Buying hand pruners can be a challenge, especially when surrounded by layers of hard, plastic packaging. Here are some tips on what to look for when shopping for hand pruners, as price isn’t always the key to quality or usability.
One of the keys to a good set of pruners is the spring mechanism that opens the handles and allows a soft close on the stem or branch that is being cut. The spring acts to leverage pressure exerted on the handles for a clean cut and could make or break the functionality of the pruners.
The blade is also important and those that work like scissors i.e. the blade by-passes and does not run up against the other blade work better in my opinion, as the cut tends to be cleaners with less crushing.
Another good feature is to have nuts and bolts that allow for tightening. This also allows the user to take apart the pruners to facilitate maintenance like blade sharpening and cleaning.
Some pruner companies like Felco even offer replacement parts for their pruners – the ultimate in serviceability and hopefully longevity.
My last reflection on purchasing a new set of pruners –- often my greatest challenge is finding where I left my pruners last. So, my next pruner related purchase will be a tool belt, pocket or apron to stash my pruners when not in hand.
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