MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Gaffing Out?
Just don't do it.
Sharp spurs!!!
Just don't do it.
Sharp spurs!!!
new used spurs
- Thread starter onepaw
- Start date
- Replies 75
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Burnham
Woods walker
True enough.
As a corollary, and as I've said before, walking around on the ground with spurs on is the best way to do two things you don't want to do.
1) Dull your gaffs, which means you have to sharpen them more than you would otherwise, and which is FAR more exacting and difficult to do properly than most people realize.
2) Stab yourself in the foot, ankle, or lower leg with a gaff. I promise you, that will suck badly.
As a corollary, and as I've said before, walking around on the ground with spurs on is the best way to do two things you don't want to do.
1) Dull your gaffs, which means you have to sharpen them more than you would otherwise, and which is FAR more exacting and difficult to do properly than most people realize.
2) Stab yourself in the foot, ankle, or lower leg with a gaff. I promise you, that will suck badly.
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
I walk on tiptoes...
Burnham
Woods walker
Lame imo, and not acceptable in my world, but it apparently has worked for you so far 
.
You don't need me to sign off on your quals card, as I recall
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. You don't need me to sign off on your quals card, as I recall
.
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Oh, I don't walk far!
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Never happened in 35 years! ;>)
treebilly
Student of the Jedi. OH-7106A
I don't walk very far with them on. Last Friday though I was dressed for an Ariel rescue. Young kid, first time on spurs and first time with a chain saw aloft. It was on a 40' Fraser fir removal. It could've been flopped but since I had some one else pruning with the bucket close by and we weren't rushed on time, why not give him a shot. He did ok till it came to the top I ended up running up the thing to try and talk him into it. Any how , I tossed brush in full dress while he did it. Had the gaff guards on and forgot about them till I kicked in to fetch him. He got nervous on the skinny top. Good run for his first attempt though.
swingdude
TreeHouser
These work great....have had them for over a year....
pete mctree
Treehouser
It is leaning out on lateral limbs that you really have to be cautious. Gaffing out dramatically changes your body position when running a saw. How I cut my arm 
- I was lanyarded in, but fell into it.
On an upright stem, those that struggle tend to be too close to the stem. The fear/lack of confidence inhibits them from leaning back into there harness. It is a skill that people should spend more time trying to master as it would serve them well - people spend tome learning to footlock etc, yet many just put the gaffs on & expect it to happen by magic.
- I was lanyarded in, but fell into it.On an upright stem, those that struggle tend to be too close to the stem. The fear/lack of confidence inhibits them from leaning back into there harness. It is a skill that people should spend more time trying to master as it would serve them well - people spend tome learning to footlock etc, yet many just put the gaffs on & expect it to happen by magic.
squisher
THE CALM ONE!!!!
It was easy to figure out when I learned. You either climbed the tree or drug steel cables around until you felt like puking your guts out. I learned to spike!
Limbrat
TreeHouser
Do you remember your first climb Justin? Other than to just step up a couple of feet and walk around for a practice session, mine was a 65' transmission pole with nothing on it except an insulator that it was my job to remove. I was scared to death but didn't dare let the three crusty lineman watching know it. I felt sure they could see my hands shaking as I strapped on my hooks. Only sissies hitchhiked (used their safety) while climbing so I most certainly didn't do that either. It was just the grace of God that I got up and down without dying.
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Mine was a medium pine, just setting a pull line. I gaffed myself and had to go to the ER.
The good ole days!
The good ole days!
Mine was a skinny forest elm, maybe 2 foot diameter.
I made it about 25 feet up the bole, gaffed out and slid all the way down, landing more or less on my ass. Bump!
When I graduated the course, the instructor told me that he'd never thought I'd make it up another tree after that one.
I had one spectacular gaff out on another elm.
We were taking it down in the middle of 4 apartment complexes on a saturday.
Nice summer day, everybody had been adviced that there would be noise, and most everybody had settled down on their balconies to drink rosé wine or beer and watch the show.
