Disappointed with the saw part

Reviews: Oster 5712 Fiskars 9301 Power-Lever 14-Foot Tree Pruner

I bought this primarily for the saw part, though I wanted the pruner too. I didn't want to buy two tools. Well, the pruner works for the 1" or smaller branches and it is good for that. However, I was disappointed in the saw. For one, it binds on the pull (down) stroke, which is the cutting stroke. I am cutting at the top of a branch as a previous reviewer mentioned. While that certainly helps, the point is that this blade cuts poorly and binds. The blade attachment provides little in the way of attachment, and that gives too much play to the blade, which doesn't help cutting. I checked the Fiskars web site, and this Woodzig blade is the only option. That's too bad.

For branches I can reach from the ground, I use a bow saw and I can cut through 3" diameter branches in seconds. With this pole saw, it took nearly two minutes to cut a 2"inch diameter branch. This was because of the binding, which prevented me from pulling more than an inch at a time.

Bottom line, I don't advise buying this to saw branches. Well, maybe if you only have a tree or two and don't mind the sweat equity.