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Favorite Trail Tools


Ridenfool
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A thread to share your faves.

Fiskars:

The best thing about this brand is a lifetime warranty. Send them a photo and they send a new tool or the parts needed to repair it.

fiskars-loppers-379722-1001-64_400_compr

15" PowerGear Titanium Lopper $23 at HomeDepot

This tool's power gear makes cutting things a breeze. It's blunt ends make it easy to slide the handle into a waist belt on a pack and carry it on a ride. It is lightweight and very unobtrusive. I've ridden with one like this for over a decade without a mishap. I always carry with the plastic anvil against my body. I'm hard on these tools and have received several replacements over the years without a qualm from Fiskars over any claim.  This is my most-used trail maintenance tool.

 

 

fiskars-pruning-saws-390470-1006-64_400_

10" Power Tooth Folding Saw $20 at HomeDepot

This one is an improvement over earlier models. The blade is a thicker gauge and doesn't bend as easily as other saws. The teeth are amazing in how fast they can cut. Fits easily into most packs, and has a hole to string accessory cord through for other carrying and storage options. Also, the blade has three locking positions, Stowed, Regular Cut (shown) and Undercut where it flips another 90 degrees to have the teeth up.
 

 

54" EZ Reach Stick Tree Pruner $40 at HomeDepot

You can quickly cut things like Yaupon near the ground without bending over each time, and you can reach branches high overhead in order to cut them back further. It is lightweight, durable, and guaranteed for life. This tool is magical in making quick work of trimming as it easily slides into thick brush to get to that difficult to reach branching point without getting poked in the eye trying to wrangle loppers in a tight space. Eliminating all the bending and squatting that cutting at ground level usually demands will allow you to get more done without wearing you out.

A truly amazing tool, best for those days when you are walking in as it would be challenging to attach to bike or pack due to the length.

The lopper and the pruning stick are capable of cutting up to 1.25" diameter. If you want to maximize the reward from your efforts, use tools like these to make it easy to clear the corridor and sight lines back enough to last for years.

 

Oddly enough, these tools can all be used around the yard at home too. Though I can't imagine anyone spending their prime trimming time on yard work when there are trails to maintain. :classic_cool:

 

What are your faves and what makes them so?

Edited by Ridenfool
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Fiskar's lifetime warranty is a very good selling point. A better selling point would be to fortify the handle better so that they wouldn't break ALL THE TIME. I have purchased three of these saws. They have now sent me twelve saws total to replace those three broken saws. All broken at the exact same spot. They even sent me two of a different model to try. They don't carry them at Home Depot. The blade would slide out from the handle instead of unfolding. I thought, "that might be the solution." But the blade was so thin it literally broke the first time I used it. Fiskars use to use wood on their folding saws. I wish they would again.

My mattock would be the next most used tool in my arsenal. I hardly ever take my Mcleod out because the mattock can do the same thing. Can't say the reverse. 

Lastly would be my steel toed boots. It's hard to explain how much has been accomplished with the kicking, stomping, smoothing, and just "walking hard" I have done with my boots.

I am mad at my loppers. I snapped the handles together over a month ago and whacked my finger with it somehow. My finger is still swollen and hard to bend.

Edited by The Tip
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On 2/13/2019 at 7:21 AM, The Tip said:

My mattock would be the next most used tool in my arsenal. I hardly ever take my Mcleod out because the mattock can do the same thing. Can't say the reverse.

I've been using a Mcleod for a long time, but have done very little work with a Mattock, Pick, etc. as the trail surface I've worked on mostly needed raking, dragging, and tamping. I used to pack along a small Mattock-like tool, and eventually started leaving it behind due to the weight, unless I had a specific reason to bring it along.

It is a stretch for me to see how you do the same work with a Mattock that others use a Mcleod for, but your work may be mostly on a surface better suited to the strengths of the Mattock.

