The season for pruning fig trees is not far off.  I plan to prune my in-ground trees around late November/early December to make it easier to protect them from the cold weather.  My container trees should need less pruning but I will likely do that by the end of December.  Last year I pruned in late February and the wounds did not heal in time for the sap to start flowing in the Spring.  As a result my trees leaked sap for a couple weeks before the wounds finally healed.  They didn't really get growing until the wounds healed so I lost precious time.  Lesson learned.

Anyway, I always sterilize my pruning sheers (and any tools that come in contact with the figs) prior to pruning any fig tree to minimize the chance of spreading disease.  So far I have poured rubbing alcohol over the blades and then flamed off the excess alcohol with a lighter.  However with the amount of pruning I need to do this year it would be a bit of a pain to do that in the field.  I'm curious what you all do to sterilize your tools.   By the way here is an interesting article on this topic:

http://puyallup.wsu.edu/~linda%20chalker-scott/FactSheets/Pruning.pdf

Alcohol wipes. Fast simple and convenient.

Alcohol does disinfect but NOT sterilize , where  Iodine does both :)

My opinion: we're not dealing with Ebola here.  It's too much trouble for me to disinfect after every cut.  The trees will probably all get exposed to the same thing anyway due to insects, etc.  Now if I had a tree or plant that I new had some bad disease, I would do it. 

Not saying you shouldn't, just saying, even if you don't, probably nothing bad will happen.  Plus, I doubt a quick wipe would truly disinfect pruners.  Probably would need to dunk them in a disinfectant bath for some length of time to really accomplish the task.  They have grooves/surface imperfections that will continue to harbor microorganisms, etc.  And I'm definitely not doing that.

Just clean after each variety of tree 

I use a small butane torch between each tree.

Denatured alcohol is what I use.

How about a quick soak in a mild bleach solution between trees?  It can be soaking while you're taking a step back and surveying the cuts you're about to make...
Jim

Wills, you are a guy of many tools!  My neighbors already think I'm crazy.  If I was out there in my backyard blow torching my pruners they would think I moved to the next level.  But seriously, I always feel safer flaming my pruners with a lighter after the alcohol treatment.  Perhaps even if the microbes hiding in pits in the blade are killed by the alcohol maybe the flame takes them out.  I gotta admit, the more I think about the blow torch the more I like it.

After reading all the choices available, the Bleaching makes most sense.
Although alcohol removes the drying goowee sap leftovers from the pruner's blade it does NOT sterilize.
And if one to use Iodine just wet wipe and let it air dry, might take several minutes.

Edit: Torching would ruin expensive blades! ;/

I use isopropyl alcohol wipes.  (Rubbing alcohol).  Not sure they're best, but they're convenient and inexpensive.  

Mike

The health care industry has a variety of wipes to sanitize equipment, it's more than alcohol and kills a wide variety of viruses and bacteria. I have always wondered if they would be a good option for cleaning cutting tools.  I prefer to use something with bleach in it sanitize my shears.

Calvin I work in healthcare Clorox make the wipes we use they are anti microbel wipes. They do sterilize but they leave a sticky film. Alcohol wipes are cheep and will kill what you want to. Let's face it you not trying to kill a blood born pathogen on figs.

I may be wrong, but can't bleach corrode metals? I'd feel better using alcohol.

Edit: Yes, bleach corrodes metals if not wiped/rinsed off...

I should add a bit to my post. I prefer to use something with bleach at home because I know it will kill everything. I do rinse and scrub them after the bleach treatment. My shears(I have 2 pairs which allows me to alternate and have less downtime from sanitizing) are not expensive either at about $15 and $28 but they cut nice enough for me. In a few years I will probably just buy a new pair if one gets dull. I could even try to sharpen the more expensive one because those blades are removable.
The wipes at the hospital, I was mostly referring to the white canister with the purple top which is alcohol based but has added ingredients and doesn't leave much of a film after it dries. I do consider FMV as an equivalent to a blood born pathogen to figs though, once transmitted the plant you have is infected for life with at least some impact on overall health/vitality when compared to a completely healthy sister.

Wills, are your shears with the replaceable razor blades a bypass or anvil style? I have only seen those in anvil style, which I don't care too much for when harvesting cuttings because the anvil side tends to mash the the tissue some and cause separation at the outer layers.

Calvin,

They are anvils but as in most things there is a trick to it.  What you say is 100% correct that anvils tend to pull the bark layer away from the inner wood.  The effect is minimal if they are very sharp and that is why I like the replaceable blades.  On smaller cuttings you don't notice that squish but as the diameter increases you do so what I do is as I squeeze the pruners and it gets about 3/4 the way through I turn my wrist which makes the pruners pivot and then the anvil is on the already cut side and the cutting edge is on the uncut side and instead of the blade meeting the anvil the blade slices through the uncut portion.  It sounds a bit more complicated than it is:)  Try it and see what you think but it eliminates the splitting completely for me.

Wills, I'm not familiar with clippers (hand pruners) with replaceable blades.  Please post your brand/model that you use.  I'm very happy so far with the ARS clippers I bought a year ago as they stay sharp very well.

Harvey,

They are not really designed for plant pruning......they are just Lowes Kobalt brand?  I had made a post on them at the time.  A couple months back they had them on close out for $4 I bought 5 sets:) so not sure they even carry them anymore......

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/new-product-6615093?pid=1280280213#post1280280213

Willis...!
My Paraffin claim is that the Paraffin seals the cutting's cut ends so they won't get rot nor mold or any disease that attacks the plant wound. Also Paraffin prevents dehydration!
I have NEVER stated that by washing with hot water and  or sealing with Paraffin will get rid of existing diseases.

But thanks for bringing it up.

BTW, I have never seen a disposable tree pruner, the blade would crush in fight to cutting a tough branch.

Aaron, they take a disposable box cutter/sheet rock/drywall blade. The blade is plenty sturdy.

Thanks Wills.  I vaguely recall your post now.  I may try figuring a way to justify another set of clippers (already have Bhaco, Felco, and ARS...and one more which I forget the name of).  They all last quite a while for me.  The Kirland Felco knock-offs haven't lasted as well.