Perfect Climbing Saw ?

[treeclimber165]

I think geofore nailed it

I'm inclined to believe that geofore is correct about Mike's ingrained dislike for top handled saws. It's got to be a personal thing or else a larger percentage of climbers would use rear handled saws (like more than .01%).
Mike- It's cool that you like a rear handle saw in the tree. But you might keep in mind that your choice is the exception, not necessarily the best choice for everyone else. Thanks for allowing us to consider the options available though.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Who's tugging ay my chain???

Geofore hasn't mentioned a rear handled saw that is small enough to be considered a climbing saw, or said specifically why it would work better. If he had a 3450 for a week, we'd need to pry it from his cold dead fingers to get it back.

As for Brian, isn't it strange that with two saws are on the market that are supperior in every aspect to echo, Husky and Stihl, he still perfers an echo. Let's consider this... hmmmm...why?
Look at the handles of the saws, echo's top handle goes all the way to the back, there is no rear carberator in the way. It's reminisent of the poulan super 25. Why else would he keep buying these throw away pieces of cra p? He makes his living running a little saw, wouldn't he buy the best?

You guys bring someone who both climbs for a living <B>and</B> has access to both rear and top handled saws every work day, <B>and</B> picks the top handled saw, and I'll conceed that I'm wrong.

 

[treeclimber165]

When I worked for Davey, the safety guy brought in a brand new Stihl 020T specially fitted with a rear handle (like the Echo 3450). They were discussing requiring all Davey climbers to use a rear handle saw and wanted us to try it out. Each climber was required to use it for a week. When my turn came around I brought it back in after the first day and told them I would rather quit than use that saw.
The custom 020T disappeared the next day and the matter was never mentioned again. I was obviously not the only one who hated it.
I use the Echo 340 because it is the lightest and most reliable climbing saw available. I also own a Stihl 026 and an 025 that I use in trees when I need a bigger saw. Using a rear handle saw in a tree is not unfamiliar territory for me. I can buy whatever saw I want to climb with and will not consider another rear handle as my main pruning saw. If they made the 026 with a top handle I would buy one for large stuff aloft.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

I can't speak from the view of a fulltime climber because I am not one. However I have tried using a rear handled saw for climbing. Personally I will stick with my Stihl 020T, Solo 633, and Shindaiwa 357. The rear handled saw that I have tried to climb with was a Shindaiwa 360 with a 12" bar. The saw weighs 8 1/2 lbs. Not a lightweight, but, not overly heavy. I think we all have one-handed a saw from time to time. With that much weight out front a rear handled saw, after being in the tree for hours, gets to be to hard to handle.

 

[rbtree]

Ok Mike, I'll bite on that offer....LOL

I've been climbing for nigh onto 30 years, and have used a heck of a lot of climbing saws in my day. Started with the Homelite Super EZ (back) then Stihl 015 and 020 (top), then Echo 302S and 330S (back), then 020S and Poulan, also the Echo 280 and 3400. I have never used a light rear handled saw, the 3450 being the only one I've ever seen. I do agree, the 3400 handle position is better than the 335 which is better than the 020T. By the way, the new Husky 339 is rear handled.

My preference lies at least 90% with a top handled saw. Of course I have been known to use them one handed a time or two......


...thousand...

no lectures now, I don't listen on that subject.

 

[glens]

Here ya go, Mike!

Stihl <a href="http://stihl.de/katalog/produkt/11292080000/default.htm">MS 200</a>
<img src="http://stihl.de/upload/produkte/images/produkte/m114s001p.jpg">

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Brian, I have to say you have very open mind! You would rather quit than use a rear handled saw.
I'll give you a tip, when you think a new tool or technique has enough merit to warrant trying, give it at least two weeks. Your not going to be able to understand the benefits and drawbacks fully until you have put them to use.
It's comparable to waterskiing, if you try slalom skiing one or two times, you'll think it sucks, falling, hard to get up, difficult to balance. You will want to go back to two skis. Although you give it a chance, and you will have a blast, cutting, throwing up a huge spray, blasting through a slalom course. You will never use two skis again!

