Method and device for delimbing a tree trunk (60) in a compliant gripping state defined by a set of limbing knives (18, 24, 26, 28) enclosing the trunk. The limbing knives are repeatedly adjusted through a control unit (46) for adaption of the gripping state to a varying thickness of the trunk when the trunk is advanced between the knives for the delimbing of the trunk. The invention comprises entering a desired compliance (D1) of the gripping state in the control unit (46), detecting an actual compliance (d) of the gripping state, and performing each adjustment of the limbing knives via the control unit until the actual compliance (d) corresponds to the desired compliance (D1).