Banana Pruning Tools

[FruitFreak]

What do some of you use to prune your banana leaves?  I've been using my hand pruners but they are hardly an optimal choice. 

The post hole tamp digging bar from Harbor Freight has changed my life in regards to maintaining healthy mats.

[BestDay]

I use a small machete. It works great.

Bill

[Dangermouse01]

I like the GroundWork Brush knife.
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/groundwork-brush-knife-machete-with-sheath?cm_vc=-10009

[pineislander]

For leaf pruning I've seen that in Central America they use a short pole with a sharpened hook knife on the end. It works best on green leaves. I use a short machete and pruners but have thought about making a hook knife. It would basically be a piece of steel bar stock ground down to a hook knife form. You could just use two steel hose clamps to secure it, or with metal handle use bolts like this:
http://ryset.com/harvesting/banana-de-leafing-knife/ryset-curved-de-leafing-knife.html

here is a home made banana desuckering tool. It would also be useful for planting and any welder can make it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqdOSUYxNNQ

[Finca La Isla]

What we use in Central America is more versatile than what is shown on the link. It’s called a ‘ chusa’ and cuts with the book but also has the top edge sharpened to cut on a lifting motion. We use the chusafor harvesting cacao and many other things.
Peter

[fisherking73]

I use a machete if I can catch them before they turn to dry and brown, if they get to tough and brown a pair of loppers

[TerraFrutisEcuador]

Machete (long). I Chop green leaf stems, saw dried ones. Remove stem down to the corm  about 6 months after harvest.

[strkpr00]

I use a large razor knife
Stanley 10-817 25mm Fat Max Xtreme Snap Off Knife
amazon about $10.00