Mcleod

11Z396_AS01?$mdmain$

 

Mattock

garden-mattock-913-mattock-tool-500-x-50

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I'm not talking about trail maintenance. I guess it's better at raking leaves. But this is about making new trail. Like through grasslands. Those big tufts of vegetation are very difficult to remove with the "light weight" Mcleod. Chop chop chop scrape chop is about how it goes. With a mattock its "whoosh" done!  But even just scraping the easy grass off, down to the dirt. is easier with the mattock. I will run two 4" wide lines to break it up, then smooth it out with my boot. Believe me, I have used my Mcleod a lot in the past. So what I'm telling you is not based on a one or two time use of it. Or 20. lol

So even on what a Mcleod is supposedly better for I disagree that it's better. And then there is all the other things that the mattock does that it was designed for.  Like removing rocks. The leverage action of the mattock is superior to the Mcleod. The Mcleod usually bends when you try the same thing.  And then there's shaping dirt, like bench cutting. No contest.

Now you have me all worked up. I hope it rains soon so I can stop riding and get out there and have some real fun! (sigh) It's a sickness, yes?

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1 hour ago, The Tip said:

I'm not talking about trail maintenance. I guess it's better at raking leaves. But this is about making new trail. Like through grasslands. Those big tufts of vegetation are very difficult to remove with the "light weight" Mcleod. Chop chop chop scrape chop is about how it goes. With a mattock its "whoosh" done!  But even just scraping the easy grass off, down to the dirt. is easier with the mattock. I will run two 4" wide lines to break it up, then smooth it out with my boot. Believe me, I have used my Mcleod a lot in the past. So what I'm telling you is not based on a one or two time use of it. Or 20. lol

So even on what a Mcleod is supposedly better for I disagree that it's better. And then there is all the other things that the mattock does that it was designed for.  Like removing rocks. The leverage action of the mattock is superior to the Mcleod. The Mcleod usually bends when you try the same thing.  And then there's shaping dirt, like bench cutting. No contest.

Now you have me all worked up. I hope it rains soon so I can stop riding and get out there and have some real fun! (sigh) It's a sickness, yes?

I see what you mean. The Mcleod I use is heavy, like 3/32 or 1/8 steel plate, not like the one pictured. It can do much of what you describe and I can see how the lighter stamped sheet metal ones would not have the heft to cut tufts nor dig without bending. In the gravel of RHR it is perfect, but the Limestone of the Edwards Plateau will need something with a little more fortitude to leave a lasting impression.

It is a sickness. I went out and repaired the Carpet Bridge at RHR after work today. This involved a Hi-Lift jack, a motorcycle tie-down, several Ryobi power tools, metal strapping, deck screws, concrete pavers, and some heavy lumber. Oh, and a hammer, naturally. All on privately owned land. (Grey does me right by my efforts) The bridge isn't wonky any more, but I think there will be something done to replace it, someday. Paul pointed out there is a pile of leftovers from some LCRA high lines where they replaced wood structure with metal. Whoo-hoo!

Edited by Ridenfool
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  • 2 weeks later...
26 minutes ago, Leafkiller said:

My 16 year old son.

Do they go through a stage where it's more a chore to get them to do yardwork than to do it yourself and then get better past some age?  I got a 12yo and 14yo.  The 14yo will get motivated and work hard once he gets started, but getting him started is a problem.  The 12yo, forget it.

Regarding machetes, I have a Fiskars and I'm not impressed with the factory sharpness.  Is it a normal thing to have to sharpen them?  Do they make them kind of dull on purpose?

 

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  • 1 month later...

I got an email from Fiskars confirming that they have shipped something to me. Odd thing is that I had received the last warranty replacement lopper I had put a claim in on. I own two or three of them and other Fiskars tools. Some of which are in a state that I could probably send in a claim for, as I've done several times over the years. 

Maybe they are doing pre-emptive replacement on my stuff now. :classic_biggrin:

Edit: The package arrived and inside was a 15" Power Gear lopper. Correction, the label now calls it a Super Lopper.

