Wooded Yard Tool Recomendation

What you want is a good low cost South American machete, or a brush hook.

Some fancy expensive thing made by a knife company is not what you want, you want a hard use tool made by a tool company. Something that would be right at home hanging in a shed next to a shovel rake or hoe.
 
If you don't own a reciprocating saw, get one. They are so handy to have from cutting an occasional board, limbs, to smallish trees (up to about 6" diameter). Easier to use than a hand saw and useful when you start wanting to build stuff at your house. Get a good one. No Black & Decker stuff..... junk. I wore three out on a single job once when I was new to using reciprocating saws. Guy told me... they all wear out.... well they do, but I have been using a 20v Dewalt for about 5-7 years now without a problem (vs a few days with the B&D's) and the use runs from occasional use around the house to using one all day long on a project. I cut some shrubs off at ground level using it and it worked great. Cut the tops off with a long handled pruner and finished with the Dewalt but I could have just used the Dewalt.
 
KAEDC-

Nice house! I don't think your questions are really all knife related so here is my $.02.

As someone who has lived with woods most of my life I will tell you that trees in the woods drop a tons of leaves, limbs, and branches and a bunch of them will end up in your backyard. Occasionally a tree topples or splits and a big piece ends up in your yard and makes a big mess to clean up. I live on a large lot and part of it is 5.5 ac of woods going down to a creek. It is behind the grassed part of my backyard. It has 150' Beech and Yellow Poplar trees in it. It provides a year's worth of fireplace wood from just the stuff that falls down, limbs, branches, etc. If you can use the downed wood from your backyard woods I would suggest getting a chainsaw, a good, long, powerful one. Don't get a small cheapy or electric, it won't hold up for woods work. Other than that you will need something for all the fall leaves, and small branches. I have a lawn tractor and leaf wagon that I use to pickup the leaves, and a good bow saw for all the small branches that land on the grass. My lawn tractor also has a big cart to haul large pieces of cut wood from the woods to my woodpile. I use a big sledge and wedges to split up the logs once I have cut them into 20" lengths with my chainsaw. I use the Husqvarna 562 XP G and believe me it is worth the extra bucks if you live near or in the woods and use the downed wood for a fireplace.

https://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/chainsaws/562-xp-g/966570102/

 
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I pick up fallen branches and "tree stuff" just about every day but especially after a thunderstorm. Just the way it is with big trees. I have a chain saw, but seldom use it. My trees are too close to my house and I wouldn't risk cutting one myself. Every one of them could hit the house if I screwed up or land in a neighbors yard. So, I hire professionals for that sort of thing if I need something serious done. This happens about every 5 years.

I would love to have a property big enough to justify a tractor or ATV, but it just isn't so.
 
GatorFlash1 said:
KAEDC-

Nice house! I don't think your questions are really all knife related so here is my $.02.

As someone who has lived with woods most of my life I will tell you that trees in the woods drop a tons of leaves, limbs, and branches and a bunch of them will end up in your backyard. Occasionally a tree topples or splits and a big piece ends up in your yard and makes a big mess to clean up. I live on a large lot and part of it is 5.5 ac of woods going down to a creek. It is behind the grassed part of my backyard. It has 150' Beech and Yellow Poplar trees in it. It provides a year's worth of fireplace wood from just the stuff that falls down, limbs, branches, etc. If you can use the downed wood from your backyard woods I would suggest getting a chainsaw, a good, long, powerful one. Don't get a small cheapy or electric, it won't hold up for woods work. Other than that you will need something for all the fall leaves, and small branches. I have a lawn tractor and leaf wagon that I use to pickup the leaves, and a good bow saw for all the small branches that land on the grass. My lawn tractor also has a big cart to haul large pieces of cut wood from the woods to my woodpile. I use a big sledge and wedges to split up the logs once I have cut them into 20" lengths with my chainsaw. I use the Husqvarna 562 XP G and believe me it is worth the extra bucks if you live near or in the woods and use the downed wood for a fireplace.

https://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/chainsaws/562-xp-g/966570102/

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Thanks for the input! My property isn’t nearly big enough to need what you do lol, and the fireplace is gas... I just need to keep it walkable and not too overgrown. I’m thinking of getting a fire pit later, I’ll bet I can harvest enough fall for that tho! Maybe get a wood axe eventually...
 
