As a rule-of -thumb, the harder the wood the finer the saw tooth required for a clean cut. Treetools have had a number of inquiries recently from customers wanting to know which pruning saw is best suited for pruning the hard wood on roses (remember rose pruning is best left until the frosts are over for the winter).
These woody nodes present a problem to most rose growers - as the cut stem ages and dries out they often get too hard to remove with a pair of secateurs (unless you are using Felco 13's). Loppers, particularly the bypass models, can crush the fragile rose cane allowing the opportunity for disease to take hold.A pruning saw is the best alternative. Unfortunately the larger tooth Silky's tend to 'grab' the rose cane in their teeth and since the canes are flexible they swing about, even with a firm grip, and the pruner can end up with a nasty Silky cut on the back of their hand. The answer is to use a fine tooth Silky - they are much easier to get started, even with a rose cane. The Pocket Boy 170 (342-17)
is a good example and this model is available in extra fine tooth as well.
Other fine tooth models include the Super Excel and the Gomboy series. The fine-tooth versions are not currently listed on the Treetools website so in the meantime please use the contact form to let us know your requirements. Check out the handy, soft plastic pouches for the Gomboys - perfect for the rose gardener.
As an aside, these fine tooth Silkys make excellent hunting saws for cutting through bone - lop off those antlers or cut through a breast bone - couldn't be easier - and they are light (and small) enough to fit in your pack.
