pole vs tree gaffs

[WoodCutr]

I was working in some hickory trees yesterday, ended up calling it quits on one because I didnt feel safe on my spurs, (Buckingham pole gaffs) would tree gaffs help? or would the CCA gaffs (for harder power poles) work better? before I buy anything I will be ordering a gaff gauge and sharpening my pole gaffs to spec, then trying them

im on the east coast, live oak, white oak, tulip, hickory, got a variety, so I figure getting spurs with tree gaffs and keeping my pole gaffs would be good, any ideas before I spend a few hundred bucks on a "maybe" item?

 

[lxskllr]

I think pole gaffs are too short for a lot of east coast trees. It's worth having both, but if only one, I'd pick tree. A hybrid would be ideal, but there aren't a lot of choices.

 

[WoodCutr]

im slowly getting into the bizz, so far almost every tree ive been paid to spike was something with rather hard bark (hickory, cherry ETC) so im thinking a gaff made for harder stuff (cca gaffs) would be good, but then there is also lots of live/white oak around, with super thick bark where tree gaffs would be good, so having 2 sets of spurs (long and short) would be good

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Get some tree gaffs.
Pole gaffs are ok on thin bark trees, then lack any luster after it gets a little meat on it.

 

[WoodCutr]

makes sense to me

 

[Nutball]

I've wondered if you should have a hickory set and a softer wood set, because if you sharpen them to penetrate shagbark, you will just sink and stick into soft woods. But I don't climb.

 

[WoodCutr]

havent tried shagbark, but what I was in felt like you had to sharpen your spurs to a razor edge (which ive heard makes them stick too bad)

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I have that problem with our ponderosa and gray pines. I prefer them not near razor sharp. Sharp enough for oak and those pines will eat the damn gaff to the hilt. Then you get to try annd pull it back out. Usually associated with chunking down a stem with a larger saw strapped on.

 

[pantheraba]

I only have tree spurs...old Klein's I think. They have been all I need for trees here in GA and the SE, The only shagbark hickory I climbed was like a steel pole it seemed. Hard to penetrate...but all other type of hickory, oak, pine, poplar, gum, cherry....all were OK with tree gaffs.

 

[WoodCutr]

I only have tree spurs...old Klein's I think. They have been all I need for trees here in GA and the SE, The only shagbark hickory I climbed was like a steel pole it seemed. Hard to penetrate...but all other type of hickory, oak, pine, poplar, gum, cherry....all were OK with tree gaffs.

how much force does the tree gaffs put on your knees? it looks like they are trying to pop your knee sideways more than pole gaffs

 

[SeanKroll]

Having both is important.

Let's see a picture of your gaffs' profile and such.

Are you typicsally spurring with or without a preset climb- line?

Was it the low (oldest,thickest) bark that caused you problems?

 

[SeanKroll]

how much force does the tree gaffs put on your knees? it looks like they are trying to pop your knee sideways more than pole gaffs

Yes. Therefore, choose which to wear.

I rarely pull out tree gaffs, even though they are way, way more expensive and fancy than my $25 steel, fixed spur, and cheap as can be (comfy, too) L-pads.

All trees have thin bark up top where the stability is very important, imo.


Ymmv

 

[WoodCutr]

Let's see a picture of your gaffs' profile and such.

will take a pic here in a few

Are you typicsally spurring with or without a preset climb- line?

yes, as much as everyone says not to, your flipline will catch you when you gaff out (as long as your on rough bark, ive tested this extensively)

Was it the low (oldest,thickest) bark that caused you problems?

got to 50ft and it still sucked bad enough to come back to the ground

 

[WoodCutr]

ignore the dirt on them, end of the day, in a brush pile didnt feel like taking them off

 

[Jomo]

Someday a clever gaff manufacturer will make a set of gaffs that are both pole and tree gaff.

Done simply by placing a rotatable gaff that's pole on one end, and tree gaff on the other, 180 degrees opposite.

Perfect for ponderosa pines! Thick at the bottom, but normal at height.

I'm a bit of a gaff freak.


Jomo

 

[WoodCutr]

ummm, ive seen some weird stuff before, but that has gotta top it, do they work? also, is that a grease zerk on a gaff? lol

 

[Jomo]

You ain't seen nothin yet.


Jomo

 

[ruel]

Tree gaffs will not help penetration in dense eastern hardwoods IMO. Sharpen those bad Larrys up.

 

[Jomo]

I got carried away building both pole and tree gaffs out of titanium.

 

[WoodCutr]

why the grease zerk and spring if I may ask?

 

[WoodCutr]

Tree gaffs will not help penetration in dense eastern hardwoods IMO. Sharpen those bad Larrys up.

got any tricks? buy a gaff gauge? whats a good profile in comparison to the pic I posted?

 

[Jomo]

I call them Innoculator Gaffs. They extend and retract the inner bolt gaff with each step you take.

The pole gaff version's 1.75 inches retracted and 2:25 inches extended.

I made them specifically to deal with long dead eucs still standing, inaccessible to a crane, that must be climbed.

Dead trees are brittle, and stomping up them because they're so hard's a recipe for disaster.

My Innoculator's allow me to tip toe up them like a spider.


Jomo

 

[WoodCutr]

thats sick, what species have you used them on other than eucs? im thinking I might want to try and buy a set from you

 

[Jomo]

I've only used them to deal with long dead rock hard eucs, which are quite plentiful here.


Jomo

 

[WoodCutr]

so, the spring softens the blow when you step them in? the points look like they work good for the job