At work our fruit tree pruning volunteer is doing a sterling job sorting a backlog of Apple tree pruning.....but our classic old wooden long handle pruner is now feeling the pressure of this sudden amount of action....

So I need to find a new long reach pruner.....I have found these; http://www.ars-edge.co.jp/world/02produ ... ngpru.html

Has anyone any experience of this brand/type..??

Or any other recommendation of a long reach pruner type for serious work use. (Not though external rope types.)

Thank you,
Clive.

Dear Clive
we have used the fiskars type for years without problem. It used to be the wilkinson sword ones. I work in a 9 acre garden.
Regards Sally.

Hello Sally,
Thank you for mentioning the Fiskars type, we had been looking at them in a catalogue this afternoon.
The ones shown referred to an internal cable operation. Is this the type you have.?? The description of the sliding operating handle somehow did not sound comfortable.?

Thank you,
Clive.

Dear Clive,
this pole saw is very comfortable in use as there is a great deal of leverage coiled up inside the pulley system. Depending on wood type it cut through pieces that only just fitted inside the jaws.
The handle has two ways of functioning. The first is with the slide you see half way down the side which acts like a trombone. The second is with the bell pull knob at the base which gives a very good reach. The great advantage we found with this kind is that the cutting head pivots over to 90 degrees by increments which is very useful with awkward angles.
We also found it a very useful tool for getting low down into bushes for taking out old growth say in forsythias as you don't need to have a big gap to work in like you need with loppers.
Regards Sally Wright.

I would caution against the type with rope and pulley on the outside, I've tried one and all you seem to do is pull endlessly on the rope, which is usually the nylon type so just keeps extending. - I'm back to my old wooden pole type, a bit heavy, but efficient.

You may also get some good advice here:

http://www.fredshed.co.uk/bigboys.htm

a-a

I've got a one I very rarely use.
It's a wooden one with an iron rod action.
Moving a single lower blade into a split hook upper blunt holder.
Could be available Clive, if you'd give it a good home.....

I too would not favour the external rope type - you spend a lot of time untangling the rope, or trying to unhook it from out of the tree.

Thank you,

Sally for the positive update on the Fiskars operation.

Adam-Alexander for echoing our thoughts on rope type ones...although I have only used a very budget rope type and not a commercial spec' one.

Tony, your thoughts too echo ours on the external rope tangle..

Peter....Your description of the wooden type and its rarely used status sounds very like ours...and it is now protesting at going from rarely used to regular use every Thursday.
I am very tempted to offer a good home to another one though...

Volunteer Trevor is already party to my looking at the ARS brand ones on the link above...so to proudly hand him a "new" wooden one may not be quite what he is expecting..

We have an older wooden pruner that has been periodically shortened as the poles tend to split in the end at the hook pruner rivets...the repair shortens the wood and the drive rod each time...it's down to being only a fraction longer than secateurs at arms length. ..I am exaggerating slightly here.

Thank you,
Clive.