and can get flat slippery.... Short gaffs provide much better footing in certain cases.. Wich is what I stated.....


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## Davey Dog (Jan 28, 2007)

Mike Maas said:


> It's funny a guy can do something his whole carreer and know in his heart that it's the only and right way, even though he's totally wrong.
> I bet dollars to doughnuts he's never had a pair of pole spikes on his feet...



Ya know something amigo.... You can climb however you want....
I will climb how ever I want.... I sure n the hell do not need to prove anything to some one I have never seen before who is sitiing behind a computer screen....
I will worry more about my boss who signs my pay check. I have a very high production rate and do the best job I can possibly do every day when I go to work.
No worries though, because we have some guys at work that like to spout about how big shot they are...... Ya know whats funny.... I make about 4 dollars more an hour and havent been climbing half as long... You all add it up


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## Kneejerk Bombas (Jan 28, 2007)

Actually Davey Dog, I was taking a stab at Clearance, I agree 100% with you that it's nice to have two sets of spikes to choose from.

Short spikes are easier and more comfortable to climb in, unless you're on a thick barked tree.

I forget who said it, but you want to have the right tool for the job at hand.

Sorry for not being clearer.


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## Davey Dog (Jan 28, 2007)

In that case, please accept an apology. I do stand corrected.


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