Pruners And Chainsaws . . . .

Often referred to as ''By-Pass' pruners, because of the way that they cut, my favorites had been made by Corona. (In these 2 photos, the pruners on the left are 'anvil' pruners. They are effective, but I rarely use them.)

The 2 pruners with the green handles have a replaceable blade, at a good price. It is an easy fix for when I have worn my blades out (which takes a few years).
The red handled pair, with the ripped rubber grips, were my go to pair, before I fell in love with my Fiskars. (Applause to German engineering !) 


Fiskars Pruners

I have only been using the Fiskars for 2 + years, now, and they continue to cut like a hot knife through butter.        

Felco Pruners

My Felco #10 pair had been lost in the tool box on my truck, for a few years.   I really wanted the Felco's to work out for me, if for no other reason to justify the expense of them. (Twice the price of the Fiskars.) They just don't fit my hands comfortably.  The #10 has a handle that rolls, which was to ease hand stress.  Admittedly, I have not given them the hours of testing that my Fiskars have gotten.

I have purchased 2 types of Barco pruners, which fall apart within months. I had BIG hopes for the Barco ratcheting pair to become a favorite, because I love the concept, but they use toooo much energy to repeatedly squeeze before it actually starts cutting. An equally negative point is that they also have a short life in the field.
Comfort and ease are priorities always for me. I often spend 4 + consecutive hours hand pruning bushes with branches the size of pencils, a few times a year, so anything that'll keep my hands from aching gets my vote.
I have cut old garden hose and slide them over the handle grips to make it more ergonomic.


And now . . .  chainsaws:

ALWAYS USE PROTECTIVE EYE WEAR !!!

Eighteen years ago, I was gifted $200 . . . and spent it on my first and only Stihl Chainsaw.
I didn't waste any energy thinking that it was a frivolous expense. I was living in the woods and we had recently endured the carnage left behind by a tornado. Trees were down all over my property, and blocking the few roads that led to my home.
Divine grace had spared my home and barn and animals and friends.
I took it as a 'sign,' and when I was able to drive into town, the first thing that I did was buy a 14" Stihl Chainsaw . . .  then groceries.  (I would've picked up some movies, but our power was out for a total of 13 days.)
This chainsaw has been very easy for me to work with. Any larger size bar would have added too much weight for me to use for an extended period of time. I rarely have needed to spend a day using it, but when that type of day presents itself, anything that can minimize a 'struggle' has my vote.
I learned IMMEDIATELY that a 14' chainsaw is not a toy, and can handle a remarkable work load. A Stihl product is to be respected.
Many different manufacturers have entered the market for outdoor, gas powered , gardening tools over the years that my Stihl and I have been together. Having worked as a commercial landscaper, my personal favorites, for 2 cycle gas powered blowers, weedeaters, power pruners / hedge shears and chainsaws, are made by Stihl.
They can run daily for hours beyond their competition, without overheating or need for extreme maintenance.
Every chain will need to be resharpened and periodically replaced. This is an easy maintenance event. Pay attention to the manufacturer's specs when purchasing a replacement chain or bar.
I have been hard on equipment over the years, often using them for many hours at a time. I expect it to work harder than me.

I have never been disappointed by a Stihl product.



I also have a Poulan 14" chainsaw as my backup in the field. So far, it has performed well, but has only been used for a several hours.