FrankE

Fine or coarse? (10 or 7.5 teeth per 30mm respectively) I don't have hectares of trees.

I have had my eye on a handsaw for my mature apple, plum and pear trees (10-15 y/o) on dwarf stock and a cherry tree. The plum is brittle or was at the end of the fruiting season when bits fell off. I was going to buy the Gomtaro fine 300mm (previously Gomtaro Apple). I don't need a curve as I'm not working above my head much or working below. It's a bit thick for the loppers but as a percentage of the parent limb OK (<30%). Amazon said the Gomtaro was discontinued by supplier. I guess it's just not that popular. Waiting to hear back from Silky on future availibility of blades as with my low usage it'll be many years until a replacement is needed. I'll get another should I need it for ornamental or amenity specimens at the Botanics, so I'm just looking for an application-specific one just now rather than a general purpose like a Zubat Is there another recommended Silky fixed blade saw for fruit trees?

Thanks all. A few of you mentioned Bahco.I was also looking at a pair of Bahco P19-80 Lopping Shears 800mm 50mm. Silver (professional grade not the orange ones. I see spare parts are available I've a Gomtarro Apple saw (now superceded by Gomtarro fine) for when a saw is required on my fruit trees but I was going to start a different thread on updating my handsaws. I don't cut much in the way of big roots, the Florabet saws are OK for down in the dirt work so as not to foul up or snap expensive saw blades.

Hi I'm looking for a really good pair of loppers for pruning shrubs, fruit trees, root removal, chopping up stems for composting on my own and neighbours' properties and perhaps for use in the botanic garden which includes an arboretum. Generally they are for pruning cuts my smaller loppers won't handle or a handsaw cut wouldn't be appropriate. I'm considering: Felco 22 4.5cm dia Felco 220 4cm dia Felco 231 4cm dia Stihl PB30 Extreme 5cm dia Castellari? I won't be using them all day every day and I'm not a climber or doing much overhead work so weight isn't so much an issue. Good quality, clean cut for minimal wounding of disease-susceptible specimens and replaceable parts are. Any other brands / models (not consumer grade) I should look at? (I'll pass on Darlac - I bought a pair of their Felco 13 bypass secateurs clearance at T K not expecting much and the blades separate when cutting.) Thanks