Moving up to pruning saws

The pruning saw is such a simple tool that people tend to underestimate it.
The first thing you need to know about pruning saws is accept no substitutes. Don’t use any household or carpenter’s saw in its place. Those tools aren’t curved — a feature of the pruning saw you can immediately appreciate when you use it. Plus the blade may be too thick, which chews up the branch instead of severing it, or the cutting teeth may not be right for the branch you want to cut. Invest in the saw that’s meant for gardening! It’s never expensive, and you won’t be sorry.
Use a pruning saw on branches that won’t yield easily to loppers — basically, anything over 3 inches or so. You can manage thicker branches using the standard three-way If the job seems too big for your pruning saw — if you feel the slightest overmatched or in danger — hire someone else to do the job or use a chainsaw instead End to end, a typical pruning saw is between 14 and 20 inches long. Some shorter folding ones are handy for smaller jobs and are easy to carry in your pocket. The handle is traditionally of pistol grip design so you can hold and wield it securely and safely; it’s usually wood, but it may be tough plastic. As for the blade, seek something that’s rust-resistant and strong, such as tempered steel alloy. Look closely at the teeth — you want the tri-edge blades (the ones with three bevels), because this shape makes for the fastest, neatest cuts. Plain lance-toothed pruning saws are still around and are admittedly cheaper, but the cutting can be rough going.
What’s the advantage of a folding saw? It’s simply a safety feature, eliminating the need for a scabbard of some kind for carrying or storing the saw when it’s not in use. Beware of cheap folding saws, though! A well-designed folding saw locks securely in both the open and closed positions. The bow saw, which is a D-shaped saw, is bigger and more formidable, up to 3 feet long, intended only for bigger pruning jobs on larger branches. It allows both a push and pull cut. The frame should be of rigid steel so the blade is kept taut (or you can tighten it before each use).