Felling small trees with hand tools

Felling with a billhook

As a felling tool, the billhook is best restricted to use on light coppice material and multi-stemmed shrubs where a bowsaw is awkward. When using a billhook:

1. Stand or kneel to the side of the stem, far enough back to achieve a full swing without endangering yourself. Standing is best for a powerful stroke, but kneeling may be more comfortable or necessary to avoid obstructions. Unless the stem is heavily leaning, you will be cutting into the front of the stem as shown. Use the billhook one-handed, controlling the descent of the stem with the other hand, placed well up the stem for safety.
   
2. Do not try to cut directly across the grain, as the tool is not designed for this. For small stems, which can be severed with one blow, use a slightly upward sweeping stroke to sever the stem. Avoid cutting downward, as you will drive the hook into the ground and dull or chip the edge.
   
3. Cut thicker stems by notching, as shown. Progressively enlarge the notch with downward and upward strokes until you can finish off with an upward stroke. Keep out of the way of the stem as it falls.
   

Felling with a bowsaw

The bowsaw is an efficient and versatile felling tool, and is the best choice for most small trees. As a rough guide, you can fell trees under about 75mm (3”) in diameter at the base by cutting straight through, without having to undercut on the front. Use your judgement, as you do not want the wood to split when the tree drops. A 530mm (21”) bowsaw is the best saw for single-handed use on small trees.

1. Crouch or kneel to one side of the tree, to saw through from the back.
   
2. Make the cut level or angled slightly downward in the direction of fall. Saw with easy relaxed strokes, using the full length of the blade.
3. If the tree starts to settle back or twist, use one hand to push it in the direction of fall. Saw faster as the tree falls to minimise the risk of the stem splitting. Keep sawing to sever the stem.

Trees over about 75mm (3”) stem diameter are difficult to fell accurately by cutting straight through, and the stems tend to split and fall awkwardly unless you make an undercut first. An undercut is suitable for stems up to about 130mm (5”) diameter, when a ‘sink’ cut becomes necessary.

Felling larger trees with a bowsaw

The procedure described below is suitable for trunks up to about 200mm (8”) diameter at the base. Anything larger than this should only be felled by a trained and competent person.

Basic procedure

The basic procedure is as follows.

1. Cut a sink by making a notch at the base of the front of the tree. The sink directs the tree’s fall away from you as you make the felling cut. Take great care with the position and depth of the sink, as this is critical in its effect on the way that the tree will fall. Cutting sinks are described further below.
2. Sever the tree with a ‘felling cut’ or ‘back cut’ made from the back of the tree towards the sink. An uncut piece of wood, called a ‘hinge’ or ‘hold’, is left to control the rate and direction of fall.

Cutting the sink

The sink should extend one quarter to one third of the trunk’s diameter.

Using a bowsaw, make the top cut first, and then make a horizontal cut along to it. Cut accurately, taking care not to cut into the hinge.

The felling cut

The felling cut should be at or slightly above the level of the bottom sink cut. Normally the felling cut should be level, but if there is any danger of the tree settling back on you, start the felling cut a little higher and angle it down slightly towards the hinge.

1. Line up the felling cut very carefully and cut accurately. If you sever the hinge you lose control of the tree, which is dangerous. The hinge should be about one tenth of the tree’s diameter in width. It helps to mark the point on the tree which you plan to make the felling cut, in order to leave the hinge uncut.
2. Except in special circumstances, finish off the felling cut parallel to the sink to leave a parallel-sided hinge not less than 25mm thick, and at right angles to the direction of fall.
   
3. Keep sawing until the tree starts to move. You can use a breaking bar or wedges, driven in behind the saw blade, to keep the kerf (saw cut) open, and to allow you to control the timing of the fall.
4. Stand well clear as it falls. The tree may rear upwards or kick backwards after felling, even in a straightforward situation.
5. Saw off the ‘sloven’, which is the thin strip of wood torn out of the stump or stem when the hinge breaks.