Rb, if you are going to insist on one handed sawing, at least use a rear handled saw. Add about 8" to your reach, especially downward, and be much safer.

Glens, Totally cool saw, rear handled 020t. Can I get one? It even looks like a gloved hand could fit in the handle(unlike the top handled 020 or 335)!

 

[seesaw]

Do we know if Brian's strong stand on the issue of using a rear handle to climb was motivated by personal preference or was it saftey oriented? It doesn't take 2 weeks to figure out if you feel safe using a particular piece of equipment. IMO, if you have any doubts, be it 2 weeks, 2 days or 2 minutes....don't do it.

Back to topic, Solo says they will be making a new 40cc saw avail. in both top and rear handle. A 40cc climbing saw that's under 8lbs., sounds great to me.

 

[rbtree]

Nope, Mike... not for "safety" anyhow. I know one handed use is discouraged, but at least with a top handled saw, I have some control.

The reach issue, of course, is where the back saw is great.

Just had two tough reach cuts on a poor structured silver maple. Jumared up to a leaning perch for the first cut, then saw I could reach the other, so I saved climbing a nearby conifer for a high line set. Tied off the limb, which was nine feet away, used lowering point by me, and pulled up the 9-13 foot Power Pruner. Probably the third time I've resorted to that big reach tool when aloft. The cut was six inches, and I just didn't want to use a hand pole saw.

 

[rbtree]

new 39 cc Husky 338, 339 rear handled

link: http://translate.google.com/transla...2&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sa=G&as_qdr=all

 

[geofore]

rear handle

And what is wrong with a Poulan 4000 rear handle up in a tree? You can put a 16", 18", 24", 28", 32" bar on it for any occasion you need a rear handle in the trees. Is it that my saws don't meet your idea of what a pro saw is because they are not sthil or husky? It may sound rediculous to you to have a mac 130, 140 and 320 power tuned to have a good running top handle saw in the trees years back but then I like top handle and that is why I chose the huskys to replace the macs. The mac pro 3565av16 is rear handle as was the 510, then again it is not your favorite brand Mike, like the poulan 4000 you don't think fit to be in a tree, to you it's just the wrong brand and chidhood memories of the top handles in the back of your mind.
Mike I don't need todays hyper speed saws, I'm not that fast any more but that is all they market today. My new saws have higher chain speeds and more safety features but do they realy need the speed? They modify the chains to compansate for the speed, at the end of the day how much more did you get done? I like the safty features but I don't think higher chain speed or brand loyalty are what I look for in the saw. If it doesn't feel right in my hand I don't prefer to make it my first choice. I'll still go top handle for the little saw in the tree.
I wonder if the difference is not between logging and pruning/ triming, my choice of saws would be different for different job applications. Does Mike consider the pole saw rear handled and a cheat for that extended reach?

 

[tree monkey]

homelite made an xl2 with 2 trigers, one on top, one in back. if stihl or husky made one, i would own one. best of both worlds in 1 saw.

later scott

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

I remember those old saws, kinda nice.

 

[geofore]

old vs new

The old saws left much to be desired, and so bad ideas bit the dust along the way. Remember the self sharpening? No homeowner would ever need to learn how to file a chain, that was the first thing to bite the dust.
I liked the chain catchers, no more chain breaking and coming around to bite your arm, face or shin and the chain didn't suck up into the case and jambing the sprocket and clutch. Chain brakes, another good improvement, the saw could idle and the chain wasn't running to catch you off gaurd, cutting what ever it touched. Antivibe which saves my wrist arm and shoulder. I spent 18 months in physical therapy when my right arm froze up. Started as a twinge in the wrist, went to the elbow a few days later and by friday it was in the shoulder and I could not move the arm. Too much vibration for too many years. Motion sensor the stops the chain now there is one that saved me when that top handle saw (husky) came after me in the tree, the chain had stopped before the back of the saw kissed me on the lips (kickback). I have to wonder how hard that saw would have kissed me if the chain had continued to run pushing the saw back at me.
I'd mention the chain improvments but they are so well covered by the Art Martin thread.
Some of the improvements I like some I did not.