Hickory n steel said:
What you want is a good low cost South American machete, or a brush hook.

Some fancy expensive thing made by a knife company is not what you want, you want a hard use tool made by a tool company. Something that would be right at home hanging in a shed next to a shovel rake or hoe.
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Thanks for the input! Is there a company you would recommend?
 
KAEDC said:
Thanks for the input! Is there a company you would recommend?
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For machete I use Imicasa made marbles machetes because they're affordable come with a decent sheath if you need it, come sharp unlike most machetes, and the orange coating which is tough as nails keeps major rust away.
You can spend more or less, but these have served me extremely well and I'm often cutting around or into Rocky ground.

For a brush hook or brush axe just ask 42blades he sells what you need and will steer you in the right direction.
 
Thanks Hickory n steel Hickory n steel ! I’ll look into them. 42blades chimed in earlier, and I have gotten a few recommendations for his Baryonyx Machete...I am thinking this will make a good general purpose tool, at least until I get a better handle of the property’s needs and quirks
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
^This. Let the environment dictate what tools you get. A knife as short as you're describing will be mostly useless in that environment. If going with a short chopper I'd suggest an Italian billhook or manaresso. Consider getting a good saw, like a Silky. Personally I prefer a good American scythe over a weed whacker, but you'd have to consider for yourself if that was a route that made sense for your context. A good set of pruning shears will allow you to make precise and tidy cuts that are cosmetically appealing when trimming back vegetation.
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Thanks for the advice! I’ll definitely hit up your shop, when I get a better idea of what will be useful. Your Baryonyx machete seem to come well recommended as the kind broad spectrum tool I might be interested in.
 
Congrats on your first house purchase KAEDC!

You will need a mower + weed whacker/trimmer for general lawn maintenance. An extendable pruner probably wouldn't hurt. That right there is your $500 and then some probably.

I have never used a machete for yard work myself but spending $20 on a Tramontina won't hurt the budget.

It's hard to tell if you'd get full use out of a chain saw. I'd hold off on that and see what your neighbors have. If you need a chainsaw a few times a year, offer to buy a neighbor some beer.

Don't feel you need to rush out and buy everything at once. Some new (and old) homeowners go over board.

As we head into fall, you might some good deals on lawn mowers. I've had Toro or Honda and currently use Cub Cadet. The Cub as priced right and had a 3 year warranty. Many other mowers had 2 years.
 
Mecha said:
BRB making a Japanese nata...:eek:
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Well, they seem to be the most widely available currently but if you're looking for more "authentic", you could buy one of these in 13.75-14.5" lengths for around $60-66 (€55-59) or about $85-90 after shipping from this site in Germany via DHL.
japanisches-haumesser-313670a.jpg


Personally, I like the looks of the 12" BRB version better but no doubt the "real deal" is probably better in terms of use and function. The Japanese just have a way of doing certain things "right" especially when it comes to knife design for cooking and gardening.
 
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sgt1372 said:
Well, they seem to be the most widely available currently but if you're looking for more "authentic", you could buy one of these in 13.75-14.5" lengths for around $60-66 (€55-59) or about $85-90 after shipping from this site in Germany via DHL.
japanisches-haumesser-313670a.jpg


Personally, I like the looks of the 12" BRB version better but no doubt the "real deal" is probably better in terms of use and function. The Japanese just have a way of doing certain things "right" especially when it comes to knife design for cooking and gardening.
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No way, I'mma make a big long one that's sort of like a sword.
 
I have a Stihl combi. Basically a big trimmer that takes multiple attachments. I’m happy with mine.

