Controversial take: I stopped using climbing spikes on removals after a job in Seattle last spring.

I was taking down a big Douglas fir for a homeowner who specifically asked me not to spike the trunk (she wanted to keep the wood for lumber). That job made me realize how much damage spikes do on trees that could actually be milled or reused. Has anyone else switched their approach for a similar reason?

2 comments

2 Comments

simonw411mo ago

Used to roll my eyes at the no-spike thing, thought it was just homeowner fussiness. But that lumber angle is real, I've had logs I spiked end up with ugly marks that ruined them for anything nice.

faith_thomas1mo agoMost Upvoted

@simonw41 nailed something there, but here's a twist nobody mentions. Ever notice how spike marks can actually trap moisture if you're working with green wood? Those little holes fill up with water and start the rot from the inside out. I had a nice cherry log I was saving for a table top, spiked it to move it, and a few months later the spots around the marks were all soft and punky. Ruined a perfectly good slab for anything decorative. That water trap angle is why I switched to straps even for just yard work logs.