Pole saw blade replacement

[Rusticus]

At what point are y'all replacing your pole saw blades? I'm sure everyone has their different limits based on what they're cutting.

Usually when I start peeling the branch collar with my last stroke, it's time for a new blade. We have spurts where we may prune solely with pole saws for weeks, making 2" cuts and smaller, and replace blades weekly. I may only buy 30 a year for 5 men, but with the price of blades going up so much, I am curious what others' limits are. I used to stick with Fanno and replaced pretty consistently when the logo wore off. I've been trying others and feel most are pretty consistent in their longevity as the one before. Any favorite brands on blades? My colleague in town has a silky he's never replaces...I just thought he hasn't been doing as much pruning as I had. If that's the case, I need that one then.

 

[ATH]

I have a Silky Hayate. I've replaced 2 blades in 15 years...both this year...both because a worker broke them. They are relatively easy to sharpen. I don't hesitate to use them on wood up to 4". Sometimes bigger...but my philosophy is that If it is that big, We should be going to it to cut it...

 

[oldoakman]

I have found the Jameson 16" blade to be outstanding and it doesn't break the bank.

 

[Reach]

I have a Silky Hayate. I've replaced 2 blades in 15 years...both this year...both because a worker broke them. They are relatively easy to sharpen. I don't hesitate to use them on wood up to 4". Sometimes bigger...but my philosophy is that If it is that big, We should be going to it to cut it...

We use the Silky Ibuki blades, they work quite well for us and usually last until someone snaps off a blade doing something foolish.

They work well and hold up, we probably change the blades about once every year or so, but we don’t sharpen them.

 

[flushcut]

I let my guy use Fanno Mondo blades and I am a Silky snob Ibuki, Zubat, Hyachi.
There really is no reason to change out a pole saw blade weekly unless your guys are cutting something other than wood with them. Monthly is possible but you really have to be cutting a shit ton of wood. Dirty pitched up blades will feel like they are dull but some acetone can take care of that easily.

 

[flushcut]

And scabbards are a saws best friend.

 

[ATH]

..... Dirty pitched up blades will feel like they are dull but some acetone can take care of that easily.

Simple Green does a great job as well. I spray the blade and let it sit for a few minutes then spray it again...usually the gunk just falls off with that second spray

 

[Reach]

Simple Green does a great job as well. I spray the blade and let it sit for a few minutes then spray it again...usually the gunk just falls off with that second spray

I’ve had good luck too with rubbing alcohol and a gentle go with a brass bristle brush too.

 

[Vicente]

I can't imagine feeling happy with a blade I had to replace weekly, one of my silkys is probably 4 years old and still cuts pretty well my other is probably 2ish and has been sharpened once.

 

[Rusticus]

I need to get better at cleaning the gunk out of the teeth, I'll try the simple green. I can't bring myself to sharpen the blades yet...hand filing chainsaws for hours is therapeutic though. The instances of burning through a blade in a week was on some good sized dead in lots of coastal live oaks in south Texas; 60 hour weeks of primarily pole saw work. Even on my silky hand saw, I can notice the sharpness dwindle in that same wood if I'm steadily in it for several months.

 

[Chris Schultz]

60 hour weeks of primarily pole saw work.

Reading that made my neck, upper back, and shoulders hurt……

 

[ATH]

Normally I'll take my Silky over a chainsaw-on-a-stick all day. However, for dead wood I may reconsider...the blades aren't designed for that. Is a power pole saw an option?

I wonder if there is a better blade for deadwood? Perhaps modified woodworking blade to get it on a pole???

 

[ATH]

Reading that made my neck, upper back, and shoulders hurt……

You just need to spend more time on the crew with @Rusticus ... They'll have you in shape in no time!

 

[Rusticus]

Reading that made my neck, upper back, and shoulders hurt……

It was pretty crappy.

Normally I'll take my Silky over a chainsaw-on-a-stick all day. However, for dead wood I may reconsider...the blades aren't designed for that. Is a power pole saw an option?

I wonder if there is a better blade for deadwood? Perhaps modified woodworking blade to get it on a pole???

I like the idea of a wood working saw of some kind. They were some skinny leaner's that had never been pruned. Most of the target pruning was 12'-18'. I do get kind of stingy with the powered pole saws because the guys will start using it every time and settling for crappy cuts out of laziness.

 

[pete3d]

I would suggest using the coarsest toothed blade that you can to make for fewer teeth to sharpen and bigger teeth to see.

Then just try sharpening.
You don’t have to bother with any edges but the top of the tooth and keep in mind that even a pretty poorly sharpened saw cuts infinitely better than a dull one. Don’t overlook getting a box of suitable files for the job. https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/sho...s/files/32951-japanese-saw-feather-edge-files

I find a set of high power hobby glasses really help me.

https://www.amazon.ca/Headband-Magnifier-Replaceable-Magnifying-Electronic/dp/B07ZCKC3ZH/ref=asc_df_B07ZCKC3ZH/?tag=googleshopc0c-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=459389740288&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14114250920458990723&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9104726&hvtargid=pla-1427487387997&psc=1

You can do it - yes you can!

 

[Rusticus]

Perhaps a better quality blade will shorten the time between sharpening too...and less abuse on the saw. Thanks for all the advice and encouragement.

 

[flushcut]

Some blades are impulse hardened and last a good long while, but can’t be sharpened. But generally cost more up front. Just another thing to consider.

 

[27RMT0N]

I... replace my pole saw blades when they feel like they aren't cutting as well as I'd like. When else would you do it? Admittedly I use Hayauchi and Hayate blades which are like $100 each, so I probably run them a little longer than ideal to save a few bucks; one of these days I should learn to sharpen them I guess. And as others have mentioned, keeping a clean blade makes a huge difference on any kind of manual saw to avoid adding friction while in the cut. I hit mine with a spray bottle of alcohol, then the pitch comes right off with a razor blade scraper.

My Husky battery polesaw gets a ton of use though, since getting it I probably use the manual saws half as much as I used to. That said, its certainly not the right tool for every job, so I carry both types.

 

[Jonny]

Had to chop some of the handle tang off and drill a little hole to put a straight, medium tooth (which is only 1-2 TPI less than the large tooth), impulse hardened, 400mm Silky Tsurugi blade on my Jameson pole saw head.

It cuts crazy fast, and that 400mm blade allows for long strokes. Never saw a straight blade on a pole saw, and wasn’t sure how well it’d work, a curved Tsurugi blade would probably be even better and make undercuts easier, but overall I’m very happy with it.

 

[flushcut]

Any bending or flexing on the up stroke?