Say, maybe 200-300 people.
As I spurred up one leader and made it to the top, I gaffed out in a real fine way and slid all the way back to the crotch between the leaders.
Didn't get hurt or anything, just embarrased.
My groundie later told me that the collective breath intake from all those people had been something to hear.
I made it about 25 feet up the bole, gaffed out and slid all the way down, landing more or less on my ass. Bump!
When I graduated the course, the instructor told me that he'd never thought I'd make it up another tree after that one.
I had one spectacular gaff out on another elm.
We were taking it down in the middle of 4 apartment complexes on a saturday.
Nice summer day, everybody had been adviced that there would be noise, and most everybody had settled down on their balconies to drink rosé wine or beer and watch the show.
Say, maybe 200-300 people.
As I spurred up one leader and made it to the top, I gaffed out in a real fine way and slid all the way back to the crotch between the leaders.
Didn't get hurt or anything, just embarrased.
My groundie later told me that the collective breath intake from all those people had been something to hear.
SouthSoundTree-
TreeHouser
- Joined
- Sep 24, 2014
- Messages
- 4,941
hahaha
Mick!
TreeHouser
It is leaning out on lateral limbs that you really have to be cautious. Gaffing out dramatically changes your body position when running a saw. How I cut my arm
On an upright stem, those that struggle tend to be too close to the stem. The fear/lack of confidence inhibits them from leaning back into there harness. It is a skill that people should spend more time trying to master as it would serve them well - people spend tome learning to footlock etc, yet many just put the gaffs on & expect it to happen by magic.
Hadn't realised this thread had got interesting! Yes Pete, agreed, gaffing out is often caused by being at too acute an angle.
Limbrat
TreeHouser
Got a belly laugh out of both of those. Two great funny stories that should give hope to any new climbers. Two gaff outs and one trip to the E.R. on the first climb? Got to hand it to both of you for hanging in there.
squisher
THE CALM ONE!!!!
Ray. My first time was rather uneventful, I recall it being about 60' to unrig a tree. Got the old well you've seen it so either you do it or you don't. I can tell yah you couldn't have pried me out of that tree no matter what. Each spur was set hard, I was slow and over exerted by the end of it. But that was it then I was a climber. Lol. Spur and flip line. at one point many years ago now I thought I was pretty hot sh-t. Until I turned to residential work, and signed up here. Humbling company to put it mildly.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #69
Thanks for the stories. As a new climber it helps me to hear about the mishaps and problems others have had. I've met a lot of experts in my life and all seem to not remember their starting points and what it took to get to where they are. No one is born with instant knowledge. I appreciate the knowledge shared here!
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Keep your knees away from the tree. 
Limbrat
TreeHouser
I've just finished spurring up 17 coconuts one after the other...not to mention 11 more a few weeks ago. (don't flame me, it has to be done)
Not sure our instructors in England had that in mind during training on pines slated for removal.
My one gaff out was getting too upright on a casuarina, VERY hard timber, luckily I was only about 8' up, like others, slid all the way to the bottom and landed on the branches. took my lanyard off and went home, finished it the next day.
If I get a bit concerned, I feel no way to put another lanyard around the trunk on the way up, I'd rather be mentally comfortable and a wee bit slower than having a niggling worry that if something goes wrong that I have a one way ticket to the ground.
Not sure our instructors in England had that in mind during training on pines slated for removal.
My one gaff out was getting too upright on a casuarina, VERY hard timber, luckily I was only about 8' up, like others, slid all the way to the bottom and landed on the branches. took my lanyard off and went home, finished it the next day.
If I get a bit concerned, I feel no way to put another lanyard around the trunk on the way up, I'd rather be mentally comfortable and a wee bit slower than having a niggling worry that if something goes wrong that I have a one way ticket to the ground.
Burnham
Woods walker
Butt out is a recipe for wearing yourself out physically...plus increasing your odds of gaffing out due to improper gaff angle. Stand up straight. Keep your belly relatively close to the tree.
