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Selection of averruncators from 1560, Rustkammer museum, Dresden
Fig.1 shows the handle and head of an averruncator. Fig. 2 shows the head in use.

An averruncator is a form of long shears used in arboriculture for averruncating or pruning off the higher branches of trees, etc.[1][2]

Etymology

The word averruncate (from Latin averruncare, "to ward off, remove mischief") glided into meaning to weed the ground, prune vines, etc., by a supposed derivation from the Lat. ab, "off", and eruncare, "to weed out", and it was spelt aberuncate to suit this; but the New English Dictionary regarded such a derivation as impossible.[1]

Description

An averruncator has a compound blade attached to a handle between five and eight feet long. The blades are closed with a rope and pulley, and they are opened with a spring.

Types

There are at least three varieties of this tool, depending on how force is transmitted to the blades or the blade shape: shear-action, pully-action and parrot-bill.[3][4]

Look up averruncator in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

References

  1. ^ a b Chisholm 1911.
  2. ^ Sanecki, Kay N. (1987). Old Garden Tools (2nd ed.). Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom: Shire Publications. p. 15. Retrieved 2022-05-08 – via OpenLibrary.
  3. ^ Rose, Graham (1993). The Traditional Garden Book (Paperback) (1st ed.). London: Dorling Kindersley. p. 68. ISBN 0-7513-0093-4. Retrieved 2022-05-08 – via OpenLibrary.
  4. ^ "What are the Most Common Gardening Tools?". Retrieved 2023-09-21.
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