Dilz

Hi all, So last weekend there was a power cut, i was sat with the missus, the fire was burning away, she'd bought me Ray Mears Bush craft book, which i was reading by candle light, i read the bit about carving spoons, picked out a random piece of fire wood and began hacking away using my rather large Mora outdoor knife. It was therapeutic, i enjoyed it, My first effort is rather rustic to say the least, especially when compared to some of the stuff i have seen on here, but it looks and functions like a spoon so id call that a win, I ordered a couple of knives from the uk both mora (frost) that come as part of a start up kit including a book on carving spoons and stuff, the crook knife is the Mora 163 double edged blade, i bought this kit because i know Mora blades are good, but having ordered it i have read that there crook knives arent the best... is this the case? what knives should i get? any help, advice much appreciated

yup it helps solve the problem i have of the harness slipping to low as i found it was prone to doing so, especially when using a bigger saw, also makes it better fro when you are on a flip line and spikes all day which before wasn't the comfiest in the TM.

had one for the last 2 weeks, brilliant!

i got my first pair of stretch air class 2 gladiators - i ve had to ditch the thermals, and they are going in the closet as soon as the temperature gets much above 0 here in sweden, they are so hot, also was disappointed with the quality, small details, but important to me, poor finishing on the stitching, meaning the zips on both pockets jammed up, fixed with a trimming the loose threads, but still on 200 quid pair of trousers you want them to be spot on, also after one weeks use the back of the left leg has several small holes in from being caught by the saw when climbing (i hang the saw on my left side) my mates got the hi flex class 2 and similar issues, the appear to get holes in too easily, they are very hot and not so flexible. I like the stretch air braces, i always found the buttons on the hi flex would mash into me when wearing a harness so cut them off and would wear a belt. The pockets i like more on the stretch as well, and i think there is a bit more to keep the wind off your arse with the stretch than the hi flex. - by the way im talking about type C, all round protection.

the 200 teapot is the bomb, infact is bomb proof, i ve seen em take a massive amount of abuse an punishment and start up, you seen the top gear stuff with the Hi-lux? the 200 is the equivalent, it is the tank of top handled saws, i ve seen many cheaper types just disintegrate when put through the same stuff as the stihls. I hope the new husky is up to spec but having looked the pics, well.... i aint holding my breath, the chain brake design looks the same as always, flimsy, it has the auto tune which ive only ever heard folk have problems with, not to mention the large amount of new huskys that are snapping rods after 20 - 30 hours use at the momment....

it takes a while to get hitches and rope combos tuned to the individual, you may find a set up of a vt works amaizing one day but wont grab the next due to wear, or grab too much etc. the HC is a good bit of kit, they work well with a pantin to tend the slack. Until i got given one i thought they where just fancy pulley wheels that cost too much.

346 is the mutts nuts!

dont forget holiday entitlement.....

im working about 2 hours from their main factory in sweden, miht try and get a sneak peak

any news on the new husky climbing saw which is due out? any one got their mits on one yet? i have my apprehensions about the auto tune, you need something you can fix on site if it plays up, but it is alas the way saws appear to be heading....

the few folk i know with auto tune on their saws get into trouble after about 20hours of operation, which could be a bad sign for the new T540 xp

give me a shout john if you find a comp to enter, i'd be up for it would be cool to catch up and remember the good old days of finding ways to annoy Mat.

probably more helpful than the Jack Daniels

also would like to add, in general there are two main types of reductions, 1) quick ones 2) good ones.

the issue i find with doing reductions starting form the bottom working up are these a) the branches you cut from the top get hung up on the branches below so you have to climb back down, b)when chucking branches down from the top you will smash that oh so perfect growing point that you busted a gut to get to, c) its harder (imop) to get the shape in. I start from the top, seeing as reductions are usually in height, get my groundy to sight me in for the top height and then work from there, your grounds man should know a good tree shape as they can point out bits that stick out or hangers and such to help save you time and energy. Another good trick is if you have poles or long pruners, or such, this way the ground crew can take care of the lowest branches for you which are often the ones you have to climb furthest out on and to get to and to get back from. I use a set of extendable loppers which reach several meters as well when im in the tree, using these i can bring in several tips from one working point and are excellent bits of kit as they can allow you to take off just the bits you need to rather than just the bits you can reach. Reductions are an art form, and requires good climbing skills, tool use and tree knowledge, and it is a very rewarding thing to look back at a tree you have reshaped well. Then there are those that you never look back .......

Cheers, thats Friday sorted.

Saw isnt oiling right, -when on tick over the oil bubbles out when the oil screw is turned up to max, but not enough considering the its turned up, when on full rev's hardly anything comes out, I've run some stuff through to clean it, but to no avail. Never had this issue before, New pump needed? Or can it be fixed? If so How? Cheers for any info

just watched the vid....did you use the rope wrench in a DbRt Style to come down from the last chog before felling? Also how does the RW work when you make an initial ascent into the tree to establish a high working anchor point? as i feel it would be more time consuming to establish a top anchor from climbing from the ground than using Dbrt? or would it be that you climb up using Dbrt and then switch? but then the RW cant be fitted midline can it??? confused i'd say i was

intereted to see what you have in mind

Weavers Rule

i cant splice (yet!!) so home madestuff is knots whic are a) weaker and b) too bulky

my issue with the pulley saver is the same i have with the art positioners, they cost a lot and its not a good idea to rag them out of the tree, though this is advised with all cambium savers but have done so for years with no ill effects, and before any one questions why i need a new cambium saver ..... i lost my old one in woods when i had to bail out of tree and dump my gear in a very disorganised manner in masses of brash due to eating the fish at lunch the day before......

money is in the bank, sales are on, got to get my shiny thing fix, among other odds and ends, i need a new cambium save, saw the sirius multisaver, thought that a 2 m length would be good, but never seen one or met any one who has used one so if any one has any feedback on these that would be cool, also the Harke smocks? any good for climbing / felling in the bad weather, need something thats hi'vis and up to the job. again any feed back would be cool

There alot of folk out there who put them sleves across as competent and experienced, I was nervous as hell when i went self employed and started subbying that i wouldnt quite make the grade, but the time i spent working for firms and studying set me me well up, walk before you run and to be a real pro takes years, learn from those around you and be humble and honest and you will do well