I've never done them, except with a tool (the omega grafter). To me the disadvantage is that it seems like it would be difficult to make the cuts by hand and then to have them match each other. Also the graft will be mechanically strong against bending in one direction but weak in another.
Having researched the ‘saddle graft’ prior to our scion exchange, and having played around with the above mentioned grafting machine, I agree with the degree of difficulty. As much as people cringe when I cut the tongue of a ‘whip & tongue’ graft, or the sloping cut, I’ve never cut myself. Looking over the saddle graft… I can’t envision a safe method of hand cutting that saddle?
My slanting cuts on the whip & tongue graft are around an inch and a half in length. The ‘tongue’ can be up to half an inch, giving additional length of contact. As the best you can do with either graft is to line up one side of the cambium, the W&T graft gives you at least 1 ½ inches of ‘contact.’ That’s always been plenty!
Also, the ‘tongue’ on the W&T graft serves as a friction bind to keep the scion from ‘drifting’ across the cut face. I’m not sure, other than very careful wrapping, what keeps a saddle graft from drifting or moving out of alignment with the one side of an off-sized connection?
Other than the Omega machine, everyone else uses the whip & tongue graft on pencil diameter stock. I don’t know where strength would be that necessary, by the time there’s enough stem and leaves to cause some wind torque, either graft should be quite sturdy.
[quote="Viron":3s14flyf]... I don’t know where strength would be that necessary, by the time there’s enough stem and leaves to cause some wind torque, either graft should be quite sturdy.[/quote:3s14flyf]
How about when you are wrapping the graft, transporting it home, when a bird lands on it, when you are trying to plant it and the scion portion brushes against your leg? All of that and who knows what else can happen before there are enough stem and leaves.
[quote="jafarj":2q40hrat] How about …[/quote:2q40hrat]
Wrapping is controlled, and shouldn’t be a problem. I bind them so tight I often ‘feel sorry’ for it! …a bird could be a problem, but unlikely at ground level … though I’ve had humming birds wreck scions by landing on and constantly ‘snapping off’ the new scion growth 
I’d recommend fencing any 8 inch ‘tall’ newly grafted tree -- deer being my greatest concern. …the rest is just common care, or operator error.
…kinda had the same question at one of our grafting classes a couple of years ago, so I shook the ‘just spliced’ yet un-wrapped whip & tongue example I was holding – it took consistent shaking to cause it to move, far more than anyone expected. My assumption was someone wanting the ultimate union after the graft callused and began ‘making wood.’ But Wrapped or taped, I’d put a whip & tongue up against any graft I’ve seen -by man or machine!
Idyllwild
simplepress
jafar
Marsha H
Viron
John S
1 Guest(s)