Small diameter leaners do not have enough room in the stem to bore cut while establishing the back of the hinge. Here is the easy solution: make the bore cut vertical, and you will have your hinge, plus an ample backstrap to keep that tree still while you set it up.

Pat Rafferty:Great cutting idea. And maybe next time, place the camera in a better position to view the point-of-operation during the cut

hyzercreek:I never waste my time with a face cut or hinge on small leaners like this. It takes too much time. Just one felling cut from the back is all it takes, the tree will start to fall when the cut is around 3/4 of the way through the trunk. Then after the tree falls on the ground, cut the last bit. That last little bit controls the fall of the tree and of course there will never be a barber chair.