Old Skool Cool

[Mr Ed]

This threads for Bob, and all the other old school cutters and climbers. I was lucky (cursed?)to be brought up in this industry, and saw the end of the 'good old days'. What makes you part of this most coolest of cliques?

 

If you remember

 

Climbing on 3 strand nylon rope that behaved like a giant bungee

 

When your prussick and your climbing line were one and the same

 

When helmets were optional but a flat cap or wooly hat was essential

 

When protective trousers was a pair of overalls over your jeans

 

When it was considered normal to burn the brash off on EVERY job

 

When tea was dispensed from a tartan flask, and flasks had a lifespan of about 2 weeks

 

When recruiting extra temporary staff meant going down the dole queue and offering them a fiver extra a day

 

When Sandvik triangular bowsaws were considered the ultimate handsaw

 

When chainsaw 'training' involved being told where the kickback quadrant and the stop switch was

 

Anybody else got more?

[Mozza]

The bow saw one brings back some good memorys, I started only ten years ago but the old skool chap i worked for didnt let the climbers use 020's "cause too many injurys them things" was his view, Bow saws and 026's up a tree were his preference

[Pete Mctree]

I remember my first harness had no leg-loops.

[firewoodman]

yeah the old full body harness was straight off a parachute

[Mr Ed]

I found my first harness at the bottom of a box in my fathers shed a few weeks ago. Grey GT belt, 2 belts of webbing, 2 front d rings, 1 tool ring and nothing else.

 

Hehe. Remember falling off a branch and your harness would end up under your armpits?

[stoxs]

i thought chainsaw training was told where to fill it up and there is the choke!

 

the arb truck was a fordson major with trailer for firewood

 

a winch was said fordson major with old climbing rope and lots of wheel spinning.

 

a chain break was a twisted bit of wood

 

antivibration mounts was keep changing hands

 

heated handles was leave your saw by the fire

 

flask and lunch box hung from air cleaner mushroom on major bonnet in old gas mask bag!

 

Chain oil, was old sump oil from arb truck(fordson major)

[Pete Mctree]

I found my first harness at the bottom of a box in my fathers shed a few weeks ago. Grey GT belt, 2 belts of webbing, 2 front d rings, 1 tool ring and nothing else.

 

Hehe. Remember falling off a branch and your harness would end up under your armpits?

 

Branch walking was easier, turn harness around and get going:001_tongue:

[Buzz]

Ahh the good old days of a hank of three strand that you made you whole climbing kit from, and those bloody useless little sandvik bowsaws that if you cut anything bigget than 3" it bent the blade LOL

 

Danarm chainsaws before AV rubbers had even been invented and crown lifting was done from the bucket of a hymac lol

[AJarb]

This threads for Bob, and all the other old school cutters and climbers. I was lucky (cursed?)to be brought up in this industry, and saw the end of the 'good old days'. What makes you part of this most coolest of cliques?

 

If you remember

 

Climbing on 3 strand nylon rope that behaved like a giant bungee

 

When your prussick and your climbing line were one and the same

 

When helmets were optional but a flat cap or wooly hat was essential

 

When protective trousers was a pair of overalls over your jeans

 

When it was considered normal to burn the brash off on EVERY job

 

When tea was dispensed from a tartan flask, and flasks had a lifespan of about 2 weeks

 

When recruiting extra temporary staff meant going down the dole queue and offering them a fiver extra a day

 

When Sandvik triangular bowsaws were considered the ultimate handsaw

 

When chainsaw 'training' involved being told where the kickback quadrant and the stop switch was

 

Anybody else got more?

 

 

 

My first boss was proper old school and I learnt on most of the above including that bloody 3 strand rope!!

 

Also he had the fixed strops and I was so over the moon when he bought an adjustable lanyard.

 

Lowering was all done with a blue nylon rope and no pulleys.

 

No top-handled saws as that was too new school for him...it was all husky 141s on a strop.

 

Rigger boots and sip chaps with jeans underneath was a must.

 

I did get him to change a bit but he always said Keep It Simple Stupid and not a bad point:thumbup1:

[DN22 Gardening]

my first job in the woods involved a yorkshire bill hook, and about 5 miles of hawthorn hedge to lay.

one friday the forman gave me a brand new bowsaw to "saw a few logs" after i'd done about 20 sacks, up pulls a car n loads em in. the foreman got handed a wad of cash, when i asked where my cut was, i was told in no uncertain terms to F@@k right off!!!

 

equal rights for the workers!!!