Marvin Pruner Head, Bull Model with Single Pulley

The Bull is a heavy-duty Marvin pruner head built for thicker stems than a light pruner likes to take. A single pulley adds mechanical advantage on the rope, so you get more cutting force for each pull from the ground.

What the pulley does

A pole pruner closes when you pull the rope. On a basic head the rope acts directly on the lever. Adding a pulley gives you more force on the blade for the same pull, at the cost of a longer rope stroke. That is what you want on a heavier head like the Bull: thicker cuts without yanking so hard that the pole swings off target.

Set the hook of the head over the stem, line the blade up just outside the branch collar, and pull steadily. Let the blade do the work.

The heavier build also holds up better to the abuse pole pruners see: being hooked over limbs to pull them down, knocked against the truck and dragged through brush.

Keeping it in service

Inspect the rope for wear where it runs through the pulley and replace it before it frays through. Keep the blade sharp and the pivot clean and lightly oiled. A dull or sticky head makes you pull harder and twists the cut.

Fit the head to a pole with a matching connection, and stay away from energized lines unless you are a qualified line-clearance arborist with rated poles. See more pruners and pole pruner heads.

Keep the rope long enough to reach the ground comfortably at full pole length, and tie a stopper knot or handle at the bottom so it does not run back up.