Shears
Grass shears are designed for one-hand use and incorporate a safety lock or lever to hold the blades together when not in use. The most common type of grass shear is the draw-cut shears. They have a stationary lower blade and a moveable upper blade, operated by an up and down squeeze on the handle. Good quality shear blades are tempered, hollow-ground steel to hold the cutting edge. Lengths and styles do vary according to personal preference. |
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| Hedge shears have scissors-like cutting action. They are primarily used for cutting ornamental shrubs and clipping new growth, but should not be used in place of loppers or hand shears. Blades are typically 8" to 10" long, with serrated edges. Some models have notched positions for bulk cuts, or arc-edge blades that have two curved blades that pass through growth from either side. |
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| Hand pruning shears typically come in 6" to 9" long with either an anvil or bypass cutting mechanism. They should not be used to cut stems more than 3/4" in diameter. Top quality shears should have hand-honed blades for extra cutting strength, rust protection, and adjustable joint tension assemblies. Handles can be wood, lightweight metal or fiberglass with special grip handles for extra comfort. Depending on the type of shears, they can be used to cut larger sized branches and shrubs or even trim flowers. |
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| Bypass hand pruners operate with scissors-like action with a hook and blade. They are the preferred cutting tool of rose growers since they can cut closer to the stem, making them ideal for cutting flowers. Using this type of shears will give you a clean cut on flower stems. |
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| Anvil pruning shears are light and easy to sharpen. They operate with a straight-edge blade cutting against a soft metal anvil. This shear makes a coarse cut on dead wood that needs to be cut down to size. |
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| Lopping shears have long handles for firm leverage and hard, tempered steel blades. These shears cut best through heavy underbrush and branches up to 3" thick. As with other types of shears they come in anvil (shown) and bypass design. |
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