The teeth on Silky Saws are like super sharp little chisels that are dragged across the surface of a branch with each chisel taking a bite out of the wood it is cutting. Using Japanese ingenuity, saws cut on the pull stroke and to stop the saws binding they developed a process that is called among other things, taper or hollow grinding. What they did was get a big round grinding stone and ground their saw blades so the thickest part of the blade was at the teeth and it tapered into the middle of the blade and then thickened slightly to the top of the blade. This meant that the blade was thickest at the teeth, less thick at the top and thinnest in the middle. The grinding technique produced a saw that allowed a thinner saw to cut through a branch quicker, without binding.

When you cut green wood with a Silky Saw or pruning saws and Secateurs, you are going to get sap on the blade area. The more you cut, the more sap you are going to get a build-up of and it's most noticeable in the middle (from top to bottom) of the saw blade.  Remember how the middle of the blade is the thinnest part of the blade. It is easier for the sap to stick there as it isn?t being rubbed against as much. So that night, you put the saw back in the scabbard and pick it up again the next day and do some more pruning and shaping of trees and bushes. Overnight the sap dries and hardens and is easier for the sap to stick to the blade again the next day... so the process continues. Soon you think your saws are getting blunt because it is much harder than when you first purchased to cut through a branch. With all the sap build-up, you are trying to pull a blade through a cut that is now thinner than the blade with its sap build-up.

What is the Solution

The solution is 2 minutes of TLC for your saw blades at the end of the day with the Saw Cleaner solution. This anti-bacterial organic oil spray based on Tea Tree Oil is the solution for removing sap from Saw blades and sticky substances. We use it, we swear by it and we have used it to make sap covered Saws and Secateurs look and cut like new again.? ?View before and after images above.

• Find out more about Saw Cleaner 
• Find out more about Pruning tools

Summary

Sap build up is often mistaken for blade dullness, but it is actually the main cause of reduced cutting performance in pruning saws and secateurs. Because the blade is thinnest in the middle, sap easily accumulates, hardens, and increases friction, making cutting more difficult while also increasing the risk of rust and corrosion.

Using the Saw Cleaner – Tea Tree Environmental Solution 100 mL Spray helps remove sap and resin, reduce bacteria and mould, and protect blades from rust. Regular cleaning with this natural tea tree–based formula supports tool hygiene, maintains sharp cutting performance, and extends the life of pruning equipment.

“Olive trees must put out fresh growth each year to produce fruit.”

Training shapes the tree to support efficient harvesting and encourage early production

When trees reach the canopy size best suited to their environment, yields may begin to drop. This often happens because the inner canopy receives limited sunlight, leading to leaf loss and a reduced Leaf-to-Wood Ratio. If a tree grows beyond its ideal size, it creates challenges for mechanical harvesters. Excess height and width, along with thick branches, can strain or damage harvesting equipment, reduce fruit removal efficiency, and slow the harvest. Because olive trees need to produce new shoots annually to maintain fruiting, consistent growth is essential—and pruning becomes an important management practice. Pruning improves fruit size, oil content, light penetration, and the Leaf-to-Wood Ratio. It also stimulates fresh growth and lowers water and fertiliser demand. 

1- TREE TRAINING 

Purpose: Establish early productivity with stronger yields, extend the productive lifespan of the tree, enhance fruit quality, and prepare trees for the harvesting system used in the grove. 

Timing: Training occurs within the first three years of the tree’s development. 

In the first year, pruning is minimal (assuming nursery trees arrive with a good structure). Remove lower or overly vigorous branches that compete with the central leader. The goal is to maintain an upright main trunk with outward-growing horizontal branches. Water shoots should be removed so they do not compete for nutrients and moisture.

During the second and third years, gradually remove lower branches below approximately 600–1000 mm. 

A balance is essential. Removing too much canopy reduces the tree’s photosynthetic area, slowing its progress until new growth resumes.

Light pruning involves removing only small sections of foliage (such as a few short shoots), which keeps the tree stable. This can be done from August through late May. 

Heavy pruning removes larger amounts of foliage, prompting a stronger regrowth response but also increasing frost risk. Heavy cuts should generally be delayed until late September unless conditions are warm enough to begin earlier. 

Tree training may also include tying and skirting as part of shaping and preparation.

2- PRODUCTION 

Young trees contain many non-productive branches because they are still actively growing. Once these branches mature and begin producing fruit, they eventually become exhausted and stop fruiting. At that point, they need to be removed to make room for new productive growth and renewal of the canopy. 

LoIf the bloom is light, pruning should focus mainly on non-productive wood to preserve as much fruiting potential as possible. In years with heavy bloom, pruning can be more assertive without significantly reducing the crop. 

Timing: From bud break through early December.

3- AFTER HARVEST (CLEANING) 

The goal at this stage is to remove large damaged branches left behind after mechanical harvest. This step can be postponed by applying copper after harvest and waiting until spring to remove the affected wood.

Read More: ● Marcelo Berlanda ● Mechanical Pruning ● Mechanical Harvesting