I'll answer a question that has come up multiple times in the comment section: "Have you had any barber-chair". No, not a single one and none of my friends that have been doing this since 2017 have had a single one. There are times that look like a barber chair is starting and it looks dangerous, but it never barber chairs, what I determined is going on is that layer of lumber is staying put while the tree is trying to go, so it looks like a barber chair, but when that "lumber" streak breaks loose from the log, the thing that looks like a barber-chair goes away. I included one in this tutorial, an ash. That was probably the "ugliest" one I've ever seen, but I've had many look like the beginning of a barber-chair, but it never amounts to one. I'm not saying it's impossible for a barber-chair at this point, I've just never seen it yet and I've felled a lot with this technique. I've also made really ugly cuts with the gills where they came out in the same location on the other side or even crossed a little on days I was feeling off. Those ugly bore cuts didn't seem to matter; it's a quite forgiving technique.

Awesome closing shot. Beats a "mike drop" by atleast a mile and a half. Thanks for your hard work. DOUG out

Interesting concept! Came over via a link to this video by Educated Climber, now subscribed. Thanks for the video and sharing your experience.

This is a very well put together video tutorial. I respect the way that you discussed the behavior of the wood, the sources of your inspiration and development of the idea. I have my share of trees that popped the hinge sooner than I wanted, or side leaned pulled the thick hinge as if it wasn’t even there. I am excited to start using this technique and observe how it works here in the PNW. Thanks!

Watched the whole thing, what a cool technique. Kept wondering what's keeping them from barber-chairing... I'll be trying this for sure... Thanks David. #openthevault

After watching this tutorial I used this cut on some norway maple, which is a notoriously brittle wood that doesn't hold the hinge well at all. I was surprised at how well it worked. Thanks so much it is always great to have another tool in the toolbox.

This is definitely the best explanation of why and where you would want to use this.

Buenas tardes Colega , quiero agradecerte por dar a conocer este tipo de corte tan particular , efectivo y original , hace 11 meses que lo practico y me permitió realizar trabajos en prevención de incendios de interfase en un área muy sensible en Patagonia Argentina y mi equipo de trabajo y yo lo practicados en más de 300 pinos blancos de promedio 50 cm de diámetro son mayores complicaciones , muchas gracias y seguimos aprendiendo cada día Dios te bendiga

Was there laying all 20+ Alturna Mats in 2017 for that pine tree. Have used it in multiple scenarios since leaving Maryland. It's great to be able to lay down a large spar without putting a canoe in someone's yard.

My friend forwarded this video yesterday. I gave it a go on a very heavy back leaning white mulberry today. We pulled it over with a skid steer and I was very pleased with the performance of this technique. Thank you very much 👍

good technique David.. And really GOOD just to hear your voice again... I like the teaching and that sure gets the mind working.. lots of possibilities, and a bunch of questions come up too. The fiber pull on that beech was awesome.. and anyone that knows the sound of a tearing hinge will recognize the extraordinary holding ability of those hinges. effective on side leaners for sure, wonder if you could angle the vertical bore cuts to make them taper too...back leaners, only if they have side lean too... otherwise more hinge to fight isn't helping. I just started using the sizwheel a couple years ago and was very impressed with the holding ability. I think one important teaching piece that needs to be stressed is that in order for these hinges to work well, you need to have a lot of pulling power with high ropes and equipment... the trench cut is huge as it allows the hinge to move in a way that spreads the tension force more evenly across the hinge from back to front, rather than just having the fibers tear from back to front much as a piece of paper getting ripped in half. I'm not sure that you're going to get much help slowing down a front leaner in order to lessen the force of impact (on the driveway for example).. ps that was a ballsy move and rather than extolling the virtue of the shark gill, maybe the better lesson there is a warning about the ill-effects of underbidding. THE X-MAN RIDES AGAIN. another great contribution to the industry...

Great presentation. Well covered. It was quite impressive to see how the shark gill worked on the white pine. To see that much fiber pull is great.

Cool technique. Just a hobby arborist at my property but might try this eventually.

Came over from Educated Climber and subscribed. Thank you for sharing your knowledge, experience, and innovation. I'll place this new tool you've shared in my toolbox with my X rings. :-)

Awesome Video… Thank you for sharing… One more tool for the old tool box…

This is a game changer! Congratulations on the idea and figuring it out

@EducatedClimber sent me here. Thank you for this very interesting technique !

I think I’d love to try this…..tomorrow

Very Interesting. I'm gonna give it a go.

Very good technique. You never explained the Back cut- in for height & depth to a gill or gills, although implied. Thks.

Fascinating physics, thank you. I'll never be using this myself BUT I'm glad to know about it.

Awesome video, thank you for sharing. Keep them coming!

Wonderful information, Very helpful and useful. Thanks for sharing hoss. Can't wait to try it.

Thanks for the great content

Great presentation- Thank you

Very interesting, will have to practice this. Could come in very handy thanks!

