Page 45 - Grapevine Jan-Feb 2020

Around The Vineyard

said. “A tool should be bought, taking into con-
sideration hand size, left or right-handedness and
average cut diameter. We make tools for all variet-
ies of these combinations.”

Regarding longevity, Amberg said hand tools are
the workhorse of a vineyard crew’s arsenal during
pruning season, which means they are put under a
lot of stress and abuse.
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“This is why we protect our tools with mili-
tary-grade aluminum handles, as well as our precise
manufacturing process that allows these tools to
tolerate the stress of intensive pruning without
issue,” he said. “Look for tools that are built to last
and that you will not replace multiple times in a
season.”

Amberg also pointed to proper maintenance as a
way to get more life out of your tools and extend
your return on investment.

“We build our tools so that with just simple blade
and spring changes, you can maintain your tool for
a lifetime,” Amberg said. “This means on any alumi-
num-handled FELCO, all parts can be changed and
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replaced with ease, thanks to our precision machin- The Unified Wine & Grape Symposium
ing. We produce our tools out of an old watch fac- Booth C1212
tory in Switzerland, giving us the ability to put tools February 4-6, 2020
back together hundreds of times without any give
in the mechanics.”

However, it doesn’t matter what tool you use if
you start too early, said Longborg of Tablas Creek.
“If you have the ability to wait as long as possible,
do so!” he said. “If you can wait to prune until the
vines start bleeding, you greatly reduce the risk of
Eutypa infection.”

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