rip cuts for rigging

[Daniel]

In this context rip cuts mean, no undercut or notch.. just a straight top cut to let the piece "rip" into the rigging...

To be clear another common meaning for "rip cut" is a cut made parallel with the grain of the wood.. This is not that..

How often do you use a rip cut when rigging?

 

[Tom Dunlap]

I used all day yesterday and today in a red oak and tulip poplar. Just another tool in the box.

 

[theXman]

15% of the time maybe.

It depends on the specie and the weight and other factors.

Definitely use it.

Stringy fibers are best. Stuff that does not POP.

hickory, spruce, ossage orange, mulberry, silver maple, white oak...

 

[sherwood7]

Not a lot. Def depends on multiple factors like x mentioned. Also for storm damaged limbs(cracked, twisted, etc) many time a under cut or a notch won't work and a "rip" works best.

 

[ontheropes]

I use it also when I'm not to confident in the roper so I can control the piece momentarily.

 

[tennarbor]

Rarely ever...interested to see where this is going...

 

[Adam_P]

Not frequently but sometimes. I'll put an undercut a ways back from the top cut if it's a prune to keep from peeling out the collar.

 

[Daniel]

I was taught to "undercut anything with weight" over 3" diameter or so.. No one ever explained why though.. That was 1982... Since then, I AM the only one I've ever seen use the rip cut, other than "ricky" on a few of his videos. so its a bit of an "orthodoxy" in the industry that everyone follows. but no one really understands why, kinda like the 1/3 diameter rule for cutting a notch...

 

[GeorgeR]

I use a rip cut from time to time, mostly with a hand saw when I am going to cut and chuck the smaller limbs. I'm always cautious with it though because you can't really predict what is going to happen, especially on larger limbs (anything over the 3 inch mark).
I feel a very open faced notch can give more predictability and just as much control if not more, although this take more time. It's a tradeoff I guess.

 

[Treezybreez]

The reason for not using the tear cut with extremely heavy wood, is that it can catch your flip line and pull you against the trunk similar to a barber chair. If possible lanyard in to something else. I use it on occasion to slow a piece of wood down before the rigging catches it.

 

[peder-d]

Used it yesterday as well

 

[TreeLogic]

I agree with Treezy above. Main reason for not using it is it can tear into your lanyard or rigging.

I find it's better than a face cut on certain species when swinging a limb one way or another. As mentioned above, the more fibrous the wood, the better.

Also will use it to fling a dropped log backwards sometimes.

 

[mark_sauls]

Not a salami cut I assume. Is this the "Just cut the [pick a different word] thing off" cut? If it is I used that today as well. I've never used it while rigging, and probably never will.

 

[Daniel]

[ QUOTE ]

Also will use it to fling a dropped log backwards sometimes.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's always fun!

 

[whiz]

almost never, for all the above mentioned

 

[Kevin]

I'll use that when lowering a limb down onto a roof while rigging off a limb above.
Set the rigging, make a partial cut and lower the limb slowly allowing the wood to break and continue lowering until just above the roof and stop.
I will also butt tie the limb and sometimes tag the end of it to eliminate swing.

 

[Paul Biester]

Agree w Tom. Another tool. Great technique where applicable..

 

[TreeLogic]

also use it when there's a worker on the roof, with small limbs that are just out of the reach of the roofie (same as "groundie" but on the roof

). climber will slowly cut, allowing the limb to gradually bend down so the worker can get ahold of it. then finish cut from there so it can be thrown off into the drop zone.

agreed...another tool, but used only when applicable.

 

[tuttle]

I never use it when rigging is attached, because of the risk element of trapping bark or fibres in the setup etc.

I do on small trees use the cut to take advantage of the bark rip to slow the fall or control away from fences or other.

 

[theXman]

you should use it all the time tuttle, that way your short, sub-standard splices might not get ripped apart.