Brady, I experimented with one last season for whip and tongue--a graft I have had troubles with in the past. I didn't improve my take ratio with it. Could be the operator! It seemed to make clean cuts, and I know an experienced grafter who uses one. But my bread and butter graft is a cleft, so I'm sticking with it. All I need is a pruner and a sharp utility knife. 85% takes on apples and pawpaws.

Perhaps limited grafting with this tool,..I just use a box knife, Olfa...see link, in about picture #10

Here is a link that might be useful: Konrad's modified bark grafting

I'll see how this works for me.
Konrad,that is some real craft work.I haven't seen anyone else do it. Brady

here is the one I use! they are a really handy tool. I always have it with me when I am walking around the yard :)

Timely, Konrad - very timely!

I have been using Italian grafting tools and they have increased my grafting times by 10 times at least but I think they decreased my success. My plan is to graft graft graft and then go back and fix the ones that did not take with the dormant scions in the fridge. I have several hundred grafts this year under my belt already and a hundred left to finish phase 1. I'm using parafilm tape and tanglefoot over that. On my clefts i'm using toilet seal wax. I am using rind grafts as well and a variety of other techniques depending on the situation. I'm using saddle grafts on the small trees and a few whips. Rind and clefts on the big trees mostly. I wish you great success this year with grafting!

Here is a link that might be useful: Italian Grafting Tools

This is an example of what I'm doing. I did rind grafts on the top and a saddle on the side and i'm top working wild pear to Ewart.

This post was edited by ClarkinKS on Sat, Apr 12, 14 at 10:42

This is a rind graft from last year as an example of what I hope to get. The large grafting tool is for these larger trees and the regular grafting tool is for the smaller jobs.

Bradybb, I've grafted peach and pluot with a standard hardware store utility knife. It has the leverage, feel and strength of blade that feels right for me. Soon I will be experimenting with grafting 'cados and citrus.

Thanks for your replies.Glenn,that looks like one of the other Craftsman tools I saw at Sears,the one with the longer blades.Is it Craftsman?
Konrad,is that graft in the link your only or main one used right now? Brady

Bradybb, It could very well be a craftsman knockoff, but here in my town it is sold at the home hardware as benchmark brand. My mother in-law works there and gave it to me for Christmas 4 years ago. It has been by far my favorite pruning/grafting tool as it makes such nice clean cuts being so super sharp. And the spare blades store in the handle!

>>Konrad,is that graft in the link your only or main one used right now? BradyYes, mostly, about 95%..the odd time I do a chip budding when I don't have much scion to work with and the scion is large,.. or I do a cleft when the scion is very, very thin.

Brady,
Your post reminded me of some tools I have seen others use from sciondotcom http://www.scionon.com/. The USA distributor is http://www.graftingsystems.com/index.php/scionon-tools. Here are videos of the tool in action http://www.youtube.com/user/Scionondotcom
This tool looks pretty good that amazon carries http://www.amazon.com/Midwest-Products-Hobby-Cutter-Ultimate/dp/B000BQT3VK/ref=cm_cr_pr_sims_t
These are the ones I have considered buying but not sure they are worth $40 http://www.amazon.com/Crain-Carpet-Wood-Miter-855/dp/B000PDONC8/ref=sr_1_26?s=power-hand-tools&ie=UTF8&qid=1397983026&sr=1-26&keywords=carpet+cutter

Bradybb, like you and Glen10, I also use a device that looks like a large anvil cutting tool. Mine's called a Husky Multi-Cut and I've used it for more than 5 years. It works really well, makes perfect cuts for whip grafts. It's hard to make real long cuts with it, usually 1" to 1.5" is what looks right. Recently I've taken to using a small Stanley plane when I want to lengthen the cut a bit.

I bought mine at Home Depot, but they are made by (and available from) Ronan Tools ( http://www.ronantools.com/multi-cut-xp-2 ) for about $20 .

Nice article Brad and very interesting. I'm looking for such a multitool cutter here in Europe but I can't find it. Somebody know where I could find it?

Do utility knife blades need to be sharpened for grafting? It seems like they would be too dull out of the package. Razor blades are thin and sharp, but most utility blades have a thick beveled edge that requires brute force for cutting.

Stellair,
Maybe try multi-cut or anvil cutter in a word search.They are also used for carpet cutting.
The one link that jbclem supplied could be a possibility. Brady

NYrockfamer, no utility blades are as sharp as razor blades, they are razor sharp no doubt! You must be thinking of something else??

Watch the videos on YouTube for the Scionon grafting sheers. It looks like a great idea and very easy/quick to use. Too bad they cost more than $228+. I wonder if a Multi-Cut tool could be adapted to work this way...actually, it doesn't open wide enough but if you found a tool that opened wide enough and had a removable anvil, you might be able to rig up(on the anvil side) something that would allow the angles to be changed like on the Scionon.