Very detailed video, Thank you for sharing. I'm definitely trying this out

This is awesome thnx for sharing your knowledge much appreciated brotha

That’s A great idea I’ll try it for sure and thanks so much for sharing it with others.

Like it will defo be using it some time soon

Hi David Thanks for sharing, I think it's very useful on pinus contorta, they are also very brittle. The trench cut is called parallel cut in Denmark. I think its a german logger who invested it. I remember You commented the trench cut in a video I shared on treebuzz many years ago, maybe it was there you saw it the first time? Keep the videos coming👍 Climb safe. Best regards Brian.

Thanks for putting this out there! It seems like a valuable technique. I look forward to trying it out in an appropriate setting

realmente muy buen tutorial , lo he usado en mis trabajos y es una herramienta mas para seguir aprendiendo en las tareas forestales , saludos y gracias desde Argentina , Patagonia

I have a couple large very dead lodgepole pines in about two weeks, the have a slight lean in the wrong direction. Going to practice up on this then try it on them. Thanks for the knowledge.

Thank you for the time and effort on the tutorial. 👍Well done. Definitely adding this to my bag of tricks as well. Are there any extra precautions to take when using it aloft versus on the ground?

In Germany the TrenchCut is called "Würzenschnitt" i dont know if that term is used throughout europe though.

Man thanks for sharing this technique! Definitely a new one for me. Will add it to my bag of tricks. I will practice it first on straight trees. Will this work for heavy side leaners also? Maybe attach a holding rope also on very heavy side leaners or not necessary? Thanks brother!

I have a question, or questions…if max hinge or hang time is the goal (it is for me), wouldn’t a more open face help? Also, it seems like the gill cut closest to the back cut is really just inducing barber chair…or am I missing something? Thanks

Wow Tanks dude

VERY interesting! Could this technique be adapted to the Humbolt face cut? Would you bore the trench above or below the plane?

@22:30 another thing to slow down the falling momentum is a scarf cut below the face cut, as it allows the trunk to slide down the trunk more and to free fall from a lower height.

I could have tried this out on a beech tree cleanup I was working on in April. Side and back learners. Have you used it on hollow trees at all with similar results? I had a hollow beech tree with pretty good back weight, towards the house, used 2 lines in the tree to help it over. One hooked to a 9500# winch and a second hooked to a comalong as a "safety". Thanks for sharing!!

When you cut the pine and left your holding wood on the right side, did you plunge all the way through the tree three times and just cut even or did you go only halfway through on the tension side leaving the compression side with a minimum hold?

I could have used this a couple weeks ago

Just wondering if that technique would work on a tree with a heavy forward lean opposed to using the bore and release cut??

Cool technique. Out of all the trees you and your buddy’s cut this way did any of them barber chair?

A 10% hinge width and 80% dia length will do just fine. If set properly!

I would love to see how effective it is on side leaners. Most of the trees you never showed the lean. How does it do on tree of heaven?

That was a giant piece you rigged down in tulip I believe it was. What gear did you use besides the grcs?

R.I.P ALEX

Has anyone tried lowering a whole tree (depending on size) to the ground with a crane or pulley? Always wonder if it would work and how to figure weight ratio.

It's awesome how close tree peoples minds think alike.

Cool technique, David, and great vid! … watched the whole thing - some of it more than once. Quick question: Have you noticed any higher risk for 'barber-chair' with the Shark Gill Felling Cut? Also, good to hear from you again, David! 👍👍

The most important thing to notice with all this is at 24 minutes 48 seconds. If property damage or injury is even remotely possible .....use what is mentioned at 24:48

What about using it on a dead tree. Since will only break and not bend, are there and advantage. 18:46

I appreciate xman’s caveat that we should leave this to the “professionals” but as an intelligent and experienced landowner who logs and fells 95% of his own trees, I’ve used the shark Gill very often, especially up here in NY state with the Ash borer problem. As you all know, Ash, esp dead Ash, is highly susceptible to barber chair. Shark Gill is the answer. Point being, most chainsaw users worldwide are NOT professionals, I.e., they don’t make a living off the trade and don’t hold themselves out to be such. So, using shark Gill is only common sense. I’ve felled about 15 four-plus story trees with shark Gill and I’ve never felt safer using a cut

Anyone think that tree was way smaller than expected after hearing his estimate assessment? Thank you for this in depth explanation though. 👍👍

It almost seemed like it was about to barberchair

That there is a finger hinge if I ever seen one.

영 아니올시다.

I wished everyone or anyone who does a fell on a leaner would please, please show the amount of lean they are seeking to over come. On the first example I saw how the hinge was opening more on the right than the left and it did break off on the right first. Now, I can't say whether or not you hit your mark. I could tell that the tree had substantial lean, but it "looked as if you were pulling in the direction of the lean, but the right side giving way proves otherwise, hence the need to show what you are working with.

what a complete joke, and waste of time...... ive been falling big trees for 31 years....this is ridiculous......

Good work, good explanation. Seems like you don't like your fingers or hand very much.