We will be awaiting some action pictures! As for competition I’d have to get practicing! I usually try to climb once a week at work but that’s straight up and straight down and still doesn’t happen every week Ten years ago when I started I could’ve run up the side of a 75’ pole danced on top and back down the other side now it’s more like limp up 15’ get scared and have someone send up the bucket...
I hear ya on the gimping up the tree part. If you don't get at least a little spooked every time you climb, it's time to hang up the spurs.
Well like I said I'm getting back into the swing of things here so that means some new gear. I've been a Arborplex man for many years, but I wanted to see if a 24 strand climbing rope would be an upgrade. After seeing how effortless the Petzl zigzag is, I think I'm going to transition away from a Blake's hitch and move to something mechanical anyway. I liked the specs on the New England Tachyon Ash 11.5 @ 6.3 #s per 100' and 6800 mbs. A fair bit lighter and stronger to boot, so I decided to give it a try. However it is a bit flamboyant compaired to what I'm used to. Shouldn't have trouble finding it though! First impressions are good so far. Nice and flexible with zero milking that I can see. I should still be able to use a Blake's hitch should I desire. Gonna take some getting used to the smaller diameter though. I also decided to try a new hand saw since my silky zubat seems to have grown legs and walked off. I've heard good things about the Samurai Ichigeki 13" and it will hurt my wallet much less if this one should wander off. Speaking of hurt though: Initial thoughts are: the Mf'er is sharp! Clipped my finger on the last tooth putting it in the sheath. First blood, so I guess now it's a proper cutting tool. Shoulda had muh b!tch mits on I guess sheesh. Of course new gear doesn't mean I'm giving up my Buckingham no. 9's, and my Petzl Navajo is too comfortable a ride to get rid of as well!
Looking good Mr. Barcroftb !!! One of the guys at work runs that tachyon through a hitch climber set up and I believe a rope wrench srt? And loves it!! By the way I’ve been wondering where I picked up a second silky...??
Darn thought I could get you going Did you by chance take advantage of the treestuff sale over the weekend? Lots of shiny things you’ve got there I got myself a hitch climber set up to try as well as some gear to get my 3 year old started into it.
Smokin sale I saved over a c note on stuff 'n' things. Cool that your gonna get your kid started! I've watched some videos of the rope wrench and it seems pretty legit... I think I'm gonna stick with ddrt for awhile though. Going from a Blake's hitch to mechanical is radical enough to start for this old dog.
As I add new gear, here's a good question for you fellow monkey-beaver and woodpeckers... how do you guys have your hand saws attached. Belt, or leg sheath, or....? Bonus points for pics!
Me and Scotty Overkill haven't really used hand saws, it's either a ms 200t, Scotty's to handle echo (cant remember the number though 355t?), KM 90 or KM 55 pole saw with up to two extensions and the ms 461 and last but not least Old reliable my MS 661! Well I haven't had any problems with it since the shop put all new updated electronics on it!
Silky zubat hand saw hangs off a snap on my right hip. Im contemplating going to a leg strap set up, but not sure I want to be reaching down or picking my leg up to get at it not to mention accidentally running that thing across my leg! I like it where it is and it flops free so it is easy to maneuver with it on. My Echo snaps into that Petzl caritool (black clip with wire bail) and the end of the lanyard for the echo clips in the round ring right under the silky strap. Sometimes when I’ve got the echo on the silky can take a bit of looking to get back in its holster but not too bad. Really I should put another caritool clip on the other side for more storage I love the darn thing!!!
Looks like a good set up man. I used to hang my silky in a similar way. I had the same thought about the leg mount after nicking my finger this morning. Hate to have that be my leg 75+ feet in the air.
You can see how the chainsaw lanyard can get in the way of the silky. then when it’s snapped into the caritool
Maybe I will try the hand saw on the other side and see how that works out. Are you doing any climbing this weekend?
That’s the smaller caritool I’ve got and I think it’s the right size the big one I’ve seen and it’s almost too big like it would be a nuisance. As far as the hand saw it’s handy for a ton of things! I like my silky but a bunch of guys have been getting the samurai ones like Barcroftb just posted above. Especially since it looks like you get into quite a few pine removals it’s almost just as easy to hand saw limbs sometimes.
Maybe.... if I can get my brother to help out there’s a tree we’ve got to do for a neighbor. If not then maybe just some playing around.
Yep I used my old hand saw quite a bit on those pines. It was just easier to use the hand saw sometimes.
