FELCO 3.90 40 - Grafting and Pruning Knife - Fruit Tree Budding Knife

FELCO 3.90 40 Grafting and Pruning Knife - Fruit Tree Budding Knife

The FELCO 3.90 40 is a specialized professional tool designed for the precision demands of fruit tree propagation. This dual-purpose folding knife features a high-carbon stainless steel blade and a bark lifter integrated into the back of the blade. This design allows the user to make a clean incision and immediately lift the bark to insert the bud without needing to switch tools. Crafted by Victorinox for FELCO, this knife combines legendary Swiss blade sharpness with the ergonomic requirements of nurserymen and orchardists, making it an indispensable tool for ensuring high graft success rates.

Best For Orchardists, nursery professionals, and fruit tree enthusiasts who require a dedicated tool for T-budding and chip-budding fruit-bearing trees and vines.

Key Features

• Integrated Bark Lifter: Features a specifically shaped brass lifter on the back of the blade, allowing for the smooth lifting of the bark once the incision is made—crucial for successful "T-bud" insertion.

• Surgical Steel Blade: The 57mm stainless steel blade is beveled on only one side, producing the perfectly flat, smooth cuts required for intimate contact between the cambium layers of the bud and rootstock.

• Optimized for Fruit Trees: The blade geometry is specifically tuned for the thicker, more fibrous bark typically found on fruit trees like apples, pears, and stone fruits.

• Durable Nylon Handle: The red nylon handle is reinforced with alloy linings, providing a comfortable, slip-resistant grip that stands up to the heavy sap and moisture of orchard work.

• Swiss Precision: Manufactured by Victorinox, ensuring the folding mechanism is secure and the blade arrives with a razor-sharp factory edge that is easy to maintain.

Specifications

• Brand: FELCO (Made in Switzerland by Victorinox)

• Model: FELCO 3.90 40 (Fruit Tree Budding Knife)

• Blade Length: 57mm (2.2 inches)

• Handle Length: 100mm (3.9 inches)

• Weight: 35g (1.2 oz)

• Blade Material: High-carbon Stainless Steel with integrated bark lifter.

• Handle Material: Red Nylon with alloy lining.

Ideal For (Uses)

• T-Budding: The most common method for propagating fruit trees, where the bark lifter is used to gently peel back the bark for the "noble" bud.

• Vineyard Maintenance: Ideal for precision grafting on grapevines and other woody fruit-bearing plants.

• Nursery Production: Fast, efficient budding of large numbers of saplings where the all-in-one design saves significant time.

• Orchard Restoration: Grafting new varieties onto established fruit tree rootstocks with minimal damage to the tree.

Oversized Item Delivery Options

Oversized, heavy, and structural goods ship via specialist freight. Freight is calculated at checkout from estimated packaged volumetric or physical weight. Carrier depot audits may adjust the rate — if the increase exceeds 10%, we will contact you before processing.

Available options include:

✔ Delivery to your closest depot for pickup — default method
✔ Direct delivery — requires an operational forklift on site unless Tailgate Delivery has been specifically requested and quoted (contact us — this cannot be selected at checkout)
✔ Tailgate hydraulic lift delivery — must be specifically requested; contact us for a quote (not available as a checkout option; extra fees apply; required if you do not have a forklift)
✔ Forklift loading at our warehouse (no extra charge if you arrange your own freight)
✔ Direct truck delivery (available in Victoria)

Important Notes:

• Shipping costs vary by location and method
• Any carton or consignment over 25–30kg (or over 200cm) must be palletised
• Without a specifically requested and paid Tailgate Delivery quote, palletised freight requires a forklift on site — otherwise the carrier will redirect to the nearest depot
• Bulky and oversized items cannot be delivered to a PO Box — provide a physical street address
• Failed deliveries, locked gates, unattended sites, or incorrect business/forklift declarations may incur carrier redelivery, demurrage, and restocking fees as set out in our Terms & Conditions

Business Delivery:

• Selecting a business/commercial delivery rate warrants that the address has an operational forklift and certified operator during business hours
• If the carrier cannot unload, the consignment may be redirected to a depot and secondary fees may apply
• Additional fees may apply for failed delivery attempts due to lack of appropriate unloading equipment

See our Terms & Conditions (Article 8) for full freight and delivery rules.

Important Note on Availability & Shipping

Our warehouse is a logistics hub, not a retail showroom. Listing a product online does not mean it is stored at our Thomastown warehouse — many lines ship from supplier hubs (split fulfilment may apply).

How lead times work:

• Product page ETA: The Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) / lead-time badge shown on the product page at checkout is the agreed delivery timeframe for that order under Australian Consumer Law.
• Metro baselines: Advertised ETAs apply to standard metropolitan zones. Regional and remote addresses may take longer and may attract surcharges.
• Peak seasons: Orders in March–May, August–October, EOFY (June), Black Friday/Cyber Monday (November), and Christmas/New Year (December–January) may automatically add a 2–4 week buffer beyond the product page ETA.
• Supplier-dependent / backordered items: If stock is delayed, we will notify you with a revised ETA. You then have 7 days to accept the new timeframe or cancel for a full refund.
• Adloheat: Custom-made products from Adloheat (Pakenham, VIC) may take 4–12 weeks depending on the order.

Full fulfilment, cancellation, and freight rules are in our Terms & Conditions.

Biosecurity & Interstate Shipping Restrictions

Due to strict state biosecurity regulations, we are unable to ship some products to certain states and territories:

• Potting Mixes cannot be shipped to Western Australia (WA), the Northern Territory (NT), or Tasmania (TAS).
• Seeds cannot be shipped to Western Australia (WA).

Orders placed for these items to restricted states will be cancelled and refunded. It is the customer's responsibility to ensure that the items being ordered can lawfully be delivered to their state or territory.