What's your favorite tool for cutting net wrap.

[stuckmotor]

I've removed net wrap with everything from a box cutter to a machete. I've even ripped it off with my hands when the netting was fine enough. Every method has had advantages and disadvantages. I guess my two favorites are a smooth bladed pocket knife and a crow bar. The pocket knife dulls quickly and I carry a carbide sharpening steel with me. With the crow bar, I use the claws to rip off about five inches at a time till I'm across the bale.
If anybody has a better method, please tell about it.

 

[Wagtail]

I've removed net wrap with everything from a box cutter to a machete. I've even ripped it off with my hands when the netting was fine enough. Every method has had advantages and disadvantages. I guess my two favorites are a smooth bladed pocket knife and a crow bar. The pocket knife dulls quickly and I carry a carbide sharpening steel with me. With the crow bar, I use the claws to rip off about five inches at a time till I'm across the bale.
If anybody has a better method, please tell about it.

That's all I've ever used is the knife blade on my Gerber multi-tool. Mind you, I'm only cutting a single round bale every 10-11 days.

How many bales are you opening that would dull a blade so quickly? Regular mesh? Silage Wrap?

I like to keep all of my blades sharp for whenever I need them, but only truly sharpen them all around twice a year... not only because a dull knife isn't a knife but it impresses other people when I hand them one of my knives and warn them that it IS sharp. I love the look on their face when they use a blade that really is sharp as to what they've 'put up with'.

 

[RickB]

Sheffield knife with replaceable utility knife blades. My go to pocket knife.

 

[stuckmotor]

Wagtail,
I feed up to four bales at a time depending on many factors. I've used a utility knife blade in a pocket knife like RickB describes, too. They didn't stay sharp very long either.

 

[Diggin It]

I don't use bales and I'm not sure what kind of wrap you're talking about, but if you have an issue with blades dulling, would a ceramic blade help? I noticed HF has a ceramic blade utility knife for $10 or so.

 

[eddie48]

I just unwind the wrap with the bale in the air on the spear.

 

[LouNY]

Saw with the serrated blade on a multi-tool, several bales a day.
Some haylage bales with plastic as well as net wrap some dry with just the net wrap.
Using a squeeze grapple, just net wrap bring the bale to easy reach and saw down.
With plastic wrap set it down cut a circle out of the top slice and saw down.

 

[bigtiller]

Don't use your tiller, it won't cut it very well. I found that out tilling a new garden for a new customer in what turned out to be an old pasture/feedlot. I spent more time cutting net than I spent tilling.

 

[EddieWalker]

I use a sheetrock knife with extra blades in the handle. As soon as it gets dull, I replace the blade. Easy Pleasy!!!

 

[4570Man]

I don’t feed hay, but if a knife wasn’t working well I’d probably use my cordless grinder.