people that dont take spikes off before walking in gravel ,or over cement....

[freeweight]

...PISS ME OFF!!

especially when they are mine ,and i tell them ,take them off till your ready for the next one,understand me bout as good as my girls cat does when i start cussin it for ####-tin on the floor,then i step in shat the next mornin...again

 

[climber32]

....or walk around in a homeowners lawn and airate the hell out of it...either way i see people doing it all the time.

 

[Grace Tree]

Mine stay on; cement, rocks whatever. No one wears my stuff but me so I don't have to get mad about that kind of stuff. Walking on a homeowner's lawn?? Whey would that bother you?
Phil

 

[treemandan]

I think I have a way to solve both the problems with the spikes and the cat....

 

[ATH]

I only get in trouble with my wife for wearing them in the house...especially on our hardwood floors. Not sure I'd want to dull them on pavement, so I haven't tried that one.

 

[Pelorus]

I'm pretty finicky about taking mine off as soon as I hit the ground. Even so, am on my third set of gaffs on my Kleins that I bought new back in '87.

 

[QuadL-matty]

If u got more then 10 feet to the next tree take them off. No sense jabbin yourself in the leg, never mind the lawn

 

[bootboy]

....or walk around in a homeowners lawn and airate the hell out of it...either way i see people doing it all the time.

I don't know what spikes you use but the 2&5/8 gaffs on my my climbrights don't extend below the bottom of my foot. I walk around on lawns all the time and they don't touch the dirt.

If I'm moving from tree to tree I leave them on. I just walk bow legged on concrete to be careful. If there is anything more than just point a to point b, like and cutting or chatting with HO to be done, they come off

 

[deevo]

I'm pretty finicky about taking mine off as soon as I hit the ground. Even so, am on my third set of gaffs on my Kleins that I bought new back in '87.

Me too, must be a Canadian thing!:tongue2:

 

[sgreanbeans]

I freakin hate gaffs! They come off as soon as possible, more for comfort than anything. But I don't want them getting dull. I am small, so I need them things sharp, I don't have enough aas to get them to set,lol. If I am in a tree that I needed them to get into quickly, and its a easy climb after, they come off while still doing the removal, I can move better with out them. But when ya do need to walk with them, ya got walk all funny like posted above. I always tell a HO that I am going to charge more for aerating.

 

[imagineero]

Might be a skinny guy/fat guy thing. I'm a fat guy, and I have to dull new spikes. I gaff in too far otherwise, and can't get loose without throwing myself out of the tree. Even on relatively hard barked trees. You see skinny guys having their gaffs razor sharp, and still needing to kick in hard to get a good set. Even with my fairly blunt spikes, I can walk up a tree and get a great set with the lightest steps. That can be an asset when you're on a stem that's borderline too thin to take your weight. Which happens a lot earlier for us fatties ;-)

Shaun

 

[husabud]

It might not be fat but it sure is short! twenty yrs on my bashlins and I haven't changed the points yet. Actually only sharpened them twice and I do eighty five percent removals.

 

[no tree to big]

my geckos don't hit I can walk around no problem but as soon as I hit the ground they come off most times before the saddle

 

[Treepedo]

Might be a skinny guy/fat guy thing. I'm a fat guy, and I have to dull new spikes. I gaff in too far otherwise, and can't get loose without throwing myself out of the tree. Even on relatively hard barked trees. You see skinny guys having their gaffs razor sharp, and still needing to kick in hard to get a good set. Even with my fairly blunt spikes, I can walk up a tree and get a great set with the lightest steps. That can be an asset when you're on a stem that's borderline too thin to take your weight. Which happens a lot earlier for us fatties ;-)

Shaun

I am 200plus lbs suited up and like em on the dull side. Less boot or leg damage, bit easier to withdraw.
I just went from pole to tree gaff and liking the advantages of the longer gaff.
Walk around in them with no real care for the points. Quick rub with an axe stone and gtg.

 

[Treetom]

Been on Kleins since '81. I just do the bowlegged walk on concrete. Unevenly landscaped yards with river stones is a different story. My first pair of Klein tree gaffs are about 3/8'' shorter than my new ones, due to sharpening over the years. Even with the sharpening kit I never did get comfortable with how a new edge is put those things. Just get 'em sharp and don't weaken the metal. I've compensated for the incorrect angle by adapting the bare back horseriding stance in my climbing. Still hangin' in there....

 

[derwoodii]

...PISS ME OFF!!

especially when they are mine ,and i tell them ,take them off till your ready for the next one,understand me bout as good as my girls cat does when i start cussin it for ####-tin on the floor,then i step in shat the next mornin...again

Yup reckon they a weird mob who wander or go walk about in gaffs. Out of tree they come off fast rest ma legs, they more often need a retie to set firm for the next anyhoo.
That cat will get ya dont pick a fight with one they b evil luvable cruel mine bitin me even now

 

[lloyd786]

I can keep mine off the ground if i walk on tip-toes. Ever lower onto a customers roof to work a bit and wonder if it leaks when you leave ?

 

[jefflovstrom]

You guys must have some long gaff's.
Jeff

 

[northmanlogging]

was teaching a guy to climb a few years ago, his first step in gaffs went right into his brand new garden hose...that was currently watering the garden... He pretty much does all the climbing now. I all ways take the bast ards off as soon as possible but thats caus they hurt like hell on a gimpy leg... never worked over concrete so it was never an issue.

 

[treeninjajohn]

There was a very ignorant kid(should've been a sign) that came to work with us about a year ago who tried on a relatively new set of buckingham spurs and proceeded walk out in the gravel parking lot prodding the ground with the spike itself...sure glad they weren't mine...this has been my first post here at arboristsite, by the way, and I'm excited to learn from everyone and share my experiences as well!