Cutting bale twines

[Nesikep]

What do you use for cutting bale twines?

I've had to resort to all sorts of methods, currently on small squares I just pick them up and give them a good yank and they'll break, I've used boxcutters, but always worry that the blade will snap and the cows would eat it if I couldn't find it, so I gave up on that.. I'm far to gifted at losing good knives, so that's gone down the tubes too.

I've found that carpet/linoleum cutters are perfect, they have a short (2") hooked blade, they're tough as heck, and I pick them up for $.50 each at a used building supply store. They're also cow-safe because of the hooked blade.. and pocket safe too. Since they're so cheap I don't seem to be able to lose them as easily either.

 

[Aaron]

I use the Mastercraft flip knives (carpet/linoleum knife) with their heavy duty blued straight blades. About twice the thickness of a regular blade. Buy them for .20 a piece when on sale and load up. Replace blade about every two weeks when bale grazing - ice and frozen hay wads dull them after a few feedings.

But for small squares, it's easiest to tear off the twine nearest the edge of the bale, flip bale and repeat. Unless you have a compact, tight 100 lber that have absolutely no give in it - than what your doing, works best.

 

[branguscowgirl]

Pocket knife.

 

[dun]

Kitchen shears

 

[Nesikep]

My bales are packed as tight as the twines will hold them, so it's pretty rare I can flip the twine off the side of them, though sometimes I do bend the bale in half after I get one twine broken

 

[Black and Good]

If I feed squares Bales no knife will do. I have to use my Leatherman and cut the wires! LOL. On my big bales I use the Jack knife style utility knifes. Dewalt makes one that stores extra blades in the knife itself. BTW, I feel naked as a Jaybird if I leave the house without my "Leatherman WAVE" they are a quality made tool. I hate to think how many times a day I use it. B&G

 

[M5farm]

I treat my knife like and American express card "I never leave home without it" It was instilled in me at a young age that you had to carry a knife. I forget some thing from time to time but I never forget my knife. If I lay it down and don't put it back in my pocket every thing stops until I retrieve it.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

My teeth.

 

[skyhightree1]

I was told at a young age.... You don't have a knife on you???? What kind of farmer are you?

 

[TexasBred]

My hay is net wrapped but these work great:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_364867-16878-55 ... d=50109012

 

[Sunfish]

My hay is net wrapped but these work great:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_364867-16878-55 ... d=50109012

Yep
I agree those work great and you just change out the blade when it gets dull and save your pocket knife from the abuse
I won't carry a dull pocket knife and cutting twine is a sure way to dull the edge

 

[M5farm]

My hay is net wrapped but these work great:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_364867-16878-55 ... d=50109012

Yep
I agree those work great and you just change out the blade when it gets dull and save your pocket knife from the abuse
I won't carry a dull pocket knife and cutting twine is a sure way to dull the edge

that's why I have a stone in the truck

 

[Sunfish]

I'm OCD about a knife and keeping it sharp
I'm carry a good knife, a work knife and a spare in the pickup, but they are all sharp enough to shave
I like the disposal blade style for chores like cutting twine and such

 

[JW IN VA]

I was told at a young age.... You don't have a knife on you???? What kind of farmer are you?

 

[highgrit]

My Case trapper has two blades, one for work and one for show or shaving. The spey blade is the one I use for show and castration.

 

[pricefarm]

My hay is net wrapped but these work great:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_364867-16878-55 ... d=50109012

I keep one like that in both of my tractors that I feed with. I always carry my pocket knife but like using the razor knife better to remove twin.

 

[OwnedByTheCow]

[youtube]http://youtu.be/OkhH19-yIVs[/youtube]

 

[fenceman]

Tag knife, plastic hooked knife for removing eartags. should be called bale twine knife.