That guy who called me a butcher for using a handsaw still bothers me

I was trimming a big old maple over on Elm Street last month, it was like 40 feet tall with some sketchy limbs. This guy walks out of his house and starts yelling at me for using a handsaw instead of a pole pruner. Said I was "butchering" the tree and didn't know what I was doing. I explained I had to get close to make clean cuts because the bark was damaged near the collar, but he just kept shaking his head. It stuck with me because I've been doing this for 12 years and that was the first time a homeowner straight up insulted my method to my face. Has anyone else had a random person question your technique on a job?

3 comments

3 Comments

murphy.tessa1mo ago

Had a buddy trimming a palm tree once and some lady screamed at him from her porch saying he was gonna kill it. He'd been doing palms for years, but she wouldn't let it go.

gavin4691mo ago

Yeah man that totally happens and it sticks with you way longer than it should. I had a guy yell at me from his window once when I was pruning a old crabapple. He said I was "stripping it naked" because I took out some deadwood and crossing branches. I've been doing this long enough to know what's right, but that kind of thing just hangs in your head for days. You start wondering if maybe you missed something even when you know you didn't. The worst part is they never stick around to see the tree bounce back and look great the next season. It's like they just need someone to yell at that day and you were it.

nathan1001mo agoMost Upvoted

Stripping a palm wrong can actually kill it though, so she wasn't totally off base.