You are going to want a burn barrel too.

Watch for vines and eradicate them as soon as you see them spout.
 
eveled said:
I have a Stihl combi. Basically a big trimmer that takes multiple attachments. I’m happy with mine.

You are going to want a burn barrel too.

Watch for vines and eradicate them as soon as you see them spout.
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Despite the pics, it is fairly residential so a burn barrel probably isn’t going to be an option. Looked into the Sthil, there are several engine powers, which did you get, and how much was it? Sthil’s site doesn’t give prices...just see a dealer...
 
I’m very resident too. You will need an ornamental yuppie fire pit. As opposed to a barrel. As long as you don’t burn leaves nobody will complain. My neighbor wraps a couple of rocks in tin foil then puts them in the coals. He figures he can call it a cooking fire. I think it’s better to bake real potatoes!

I bought the large engine because I already had a tiller attachment. I don’t remember what I paid.

I have two trimmer attachments, the blower attachment, the tiller, edger, pole saw with extension.

It’s nice to only have one engine to maintain. But the downside is it is heavier than a dedicated line trimmer. You wouldn’t want to use it all day everyday.
 
I also have the stihl kombi system. I spent around 400 fo the residentialpower head string trimmer and edger attachment. The only repair so far has been replacing the spark plug, air filter, and cleaned the spark arrester. It is 6 years old. Before this I bought the big box store ones. The engine would not last. I calculated that I broke even last year over buying the cheaper junk. I had the gas tank on a toro crack while in use on a cold day (for Florida) and I got real warm real fast when the fuel reached the muffler.

I use a machete three our four times a year. I have a schrade yard sword which looks like a kukuri. I have a ridged battery reciprocating saw with a 5 amp hour battery. Great for small pruning. They also have an adapter to charge usb devices off their batteries.

I would see if any nice neighbor has a chain saw before buying one. I have a 18 inch stihl chain saw which outlasted several homlite saws during hurricane Michael relief work. Always buy alcohol free gas’s for smaller motors.

Also a good axe will be useful at times as well as hoe and shovel.

Even more important is a good grill, smoker and a way to cool your beverage of choice while maintaining you yard and grilling your steaks.
 
I have a 5.1 acre lot... most is wooded. I used to use a Huqvarna chainsaw, but I've since switched to the Milwaukee electric Chainsaw, and I freaking love it! But you won't need that.
What I recommend for you is the Milwaukee Pole Saw / string-trimmer / hedge-trimmer set-up with Quik-Lok. I bought the string trimmer (weed whacker) before the newer quik-lok version came out and am sad I did so, NOT because the trimmer isn't great but because i wish I'd waited to get the adaptable version! The trimmer is now outiftted with a Weedshark that was on sale at Menards - after sharpening the teeth and replacing the strings with something more effective for my brush, it is a mighty handy tooth for cutting paths where i cannot get a good swipe with my scythe. I would MUCH rather have the hedge-trimmer attachment on a pole as that works like a scythe-mower and would be FAR more effective than the weed-whacker. You may benefit from both. The pole-saw I have only borrowed from a neighbor and the thing is darned effective. I do have a regular pole saw (not Silky, just a Fiskars) and it works well but the electric pole-saw is killer quick AND you can ditch the extension bar and cut downed branches with it :cool:
The batteries have been great on all my Milwaukee tools. They usually run longer than the job at hand, and I have gotten them with buy-1-get-1-free deals so when I do exhaust one I can switch to the other while the first charges but, again, I usually finish the days work before the full battery runs out. For the weed-shark, i am running their 9.0 battery (18V), and for the Chainsaw I use the 12.

The down-side: expensive. The quik-lok string trimmer + hedge/scythe blade + pole-saw (and extension) + 9.0 battery + charger will probably set you back $500 but you will be done. The video below details the edger as well - from your pics, you may like that too, but i have no experience with it nor any use for such a tool.

 
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