Cleaning blades

klimbinfool

klimbinfool

Location
magalia california
I worked on a Siberian Elm today and my handsaw plugged up after the first cut, like most Elms.Made it very hard to continue prunning efficiantly anyway.

Do you folks have some suggestion on how to clean out the teeth while in the field? I mean this stuff was stuck on there like glue and I had to practically chip it off.

Thanks
Greg
 
WD-40 or brake and parts cleaner work superior to anything else I've used to loosen the gunk up, and then use the driver end of a saw wrench to pick the crapola out.
 
Hi,Greg;

1st, I'm in the habit of cleaning my handsaw daily. I clean it with dish washing liquid, then spay it down with wd-40. Using wd-40 by itself seems to work. I spray the blade, then swirl my fingers over it which breaks down the pitch on the blade. When working in trees as you are describing, I live with the pitch on my blade. Since I clean it daily, I don't get the build up as quickly as you describe. When pitch builds up on my saw through the day, I spray it with wd-40 and clean the blade.

Joe
 
Trevor may have come across as a chainsaw nut who never used a handsaw, but he brings up a good point. In certain types of trees with wiry, stringy wood I will leave the Silky in my climbing bag and bring my chainsaw. I can get cleaner cuts and get finished quicker.
Other times I do entire trees without ever using my chainsaw. But if you were fighting your handsaw on every cut, you should have sent it down and used the chainsaw instead.

I mean, at what point do we quit thinking of chainsaws as 'bad' when trimming and use the tools available to do the best job in the least amount of time?

[ September 05, 2002: Message edited by: treeclimber165 ]
 
I have no problem using my o20t, but when your making fine prunning cuts, the 020t just dosnt cut it. Unless you dont care about ripping the cut or making it improper cuts because the bar want fit in .
Greg
\
 
I was simply pointing out that in SOME types of wood a sharp chain will cut much cleaner than jamming, sticking and tearing with a gummed up handsaw. I rarely have problems getting the bar in position to make a proper cut, either.
At least that has been my experience in 20 years of practice.
wink.gif
 
Sorry guys , I didnt mean to sound like an ass.I opalogize. A lot of the work I do is tip work and in those areas the crotches can be tight.I understand what your saying (Tree)and I agree. However, in this case the bark was very supple and even though I tried my saw on the cuts, it was tearing the last bit of the final. Therefore, thats why my hand saw was my only option.
Treveor, I got your sarcasim and its ok. My fault. Must have been in a bad mood. Should have nevr replied last night...lol

Thanks guys
Greg
 
Sometimes those smaller cuts are too small even for the sharpest of hand saws. I just can's see taking my handsnips up prunning an oak tree. I will admit you can do a really nice job with them but jobs aren't sold to be hand snipped.
 
Good point Big Jon. Thirty years ago when I was doing back yard line clearance trimming we used hand snips for the detail work. For a shape job under the lines it really looked good. Though the overall trim to get our clearance was usually detrimental to the tree. The customer never knew the difference one way or the other. Just as long as the tree had a very even geometric shape in the end. Ball shaped, square, and whatever. Really not too professional by todays standards, but it did please the customers.

And on that note, got lots of letters of appreciation. No way to get by with that in the real world of private tree work for the most part.

I'm not sure what this has to do with gumming up a handsaw blade, but these threads always seem to lead to another point in the end.

Later, Jerry B
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New threads New posts

Back
Top Bottom