Spear and Jackson Razorsharp Professional Heavy Duty Bypass Secateur

Product Information

An essential tool for garden maintenance, secateurs can help you manage overgrown and unruly plants, shape plants in a desired way and help with cutting off dead leaves, flower heads and stems. What to look for in a pair of secateurs

They have rugged manganese steel blades that can handle heavy-duty cutting up to 1 inch in diameter. The body is aluminium so is light and will not rust. Pros:When it comes to working with arthritis, this reliable option is best for a less painful gardening experience.

According to topiary expert Darren Lerigo, most gardeners will find bypass secateurs to be the better bet, because they make for a cleaner cut. How do I care for the blades of my secateurs?The best mid-range secateurs have got to be the Okatsune no. 103 pruners. Small and hardy and sought-after in Japan, these are sharp and very strong. They’re also very popular amongst my professional gardener friends. How smoothly the contraption can be manoeuvred one-handed will impact the efficiency of your green-fingered endeavours. Just make sure you invest in a quality product – which means good, sharp steel. The sharper the blade, the stronger the cut and the less force is required, which makes it the gentler on the wrists, says topiary expert Darren Lerigo who runs the Modern Mint online tool and gardening shop. If the blades can be sharpened, all the better.

According to gardening writer Anna Pavord, he approaches the subject “with the eye of an artist”, and as a result, his loppers – in particular these limited edition S-Type secateurs – are a work of art in themselves. The only reason the Okatsune pruners pipped them to the post here is because of the price: but really, I’d highly recommend both – it just comes down to aesthetics.You can use a small amount of oil, vegetable oil, or purpose-designed tool oil to prevent rust and damage. Wipe off any excess oil. Do I Need to Disinfect my Secateurs? Different types offer different advantages – bypass models work like scissors with two blades that glide past each other for a clean cut. These are great for sharp, everyday pruning. Mechanism: bypass (see FAQ at the bottom of this feature for the difference between bypass and anvil secateurs) This pair is particularly effective against dead or dry wood, slicing through branches you’d swear you’d need longer-handled loppers for with just three squeezes. However, it didn’t have any problems pruning smaller twigs of greener wood.