If you have a tree on your property that has been damaged by weather or excessive weight, then you may want to try to prune the tree before you invest in a tree removal. This means that you need to remove tree branches properly so you do not further damage the tree. If most of the branches are large, then continue reading to learn about some tips to cut them.
Leave Some of the Branch Behind
If you are going to trim away a tree branch that is several inches in diameter, then it is wise to cut the branch just outside the collar or about one-quarter or one-half inch away from it. The branch collar is the large or swollen area of the branch where it comes into contact with the trunk or the parent branch. In the case of a large branch, this is where it will meet the trunk, and cutting a small distance from the collar will help to keep the cut from becoming an open wound.
Trunks can naturally grow tissues around a cut to close it off from the environment. This helps to keep decay, insect exposure, or a disease from infecting the area of the tree. This can only happen though if the collar is kept intact. Identify this collar before you cut and make sure not to damage it. Remember that the collar will be become wider as the tree branch grows larger.
Use a Sharp Blade
It is in your best interest to use a sharp saw blade when you decide to cut a large tree branch. This type of blade will help you to make a clean cut without splintering the wood or allowing the branch to crack as you trim it away. This means sharpening blades before you cut branches. If you intend to use a steel handsaw, then use a triangular file between the teeth to sharpen it. If the saw is a carbide tipped variety, then a professional may need to complete the sharpening for you. Grinders fitted with diamond tipped wheels are needed to do the sharpening.
If you have a chainsaw that you want to use to trim large branches, then you can use both round and flat files to do so. However, you will need to use special chainsaw sharpening files for this purpose that have guides attached to them. Otherwise, you may file the wrong areas of the blade. If you do not want to invest in the files, then ask a tree specialist or professional for assistance.