Edited by Ridenfool
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  • 1 year later...

Take the head to Home Depot and see what fits.

This is a picture I sent to Fiskars. They sent me a box of saws. I broke those too. Now I have repaired a couple with bolted on metal straps to put the broken pieces together. This solution has worked so far. 

large.jpg

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  • 1 month later...

What a relevant video for me!

I love my Trail Boss tool set. Works as good or better than it's designed to.

Also enjoyed seeing that particular task they did. Very similar to two projects recently completed in the SATN. I haven't had a chance to see how either Bambi or Poke Eye Man's drainage solutions did with the most recent rain. I think it rained enough to put them to the test.

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  • 4 months later...
  • 1 year later...

I've recently purchased a Ryobi pole saw. Basically, an 18 volt cordless chainsaw on a pole that has been a significant time-saver at Rocky Hill Ranch of late.

It cuts up to 8" limbs with ease, reaches high up to get those that droop down, and can also be turned on its side to more easily reach and clear Yaupon and other small brush at ground level while keeping the chain out of the dirt.

The battery lasts surprising long and a spare is easily carried in a hydration pack. Frankly, once I've used a battery I am about done for the day anyway if I'm also lopping and raking on a new trail.

There is an included extension pole that can go in the middle for more reach, but I have yet to use it.

p_1001160877.jpg

Edited by Ridenfool
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How long are the poles when broken down? As in, how easy is it to transport (and conceal!)?

By the way, I've started using a Fiskar sliding saw that they sent as a replacement. It has a thicker gauge blade than the one they sent me before. So it has lasted a long time, both blade and handle. As mentioned above the handles would always break on the folding saws.

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I had one of those Ryobi pole saws. Typically I'm a fan of the Ryobi line, but this one sucked. It stopped working reliably about just a few uses. The problem is that the pole has little power connections that have to touch each other to work, but you are actively pulling them apart as you cut. I tried a little to fix this for a little while, but it was also underpowered IMO, so I just gave up on it. Maybe I just got a dud. The 40V battery would be much better for this saw.

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The black and decker has a 20V, I would prefer it had the 40V like my other tools. The 20V battery is for the polesaw, drill, and hedge clipper. The 40V is on the chainsaw, leaf blower and weed whipper.

I will say my 20V B&D pole saw is pretty durable, it's cut through a ton of limbs. You do need to manually lube the chain, there is no "tank" to fill with oil. That is a pain, but not the worst thing in the world. 

Broken down these are ~4' segments and could easily be put in a backpack if you lash the 3 together with the handle/trimmer at the bottom.

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On 2/16/2022 at 10:44 AM, notyal said:

I had one of those Ryobi pole saws. Typically I'm a fan of the Ryobi line, but this one sucked. It stopped working reliably about just a few uses. The problem is that the pole has little power connections that have to touch each other to work, but you are actively pulling them apart as you cut. I tried a little to fix this for a little while, but it was also underpowered IMO, so I just gave up on it. Maybe I just got a dud. The 40V battery would be much better for this saw.

I've gone through ten or more 4Ah battery charges on it by now and have not experienced this symptom. Ryobi has likely engineered around it.

As for voltage, I've stuck with the 18V Ryobi tools mostly because I already have several of their larger capacity batteries and just buy new tools without battery and charger when adding to the collection. Rather than having another charger and more batteries then I'll use. Clearly the 40V will have advantages, particularly for anyone just beginning to accumulate matching tools. Once you get to fifteen or twenty different tools sharing the same battery it can influence the decision to delay adding 40V tools. For me anyway.

FWIW, I have been immensely impressed with how long the larger 18V batteries will last when weed trimming, sawing, drilling, routing, etc. By the time I've gone through one of the large 18V batteries on the pole saw while clearing new trail the chain needs sharpening, oil tank needs a second refill, and my meat-sack battery is about empty too. 😁

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