In article ,
Mike Lyle wrote:

Having had the full ATB training course on chain saws, I'm horrified
by what I see. Poor maintenance (or none), insufficient protective
gear (or none), clumsy technique (or none). I seriously think there
should be a licence to drive one of those things. I agree on the
reciprocating saw; but on the other hand, a bow saw with a brand new
blade is good enough for _most_ gardeners: what does it matter if it
takes five minutes to cut through a branch instead of thirty seconds?
If one needs a rest and a cup of tea half-way, well, why not?

Even for someone in fairly poor shape, 5 minutes with a bow saw is
quite a branch! c. 9" diameter apple or c. 6" diameter hawthorn,
I would reckon. Of course, I use a 30" bow saw with a blade in
decent condition ....


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.