Loppers

[Mike Prager]

I'm in the market for new loppers. I've had the old ones for

18 yrs, and my fingers bang together when they close.

Recommendations?

The local hardware store has a nice-looking pair of bypass loppers for about $30.00. By mail order, Felco are $65! I really like my Felco pruners, but can loppers be worth that?

I have always used bypass pruners (said to damage the wood less), but I see some of the heavier loppers are anvil types.

What do folks like?

Mike Prager Beaufort, NC (on the coast in zone 8a) (Remove spam traps from email address to reply.)

[TSP]

[Richard Cline]

In article , Mike Prager

[Timothy]

With tools, you generaly get what you pay for in this world. If you can afford the felco loppers, I would go for those. Other wise I would tend to stay with corona. My corona loppers have lasted six years of commercial use and abuse with little wear. My third choice would be fiskar. These are somewhat on the same level as corona now'adays.

(A soap box moment...) I would tend to steer clear of anvil pruners/loppers. They take much more muscle to operate and they do much more damage to the item that you pruning. I could only see using anvils on dead wood, but I tend to use a hand saw in those moments.

[Hal]

I just bought and used a Friskars lopper (bypass) for about $30 from Lowe's and even though they are very light and handle easy they cut through a 1-1/8" limb easily due to the gearing built into the pivot. I have a saw for larger limbs.

Regards,

Hal

[David Ross]

I have a very old pair of bypass loppers (brand unknown). They have wood handles, which absorb some of the shock when using them (e.g., when you finally cut through a branch and the stops on the blades meet).

Also, I recommend against anything that uses some kind of lever action to increase the force on the blades. If you need that much force to cut a branch, you should be using a pruning saw.

[Newt]

I agree with Timothy. The anvil are for dead wood and the bypass ar for live wood. New

-- Newt

[Mike Prager]

Thanks to all who replied to my query. I learned quite a bit about loppers.

Mike Prager Beaufort, NC (on the coast in zone 8a) (Remove spam traps from email address to reply.)

[Beecrofter]

lets call the felcos 80$ and consider shipping and sales tax now assume they last 18 years like the pair you have worn out disregard that all the parts for a felco are available.

18 years = 6575 days is it worth 8 cents a week to work with a quality tool?

[Newt]

You're very welcome! New

-- Newt

[Mike Prager]

That's the conclusion I had come to.

Mike Prager Beaufort, NC (on the coast in zone 8a) (Remove spam traps from email address to reply.)

[Babberney]

If you're still in doubt, consider that the Felco hand pruners probably cost you at least $40 (or whatever was equivalent when you bought them). You weren't complaining about that price when you mentioned you liked them. But I guarantee you will be complaining (to yourself, at least) if you buy crummy substitutes for a good tool.

Having said that, why not insert a range limiter of some sort in your current pair so you won't bang your knuckles anymore?

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