What Exactly Is A Holding Cut?

[Haironyourchest]

12 minutes ago, MattyF said:

And what was the answer to your question dude ...??
Step cut or dogs tooth?? I’ve never been asked to do one in Ariel cutting in a refresher assessment so intrigued if it’s the dogs tooth but would make sense in light of a few accidents that have been noted by hse over the years ,it’s about time more focus on tensioned limbs where part of the course.

Yes it was a borecut dog'stooth, I wasn't asked to do it, just describe it. I don't think it's really possible to work it into the assessment anyway as the regulation branch is about 4 inches diameter so not thick enough to bore.

[stihlmadasever]

On small leaning branches not big enough too bore cut you can also do opposing face cuts so the back cut is in a V shape to maximise hinge holding wood.

[scotspine1]

15 hours ago, Haironyourchest said:

Yes it was a borecut dog'stooth

 

Stupid technique to be using in the tree, suicidal even. 

 

Stem can peel down before you even finish the cut flipping climber off the stem. Think Ash. Also, the shock load on the release cut can cause explosive movement which could cause the piece your on to break out below you at the union. think big included bark union, most of the dismantles we do are on trees coming down because they're structurally poor in the first place. 

 

work positioning wise it's can be a difficult cut to get accurate even at ground level on steep ground etc let alone standing on spikes at 50ft in the rain on a leaning stem. 

 

Just reminds me that the training/assessor side of the industry is out of touch with reality and in some cases actually promoting unsafe methods. 

 

. 

 

 

[Mark Bolam]

It is bullshit Tim.

Who ever uses a dogtooth in a tree? That's what climbing is for, so you don't need to.

 

Perhaps the assessors have 'GO BIG OR GO HOME' t-shirts.

[scotspine1]

39 minutes ago, Mark Bolam said:

It is bullshit Tim.

Who ever uses a dogtooth in a tree. 

They've probably been having some meeting for trainers/assessors and some bright spark trying to look intelligent has said something like, 'let's include the dogtooth/bore/release/plunge cut for use in the tree and then we can question those being assessed on it'

 

It would then seem NOT ONE other person at that meeting has challenged that stupid idea, or scrutinised it properly. That tells you they don't have the knowledge or experience to know just how dangerous it is. 

 

There's an experience deficit with these guys somewhere along the process and the inclusion and promotion of the dogtooth as an aerial felling cut exposes that ignorance. 

 

 

[Haironyourchest]

1 hour ago, scotspine1 said:

They've probably been having some meeting for trainers/assessors and some bright spark trying to look intelligent has said something like, 'let's include the dogtooth/bore/release/plunge cut for use in the tree and then we can question those being assessed on it'

 

It would then seem NOT ONE other person at that meeting has challenged that stupid idea, or scrutinised it properly. That tells you they don't have the knowledge or experience to know just how dangerous it is. 

 

There's an experience deficit with these guys somewhere along the process and the inclusion and promotion of the dogtooth as an aerial felling cut exposes that ignorance. 

 

 

I don't have enough experience to comment but I intuitively think the same. I'm big on ratchet traps wound multiple times below the cut.

[Stubby]

I thought a " holding cut " was something you get on your wrist ..............