$4 vs $40 japanese pruning shears

[katiexoxo]

On the left it's the Okatsune $40 pruning shears that I'm using for a year. And on the right some pruning shears that I just bought from the flea market for $4, they are labeled "MSA".

They look almost exactly the same!
The differences- Okatsune has a bluish blade and some japanese letters on the handle. I'm curious if the MSA will hold up as the Okatsune, if they do then the Okatsune are way overhyped

 

[gdocktor3]

The $4 pair is used though, right? You can't compare used $4 shears and new $40 shears. How much are new MSA shears?

 

[928'er]

I suspect that the pruners on the right are chicom knock-offs.

The Japanese Okatsune blades are quality Izumo Yasuki steel with a HRC of about 60. I'll wager a guess that the steel used in the MSA's is a lot softer. Let us know how they hold up.

 

[jimreed2160]

How about a $16 alternative?

I purchased my first house in 1976. Part of the lot was wooded and I purchased a pair of shears to tame the woods. Over the years, I have owned a few more woodsy houses and continued to use and abuse the shears for the past 41 years. I have cut everything from dandelions and tree branches to 3" diameter trees (the trick is to get a bite, rotate and advance). All of this use/abuse has made them a bit wonky lately so I went to HD for a replacement.

So it turns out that Craftsman was rebranding Fiskars back in the day. I got a $16 upgrade. If these last as long as the others, I will be tickled.

 

[Finky198]

Years back when I bought my first silky pruning saw they were about $80 about six months after I bought a silky 21ft pole saw $300. I noticed replacement blades for my old hand saw while at my local dealer for $10-$20 dollars, they were new improved razor sharp laser cut steel blades they looked exactly like the silky blades which are $35-$65 (coo Japan) but guess what they had no label no markings shipped from you guessed China made and made from **** steel. The blade would last 2 weeks after that it would not hold an edge... the key to the better blades is in the steel and the heat treat of the actual teeth. be it a blade in your case...

I'd make the same argument for the better tool brands most of the high end designs and performance and engineering that goes into can't be seen By the naked eye. Just because thing look the same does not mean they were engineered or built the same....

For example like above
We chop a lot of wood and maintain quite a bit of land and woods the Fiskars has changed the way we work the tools are lighter, stronger, safer, and hold up to a lot of abuse. They can't replace every axe or tool, but their ingenuity changed things up big time.

As did Silky with their blades.