Pruning: With Lopper or Without Lopper?

[M.D. Vaden]

I'm sure that many of us carry bypass loppers, but I was curious about how many arborists actually use one.

When I first started to learn pruning in the 80s, I used hand pruners, bypass loppers and a hand saw. But the handsaws then, and many that gardeners use now, are not comparable to the new high quality saws.

These days, 99.9 % of my pruning is done with a handsaw and handpruners.

Ignoring a few exceptions, is most of your pruning done with, or without a bypass lopper?

Today was the first day that a thought hit me...

Hand pruners and handsaw for me, exceed the cut quality of bypass loppers, as much as bypass lopper cuts exceed the cut quality of anvil loppers.

When I teach pruning classes from now on, I plan to recommend against bypass loppers in favor of a good quality handsaw and bypass hand pruners for small cuts less than 1/2". But I'd still recommend them for what a handsaw can't access; and too big for hand pruners.

 

[treeseer]

These days, 99.9 % of my pruning is done with a handsaw and handpruners.

Mario, thanks for the travel tips on seeing the splendor that is Oregon! Your website is awesome.

When pruning small trees and shrubs, I wear saddle with handsaw in scabbard with pouch for hand pruners on the right, and in the left D-ring is my trusty cast aluminum loppers. If kept sharp the cuts are clean, and there are a lot of branches too big for the hand pruners and too small for the saw.

When climbing it's rare--8%?-- that a tree has so many of these size branches that I carry the loppers. But it's possible to carry them in a tree--they balance quite nicely and seldom fall out :blush:

I also have Florian ratchet loppers to use on the ground for <3" cuts, good for brushing by helpers you don't want handling a chainsaw.

 

[M.D. Vaden]

I tend to collapse / cut-down brush with my big loppers too. Huge pair of Corona bypass loppers.

If I prune with them, it's mainly for ground level cutting of suckers, like on crabapple, lilac, hawthorn, etc..

Maybe the only trees I do with loppers, are apple and pear. I got a pair of the Felco 20 super short handle bypass loppers with aluminumn handles.

I use those on watersprouts instead of my Felco 2 handpruners to save my hands. The short loppers are so manueverable that they are practical for that. But I still do a lot of cuts with my Silky or ARS handsaws.

Much of my work is ground level and orchard ladder.

 

[rebelman]

I keep loppers and hand pruners always. Many jobs I do I end up getting into a holly, crepe myrtle, etc. They definitely have their place. I keep shears, too, but shrubbing and that type of invasive, high maintenance pruning is not for me.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Working on multi-stemmed shubs definately calls for the loppers. You can get in there, where a saw can't without hitting other stems. Otherwise, no.

 

[Bermie]

I have a set of loppers in the truck. For pruning I've never used them up in the tree, just the Silky and Felco 2's with the 020 for big stuff.

The loppers I use on the ground for shrub pruning and some breakdown of stuff for the truck, although most of that is done with the machete.

You gave me pause for thought, I actually can't remember the last time I used my loppers, even on the ground now the Silky is so much more versatile and as you said gives a much better quality of cut. For the same size branch, say 1.5 - 2" the Silky cuts clean where the loppers would have left a bit of a bruise.

Interesting...Loppers giving way to the Silky??

BTW: I have two Fiskars pole loppers. One is about 5' long with a 90degree adjustable bypass pruner, the other is extendable to about 10'. They are VERY useful in getting to hard to reach places, with the cutting head being adjustable its easy to get the correct angle of cut. I use the little one in the trees quite often.

 

[Tree Machine]

I have the big, fat Sandvik bypass loppers, but can't remember the last time I used them, mebbe 7 or 8 years ago. The Silkys step in for pretty much all reachable pruning, and a lot of pole pruner work for the tips out beyond no-man's land. Pole pruner is bypass, but on a fiberglass stick.

I used to use the long-handled loppers a lot, early in my career. Now I go for higher quality, faster cuts with tools easier to climb with.

 

[Timberhauler]

I mostly use my silky handsaw.I have an oversized lopper in the truck,I could probably count the number of times I've used it on one hand

 

[M.D. Vaden]

Had a chance to demonstrate the cut of sharp bypass loppers to the students of my tree care class today.

Did it on the first tree, a flowering cherry.

I cut off a 3/4" diameter branch, and the defect in the cut was easily seen.

Although there was minimal left outside the branch collar, the silky saw fine tuned the wound with a tidy precise cut.

Then we put the loppers aside by the trailer for cutting apart the limbs already pruned off.

Also showed them the Silky Longboy - short extension pole saw with a folding blade and scabbard.

 

[Sunrise Guy]

I use the 12' extension "pruning stik" from Fiskars. The head is bypass and it swivels and locks into place for trickier cuts. It gives an amazingly clean cut and it can go up into the trees with me, hooked on my belt. It can cut delicate branches that any pole saw would maul, and it bites through branches, up to 1 1/2", pretty well, too. I use it almost daily.

For bigger branches, I use a two-man system from the ground, with up to 30' of pole, and a heavier Corona pruner head. We raise the pole a few sections and then add on sections. It sounds odd, but once you get the hang of it, it allows you to do pruning out where nobody could ever reach. One guy hooks the branch and the other guy pulls the extended rope. We use this almost daily, as well.

 

[treeseer]

I use a two-man system from the ground, with up to 30' of pole, and a heavier Corona pruner head. We raise the pole a few sections and then add on sections. It sounds odd, but once you get the hang of it, it allows you to do pruning out where nobody could ever reach. One guy hooks the branch and the other guy pulls the extended rope. We use this almost daily, as well.

That is a sweet trick. I'm glad to hear someone else does it. Often I'll pull it closer with a pole hook then cut with a separate pole pruner.

I'm going to try those fiskars for in the tree tip reduction. I've heard several good endorsements.

Mario, I agree that even sharp loppers can leave a tear. I'm going to look more closely to see if that collateral damage is acceptable. In some plants, it is not, so the little saw comes out. Often I lop leaving stubs and then finish with a sharp little saw.

Teh longboy, I dunno, my helper has one and it does not seem efficient. I like the twistandclick jameson telescoping pole.

 

[minderaser66]

the only time i use a poleclip is if i'm rounding over small trees otherwise while pruning its either a handsaw or an 020

 

[Blinky]

...
Teh longboy, I dunno, my helper has one and it does not seem efficient. I like the twistandclick jameson telescoping pole.

Aaaah, you're just jealous of my super-cool Samurai Polesaw... it weighs less than half of that Jameson... never mind that wiggly blade.

 

[Davey Dog]

I have used loppers with good results.... They need to be kept sharp and tight though or they will result in tearing.....