That time a climber told me to stop using my handsaw for everything

Old timer in Denver told me I was wasting energy cutting 6 inch limbs with a handsaw when a pole pruner would do it in half the time. Took me about 20 cuts to realize he was right and my shoulder stopped hurting. Anyone else stubborn about switching tools on a job?

2 comments

2 Comments

hollyramirez13d ago

Pole pruners are actually harder on your shoulder if you're reaching up at a weird angle all day. I borrowed one from a buddy and my rotator cuff was screaming after a weekend of clearing dead branches out of his cottonwoods. The saw is at least pulling down with gravity instead of fighting it. Maybe the old timer had a lightweight carbon fiber pole or something.

morgan.charlie13d ago

I had the same problem until I switched to a different method. What finally worked for me was using a handsaw on a rope from an extension ladder that I tied off to the trunk. Sounds sketchy, I know, but it let me keep both hands on the saw and let gravity do the work. The key was making sure the ladder was stable and I wasn't reaching sideways at all. My shoulder stopped hurting after a couple days once I stopped fighting the pole pruner. Might be worth trying if you have a helper to hold the ladder steady for you.