Best bypass hand pruning shears?

[MushCreek]

I'm in the market for some decent bypass pruning shears. I already have a lopper for heavy stuff and a SawZall for really heavy stuff. I want something for more precise trimming, especially for my young orchard. From reading reviews, I'm leaning towards the Corona Classicut BP 15180. I'm not a pro, and they'll probably only get used a few hours a year, but I like quality tools. No, I don't want/need powered pruners. Thoughts?

 

[mike93lx]

Felco is a gold standard

I have a fiskars pair that works well

 

[Tchicken]

Last year my old (inerited from grandparents) hand shears gave up. I looked around, did a little reading and bought the ARS HP-VS8Z. I looked at that Corona, and the classic Felco's. What made up my mind was that the ARS are hard chrome plated as opposed to the Felco's which helps with a tool I won't use very often. And they cost considerably less than the Felco's. I was impressed with the seeming quality, and probably won't live long enough to have to go shopping for shears again.

​

 

[MushCreek]

Wow- Felco is serious money! The ARS looks good, although research says that the ones from Amazon are likely counterfeit. From trusted sources they run $50+.

 

[KnurledNut]

Stihl has some quality ones. Available in store from local dealers. Always nice to get a hands on feel of something before buying. Made in Japan.

 

[mike93lx]

Wow- Felco is serious money! The ARS looks good, although research says that the ones from Amazon are likely counterfeit. From trusted sources they run $50+.

You asked for the best!

 

[Steve_P]

There was a thread on this a few weeks ago. I have Felco and also a Fiskars copy. As I said in the other thread, I'm not sure the Felco are worth the $ premium in comparison. If the Felcos are too much $$, it's tough to go wrong with anything by Fiskars, and there are multiple choices by them on Amazon.

Handheld Pruning Shears

My wife does the gardening and the pruning around our house. Gardening is very low on my list of fun things to do so I'm happy to stay out of her way and maintain the gear. My wife needs "military" grade pruning shears because she just tears stuff up. I've bought her what I think are all the...

www.garagejournal.com

 

[neophyte]

Wow- Felco is serious money! The ARS looks good, although research says that the ones from Amazon are likely counterfeit. From trusted sources they run $50+.

I’ve had a pair of Felco model 13 pruning shears for a decade or more, and have never regretted the cost.
Before them, I used the Corona model you mentioned, and my hand would get sore.
The Felco shears were so much mire ergonimic snd pleasant, I could just pour a cup of coffee, and go clip some stuff in the morning while drinking the coffee.
The size 13 is sort of a “hand and a half” model, which allows you to use an extra hand for leverage on thicker stuff, if you don’t want to break out a saw or ling pair of two handed loppers.
I think I went two years before bothering to sharpen the Felco shears.
Mostly I just dpray the shears with the Felco anti-rust 980 spray, and maybe wipe them.

 

[Nobody-named-Olli]

I like & use Felco, Löwe & Fiskars.

Kind regards,
Olli

 

[Vinny]

Last year my old (inerited from grandparents) hand shears gave up. I looked around, did a little reading and bought the ARS HP-VS8Z. I looked at that Corona, and the classic Felco's. What made up my mind was that the ARS are hard chrome plated as opposed to the Felco's which helps with a tool I won't use very often. And they cost considerably less than the Felco's. I was impressed with the seeming quality, and probably won't live long enough to have to go shopping for shears again.

Add another vote for the HP-VS8Z. I bought mine on Amazon a long time ago, and they seem legit. Either that or counterfeiters have stepped up their game!
By the way, what do folks us to clean off the blades of sap and gunk? I used to use IPA but its become really annoying to find around here.

 

[RTM]

By the way, what do folks us to clean off the blades of sap and gunk?

WD-40, let it soak, then wipe.

My arborist uses something between trees to prevent transferring disease, guess that’s IPA.

 

[mwwusa]

I suggest you try the Harbor Freight bypass pruners, item 58787.

These are a Chinese copy of the top of the line Japanese ARS pruners for a lot less money.

The HF pruners list for $12.99 that can be discounted with 20-30% coupons when available.

The HF pruners are great. I use and enjoy them often. I frequently give them as presents to friends and they often comment how great they are.

One of the things that sets the ARS and HF pruners apart from others is the catch that holds the blades together when stored. It is far superior to the Felco catch that so many other pruners use. The Felco catch can be fiddly. The HF catch is intuitive.

I think you will enjoy them.

Attachments​

• 
  
  HF pruner 58787.jpg
  10.9 KB · Views: 17
  
  
  

 

[MushCreek]

The HF ones just might do the trick. As I said, they'll only get used a few hours a year. If I were a professional nurseryman, I'd pony up for something like the Felco.

 

[Nobody-named-Olli]

@Vinny

Currently using Stihl’s “SuperClean”. Used another product for years because of its bio degradability, but that was discontinued by the manufacturer - so now the SuperClean, works. I guess all these resin removing & care/maintenance sprays range around very similar formulas. For deep clean I have a pure/solely resin remover that I also use on my track saw’s blades.

Kind regards,
Olli

 

[mike93lx]

The HF ones just might do the trick. As I said, they'll only get used a few hours a year. If I were a professional nurseryman, I'd pony up for something like the Felco.

Every time a thread starts with "I want the best" and ends with Harbor Freight, an angel loses its wings

 

[Professor Gascan]

I've had a pair a low/mid-tier Fiskars for more than a decade and never felt the need to get something better. The long handles loppers take care of anything the hand pruners won't.

I'm not exactly running a topiary garden, but they see fairly regular use and I'm always glad I have them.

 

[308guru]

I didn't know anyone besides Felco made pruners.

 

[nadogail]

I have been very well served by my Corona shears; Corona, to the best of my recollection has been acquired by a Spanish company I think Bellota.

 

[Aaron_W]

Corona makes good pruners, just be aware they have a quality line and a budget line of tools. The box stores tend to stock the cheaper line.

My one handed pruner is the BP3160 kind of like those in the first post. I've had them about 6 years, and they see a few hours of use most months. I've been quite happy with them after years of using $10 pruners.

The other one I have is their BP3225 which they call a "2 handed pruner", basically small loppers. I love these things, far more leverage for cutting larger stems, but much smaller than full size loppers.

 

[MushCreek]

Yeah, I know I said 'the best', but that was before I knew that there were pruning shears over $100. Felco has some that are $400; wtf do those do?!? I guess I should have specified a price range.

 

[mike93lx]

Yeah, I know I said 'the best', but that was before I knew that there were pruning shears over $100. Felco has some that are $400; wtf do those do?!? I guess I should have specified a price range.

Just busting balls