Choose the right (or left) grafting knife!

Deciding between a “right-handed” or “left-handed” grafting knife is more subtle than simply ordering RH if you’re a righty and LH if you’re a lefty.

You must consider which feels like a more natural slicing motion to you: pulling toward yourself, or pushing away from yourself. If you’re not sure, try practicing with a utility knife.

Fedco’s resident grafting instructor notes that in most cases, pulling toward gives the grafter more knife control than pushing away. On the other hand, your mother said you should never cut toward yourself.

Whether slicing toward or away from yourself, the beveled side should face up and the flat side should face down.

Here’s a simple key to help you decide which knife to get:

• Prefer to hold knife in RH and cut toward yourself: right-handed grafting knife
• Prefer to hold knife in RH and cut away from yourself: left-handed grafting knife
• Prefer to hold knife in LH and cut toward yourself: left-handed grafting knife
• Prefer to hold knife in LH and cut away from yourself: right-handed grafting knife

More Orchard Tools & Supplies

We have plenty of supplies to help you tend your trees!

• Banish your bug problem with supplies for monitoring and/or trapping orchard pests.
• Browse our exciting assortment of pruning tools to keep your trees in tip top shape.
• Our irrigation supplies to keep your trees well watered on hot summer days.
• Or, browse all orchard-related items.