$8.00 Pruning Knife for Air-Layering

[Warlock]

Wow.. The blade on this is no joke!.. Feels very heavy and durable. I guess i will find out when I start to use it. it needs alittle oil but it should do the one job i need it for.

Amazon.com : SZCO Supplies Rite Edge Hawkbill Pruning Knife : Hunting Folding Knives : Sports & Outdoors

Amazon.com : SZCO Supplies Rite Edge Hawkbill Pruning Knife : Hunting Folding Knives : Sports & Outdoors

www.amazon.com

 

[Maiden69]

The main problem with that blade is going to be keeping it decently sharp. I used to use one similar for electrician work and used a half round file to sharpen it. For air-layers I use my 18mm Olfa.

 

[bwaynef]

While I'm positive this knife will perform the task with aplomb, I've never needed anything more than a sharp edge to perform an airlayer. My everydaycarry pocket knife is plenty sufficient. A razor/hobby knife is probably even better.

Use this one, but if you can't find it one day, don't let it keep you from starting your airlayer.

 

[Shibui]

Different steel has different properties. Some types of steel are easier to sharpen and stay sharp for longer. You often get what you pay for and the price suggests this may not be made from high quality steel but should be OK for occasional hobby use.
I find the curved blades harder to use, probably because I started out with straight blade grafting and budding knives and it can be harder to change techniques that to learn from the start.

 

[Millard B.]

My everyday 25 year old Buck-Lite with a good quality Stainless steel blade is all that I use for airlayering. I airlayer a lot of tropicals. The $8.00 knife is probably good enough to get the job done, is it a stainless or carbon steel? I use the rounded front portion of the blade to scrape the membrane off trunks off once I have removed the bark (especially on BRTs whose trunks have started to flatten and flute), using a hawks bill would be difficult for me. For grafting I use a Due Boui Italian high carbon steel knife sharpened on a 5/ 25 micron diamond stone with oil, it will get surgical sharp. I never sharpen a knife on a grinding wheel or a machinist file. ( Or the sidewalk like we did when we went fishing as kids!) Old knob and tube electrical porcelain insulators work good for a quick polishing. I'm getting ready to do a hundred or so airlayers on a hedge of Divi-divis and Xylosma bahamensis- Spring is here!


Ignorance can be a Powerful Tool, when applied at the Right Time, it can Surpass Knowledge!

 

[Warlock]

While I'm positive this knife will perform the task with aplomb, I've never needed anything more than a sharp edge to perform an airlayer. My everydaycarry pocket knife is plenty sufficient. A razor/hobby knife is probably even better.

Use this one, but if you can't find it one day, don't let it keep you from starting your airlayer.

I was gonna try to air layer some tree branches 2-3" thick .. Live Oak , cedar elm and mesquite. They have some rough bark..