Quote from bob on 29th November 2022, 10:14 am

Hello Tim,

A couple of answers, one is the best secateurs are the one’s that are within your budget, the other is, the make up of your garden. If your garden is primarily well-established shrubs, you will not want a small pair of thin bladed secateurs that would be ok for dead heading Cosmos or Dahlias, you would be looking at something that be capable of pruning the small thin ends of the branches also strong enough to cut back at the base of a shrub which is possibly may be 3/8 of an inch in diameter.

Hopefully to cure a couple of the faults with your secateurs, the lock slider goes back to lock, get yourself a small table tie and tie this around the handle above the slider keeping the secateurs in the open position, BUT you should then always keep these secateurs in a good holster, never when open or closed place them in your pocket.

Regarding the spring, remove it from its original position and just give it a little pull, stretch it a bit, it’s then giving more outward pressure onto the recess.

Secateurs are mechanical with moving parts, so at some time somethings are going to wear out, therefore look for a pair of secateurs where the manufacturer can supply spare parts, springs, blades etc. I have put an image up, showing my kit, showing the different locking mechanisms, all work well, the bottom secateurs (red handles) are new this year expensive but a good grip, sharp, good locking lever its stiff to move never goes back into lock position unless you give it a good push, the others are also very good. All purchased from my local garden centre.

Quote from Lee Garden Ninja on 29th November 2022, 4:13 pm

Hi @tim

Bob's already given some great tips to ensure that those secateurs latches don't become more of a hindrance than a help!

The best secateurs, in my experience, have to have two main qualities:

1: They must be able to be easily sharpened

2: They must be able to be repaired over time

The other thing to look for is sizing. Believe it or not, secateurs are not one size fits all. Always look for a brand that has size options depending on how big or small your hands are. I have small hands, so I use a smaller secateur.

Sharpening secateurs is essential as with use, they will dull. Secateurs that are hard to sharpen or don't fully open should be avoided as they are too awkward to keep sharp. The other quality is repairs and spare parts. Over time the springs, handle covers, and clasps may need replacing even if the blades are still in excellent working order. So I always buy snips that can be maintained.

https://youtu.be/zsdpzrxxOj8

It doesn't make sense to spend £10 on a cheap pair of secateurs that only last 2-3 years when you can spend, say, £40 and have them last 30+ years!

The two brands I recommend are either

Felco secateurs or Niwaki. 

(This is an affiliate link so if you do choose to buy receive a small commission that helps keep this blog free to use!)

Both have spare parts and are wonderful size-appropriate secateurs for all sorts of gardening. They can be easily sharpened and are a joy to use. (I notice above Bob has Felcos showing just how adept he is!).

If you visit their site to buy, do make sure you tell them about where you had the recommendation. I very rarely recommend products unless I've used them extensively. I use both Felco and Niwaki in the garden. So it feels appropriate to name-check them here. 

I hope that helps!

Lee

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Quote from Tim on 30th November 2022, 6:05 am

Thank you Bob & Lee for your very comprehensive reply. I think you're both wonderful!
Best gardening website by far. Second to none.
Thanks again, very much appreciate your help.

Tim, x