back strap cut, whats the point?

[drinksloe]

I was thinning out part of Charnwood Forest in the early 90's and a lot of the stuff we were taking out was Larch. It barber chaired regularly to the point where my employer had me stay at the base of the tree and cut through the hinge as the tree fell in order to protect the wood. Knowing what I know now I'd be felling using different methods but back then I was a fresh faced college grad and was just keen to earn some coin.

 

Aye some of the things u done as a youngster scares the hell out of u when u think about it now. But usually u never knew any better and were a lot braver/more indestructable

 

Aye i could see that happening with Larch, not cut a massive lot of it as generally npt planted on outsides of woods (or atleast not in this area, think soil generally to wet/peaty) and usually doesnae get big or hairy enough to need hand cut.

 

I imagine larch will be a more similar tree to the american red woods u usually see barbers chairing from usa.

[Gbaz]

 

This is for felling forward leaning trees, so the tree is going to want to go early. If you leave a strap at the back you hold the tree while setting the hinge, when you sever the strap you can do it in a number of ways: level above the cut or in the cut - the tree is likely to break the holding wood before you fully cut it and can take the saw with it or cause it to kick; level underneath the cut - the tree is again likely to break the holding wood before you've severed it fully, possibly causing the tree to split at the back. The cutting down at 45 degrees keeps the strength in the wood fibre, meaning the strap is less likely to snap or at least will hold on longer, the angle of the cut means that the saw is less likely to be taken with the tree.

 

That is the way that I understand it, but if anyone's got more knowledge I'll happily learn.

 

Thanks for that.