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Trees and shrubs require regular pruning. For its implementation, a pruner was created – a special tool that allows you to properly cut the branches of plants without causing them serious damage. Today, a huge number of models of different brands are presented on the market, which poses a buyer with the problem of how to choose a secateurs that will become a reliable and faithful assistant for many years.
What is used for?
Pruning trees and shrubs growing in household plots makes it possible to regulate their growth, form a crown of optimal size and thickening, which makes it possible to achieve high yields and comfortable picking of fruits. Also, this operation contributes to the emergence of young shoots and the rejuvenation of old plants. For pruning correctly and efficiently, the most ergonomic and comfortable tool is a garden pruner.
Depending on the type of tool, it can be used to quickly and conveniently trim the branches of the crown of young trees, as well as ornamental and fruit shrubs to give it the desired shape. Secateurs are also used for adjusting pruning, which is carried out to ensure good coverage of all parts of the crown. With their help, small and weak branches are removed, thinning the plant. Dead and infertile branches are also cut with secateurs. In addition, this tool is used to trim the vine, with its help shorten the roots and cut the cuttings.
Modern garden pruners differ in size and design elements. They are able to make a high-quality cut, removing branches up to 3 centimeters thick. This is a better option than using a fine-toothed hacksaw as it often damages the wood.
Tool options
The ergonomics of the secateurs best suits its main purpose. The design of the cutting mechanism of the tool involves two options for blades. In a double-sided pruner, both blades are cutting workers. Such tools are called garden shears for the similarity of the principle of operation. They are characterized by an even and precise cut, but they strongly squeeze the dense tissues of plants. Therefore, such garden shears are best used for cutting young shoots up to 2 centimeters thick, flower and grass stems or dead branches.
For a one-sided or standard bypass pruner, only one convex blade is working, and the second plays the role of a stop shifted in relation to it. When cutting, the upper blade slides along the lower one. To perform the cut correctly, the stop must be on the side of the fragment to be removed, then only the detachable part of the branch will be deformed.
A variant of a one-sided pruner is a tool with an anvil, in which the blades are not offset relative to each other, but are on the same line and the lower support is quite wide and ribbed. Such a pruner does not cut branches of trees and shrubs, but actually cuts like a guillotine. This tool is able to effectively cut off dry branches 3 centimeters thick.
Expensive models are equipped with a ratchet mechanism that allows you to cut wood in several stages, while ensuring the high quality of the resulting cut. Such a garden tool is made of titanium alloy and allows you to cut branches 2.5-3 centimeters thick with little effort.
The handles of mechanical secateurs can have different lengths and different coating materials. Long-handled pruners allow for less effort when cutting thick branches and remove them at a greater height without the use of additional equipment, but at the same time, such pruners are less maneuverable and heavier.
The cheapest models have simply painted handles. More expensive ones are coated with rubberized or polymeric materials. Also, a special composite material can be used for their manufacture, which surpasses steel in strength and at the same time is lighter in weight than aluminum.
In addition to mechanical tools that directly use human muscle efforts, electric pruner models have been developed. They can use both rechargeable batteries as an electric power source and a cable connection to the network. Structurally, battery clippers are a variant of the bypass pruner. Their working blade is actuated by slightly pressing a small lever.
The corded electric shears are designed for decorative pruning of trees or hedges. They can also be used successfully for trimming shrubs or cutting grass in places that are difficult to reach for lawn mowers and trimmers. Among other things, such a garden tool is used to create a variety of decorative figures from plants.
Network electric scissors are relatively light in weight and are characterized by a good balance of the center of gravity, which allows even with a cutting tool length of 70 centimeters to work without much effort. With their help, it is easy to cut both young shoots and old branches.
Video “What to look for”
How to choose the best
A modern garden pruner, regardless of the model, must in any case provide an even cut that does not injure the plant without torn edges. Cutting even relatively thick branches with its use should be done without much effort. At the same time, the tool must be reliable and durable. Most often, a bypass pruner is chosen for the garden, which is used as a universal one for trimming branches of any type.
The blade of the high carbon steel pruner has excellent hardness and holds sharpening best of all. However, such steel rusts quite quickly, so it definitely needs a protective nickel or chrome coating. Recently, Teflon coating has become popular. Stainless steel blades are much more resistant to rust, but have poorer cutting performance.
The comfort of work is also determined by the handles, which should provide comfortable holding of the tool during operation. If it is supposed to work for a long time, then it is better to give preference to a soft non-slip rough material. For short work, a variant of smooth plastic with notches for fingers is enough.
Today, there is a fairly large selection of models of garden tools of different types and brands on the market. If we consider the rating of mechanical pruners, then it will be headed by a number of well-known brands. The most common are reliable and durable Swiss Felco secateurs, which are popular among both amateurs and professionals. Among the latter, the Swedish brand Bacho is also especially appreciated, famous for its convenient professional tool. The German brands Gardena and Raco have shown themselves to be a worthy tool for pruning trees and shrubs in private gardens.
The leader in terms of ease of use are light Finnish secateurs Fiskars. Fiskars tools are distinguished by high performance and quality of both workmanship and workmanship. The brand has two lines: dedicated to floriculture Inspiration and the more versatile PowerStep, whose tools are the best choice for cutting hard and thick branches.
Recently, Samurai models have become increasingly popular. This is a high-tech tool created by the Japanese company Kanzawa Seiko. Secateurs Samurai is made of high carbon steel with a Teflon protective coating. This tool is ideal for trimming live branches and grassy stems. Models of the Samurai brand lie comfortably in the hand and provide an even, clean cut. The line includes tools with a ratchet mechanism. But at the same time, the Samurai secateurs are somewhat heavy for a woman’s hand.
The popularity rating among the battery models presented on our market is headed by Gardena electric scissors. Also in demand among gardeners are tools from the brands Bosch, Makita, Ryobi, etc. For long-term and frequent use, French professional Bahco electric scissors are most often purchased.
Among the network models, the rating is headed by Stihl products. Produced under this brand electric scissors are widely used by utility workers, professional landscapers and homeowners. The Efco and Black & Decker tools also proved to be quite good.
Criteria for a quality pruner
One of the main features of a good pruner is the use of high-quality steel with a chrome or teflon coating in its manufacture. It should also be fairly easy to disassemble for sharpening blades.
The bypass pruner should not have a gap between the working blade and the stop, otherwise it will crush tree branches and plant stems, and not cut. There is a fairly popular option for checking with a sheet of paper, which should be cut without wrinkling. However, in this case, it should be borne in mind that such a test does not always guarantee the best choice. Quite often, a Fiskars or Raco pruner that cuts paper poorly will cut branches perfectly.
A good pruner has handles made of fiberglass reinforced polyamide, which makes them ergonomic, reliable and durable. Springs for high-quality mechanical tools of the tape type. In case of working on a stepladder, he should have a safety strap for attaching to his wrist.
In order not to become a victim of scammers and not to buy a fake when purchasing electric scissors, you should use the services of shopping centers or online stores that have a good reputation.
Video “Choosing a garden pruner”
In order to choose the right representative of this category of garden tools, we recommend watching the following video. Useful tips, selection criteria and much more – only here.
