Are there any long term issues? I would expect that the overhead work would cause issues in the shoulder.
Hal
Hal
Are there any long term issues? I would expect that the overhead work would cause issues in the shoulder.
Hal
Yeah, I can see your point in regard to a scabbard, but at the rate I use the pole saw, it wouldn't be feasible. Just another 'thing' to have dangling from my saddle.
My only other brush with fate came when again, I was descending a large pin oak -with utility lines just feet away. The tree was located in the backyard were it had been pruned completely bare on one side, due to it being in line with the power companies right of way.
So as I was readying to touch earth, I grabbed for my pole saw that was hanging -and started letting it slide thru my hand to get to its middle for stability. But as I was doing this, a tooth happened to make contact with the power line. Just feet away from the back of my head- I see a brilliant blue flash with the sound of death just behind it. Scared the living hell outa me!
I made it to the ground and looked at where the blade touched. The electricity had blown off an inch worth of teeth and welded the remaining area. At the time I was using the old school poles that were made from a solid 12' piece of linden wood, with an aluminum Fred Marvin head and Fanno blade. May have been a different story with the Silky I use today.
Tell me about it. I had a job 5 years ago involving around 50 medium sized oaks. First stage was thinning the weak ones and dead-wooding the rest I ended up getting severe tendonitis in BOTH elbows at the same time. Ouch.I would think the repeated motion, soft tissue injuries, such as elbow tendonitis, rotator cuff, are probably the most prevalent. I rarely use a pole saw in a tree- usually can reposition to get where I need to be.
What I've noticed of pole blades is -the more the better.broken off the first 2 inches so it was still good without the rounded end, right?
Anybody sharpen theirs? I have sharpened my consumer grade pole saw blades with a triangular file, and it made a big difference. Don't know if you need feather files for the pro grade blades, or if it is worth the time.
I sharping my silky blades all the time. It took a while but I can do it pretty fast now. At 80.00 a blade I want to get as much use out of them as I can. Most blades you can't sharpen, if they have been "inpulse harden", forget it. I get 4 or 5 sharpens on them before they don't work as well then toss them in the pile.
The silkys take a special feather file. Their 30.00 a piece, but I find them on ebay every once in a while for less
Better to be safe so you can live another day to grouse about the inconvenience!If not using the saw, I think you are s'posed to have a scabbard over the blade.
Which would be safe, but inconvenient.
Be nice if someone invented a commercial duty spring loaded retractable blade polesaw.
And THIS is why you never drop your guard in the LZ or get to close to a 'cutter' wherever that cutter might be working! Sorry to hear this.a few years ago a guy on my crew was working under a power pruner picking up brush as it was falling, the operator of the polesaw had a bad habbit of letting the saw drop after a branch was cut, long story short the groundie got his forearm tendons shortened, many stitches and a new job. were still good friends now but he cant make a fist and bent his wrist down without his fingers opening up
I use my elastic neck lanyard to hold the scabbard while making the cut to minimize the time the blade is exposed and limit it to only that time in which I am making a cut, then put it back on immediately after each cut. I think it could just as easyly be stored on a clip on your harness etc. I don't mined getting whacked with the saw and getting a bruise of some sort but that blade is some serious hurt anyway it touches you.
video of a canopy clean using the pole saw staring at 8:00, this link should take you to that time stamp.
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