Vent: my cheapo pole saw kept binding up so I switched to a Silky hand saw and I'm done with gas poles for small stuff
Had a job in Tacoma last month, two overgrown laurels and a bunch of 3 inch limbs to take down, and I figured I'd just knock it out with my old gas pole saw since it was already loaded on the truck. Mistake. The chain bound up maybe six times in the first hour, threw a chain once, and I spent more time fussing with the tension and fuel than actually cutting. Grabbed my neighbor's Silky Katanaboy for the second tree just to see, and the thing ate through 4 inch limbs in like 20 seconds with zero kickback. No fumes, no yanking a cord 12 times, no ear pro, and I could actually hear the rigging guy call out. For anything under 6 inches I don't think I'll touch the gas pole again unless it's a big takedown where reach really matters. Anyone else bailed on power poles for the hand saws, or am I just bad at tuning a chain?