What Kind of Blade do you use for Stalk Harvesting?

[deluxestogie]

In the past, I have stalk-harvested only a relatively small number of plants (maybe 20). I used a sturdy pocket knife to cut the base of the stalk. The cutting required quite a bit of force. I decided last season that I should find a specific tool for this infrequent task.

My question to those who have stalk-harvested in the past is, what kind of blade or tool do you use? Are you happy with it?

Any photos would be helpful.

I'm thinking that a short bladed, heavy machete might be a good choice. But I'm not sure.

Bob

 

[johnlee1933]

In the past, I have stalk-harvested only a relatively small number of plants (maybe 20). I used a sturdy pocket knife to cut the base of the stalk. The cutting required quite a bit of force. I decided last season that I should find a specific tool for this infrequent task.

My question to those who have stalk-harvested in the past is, what kind of blade or tool do you use? Are you happy with it?

Any photos would be helpful.

I'm thinking that a short bladed, heavy machete might be a good choice. But I'm not sure.

Bob

Bob, I use a corn knife. The knife in this pick is much more modern than mine. On mine the blade is straighter but the idea is the same. You can cut with a chopping motion like a sickle or reach past the stalk and cut by pulling the blade up toward you. I prefer this method but use them both as muscles tire. The blade of a corn knife is much sturdier than a sickle blade. The longer handle means less bending which for me right now is a major plus. The knife plus my wheelbarrow makes short work of my little patch.

 

[Fisherman]

I used a serated edge knife and scored one side and broke the stem at that score. A machete would be the best even if you didnt cut it clean.. Seems the stem brakes where the litest score or cut is pretty much on the few that i did this year. Good topic subject tho.

 

[workhorse_01]

I use a pair of Lowe's brand pvc cutters. They cut right through like a knife through hot butter, no strain and clean cut. and a stainless blade in it, for about $9.00 click, click, click and your done.

 

[Seanz]

I use an old butchers steak knife. nice thick bull noes knife

 

[workhorse_01]

This is the one I use

 

[Jitterbugdude]

I use a Kaiser knife, some people call it a sling blade mm -mm
Coffe kinda mkaes me nervous when I drink it

But seriously, I use a good ol' tobacco knife I bought off an Amish guy many moons ago.
I'll try to post some pics tomorrow and when it's light enough
It does a fantastic job of whacking the stalks off at the base.

Edit: nix the photo, here is an ebay link to the exact one I use.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/LARGE-STALK...636?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cd25ed374

 

[workhorse_01]

I always wondered what ugh - ugh a keiser blade was.

 

[johnlee1933]

I use a Kaiser knife, some people call it a sling blade mm -mm
Coffe kinda mkaes me nervous when I drink it

But seriously, I use a good ol' tobacco knife I bought off an Amish guy many moons ago.
I'll try to post some pics tomorrow and when it's light enough
It does a fantastic job of whacking the stalks off at the base.

Edit: nix the photo, here is an ebay link to the exact one I use.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/LARGE-STALK...636?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cd25ed374

Yep. That's right close to what I use. On mine the blade is 4 - 5" longer and slightly curved.

 

[Jack in NB]

After all the good leaves have been removed, Felco pruning shears take care of my 100 or so run-of-the mill plants; my 20 or so NB11's need loppers or root pruners (beefed-up pruning shears with 18 to 24" long handles) because of the heaver stalks.

I then chop them into 12 - 18" lengths and throw them onto the compost pile, along with the roots (pried out, dried for a few days, then bashed around to leave most of the earth on my growing area).

This would be quite awkward if the leaves are still on the stalks.

A blacksmith-made tool that Dad used to have might be helpful for this. Made from a broken dump rake tooth, the hinge/attach casting made a comfortable handle. The tooth was heated and straightened for a 30 inch or so length, and the last 6" was bent into a "j" giving a 4" or so hook on the end, at right angles to the handle. The hook was hammered into a knife blade an inch or so wide, with the cutting edge on the inside of the curve.

 

[leverhead]

I used a light machete last year, the one I keep in the truck. I don't have many rocks to worry about. If I did, I think that tobacco knife that JBD had a link to would be a better choice.

 

[workhorse_01]

I may have misunderstood what Bob was asking, I use the pvc cutters to cut the stalk just above the lowest, nicest, sucker, so I can hang whole stalk to cure in the barn.

 

[Knucklehead]

I haven't cut ant tobacco stalks yet, but I've done alot of trimming and thinning of brush and limbs. I use the Indian Kukri knife. Military surplus.* http://www.ebay.com/itm/Handmade-Mi...270?pt=Collectible_Knives&hash=item43bca7766e I've had mine about 30 years.

 

[Boboro]

I use a limb lopper,but my plants are really big.

 

[FmGrowit]

I've used a cheap machete and lopping shears before. The lopping shears work very good, but are they're heavy and slow.

The machete works much faster, but it has to be kept sharp otherwise a blunt force strike will knock off some leaves...kinda defeats the purpose of stalk harvesting. Maybe a good machete would hold an edge longer, but would you want to use a good machete for this?

 

[Chicken]

a sharp machete, with a good, anguluar stroke,

last year mine fell over like a haitian cutting sugar-cane..

 

[DGBAMA]

I just hope mine grow big enough to need some of the heavy duty s&*( you guys are talking about using. LOL.

 

[BigBonner]

Here is what we use for cutting tobacco .

 

[Ishi]

Larry;
That looks like a new one.

 

[deluxestogie]

Larry,
Where might someone buy one of those cutters? Are they custom made, or factory produced?

Bob