Top Rated Pruning Shears for Thick Branches
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Well the best pruning shears for thick branches depends on your perception of “thick branches”. And I suppose, also what your interpretation of “pruning shears” is!
Lets get the second one out the way first. For this article we are going to assume that pruning shears are tools that have 2 opposing cutting surfaces that fit either side of the branch you want to cut.
In other words, pressure is exerted on the branch by 2 cutting surfaces that oppose each other. So we are basically talking about a scissor like action.
So we are not talking about conventional chainsaws or a slasher or ax or anything that only has one cutting edge.
Hope that sorts that out! 🙂
How thick is thick?
Now remember we are talking about pruning here.
Yes forest trees do get pruned but that’s usually done on an industrial scale with either fancy machines or a trained labor force wielding big gas driven chainsaws
We are interested in the best tool for thick branches for the average common gardener.
So we are probably looking at no more than say branches with a diameter of up to 4 inches (10cm), which is a fairly substantial branch. Bigger than that and you are probably in pure chainsaw territory.
The question then is this. Would you be able to use the same pruning tool on something solid branch with a 4 inch diameter and something with a much smaller diameter and more delicate?
Almost certainly not. But more about that later.
The Answer to Pruning Thick Branches
(You can also click on the pics to find out more about them)
Both of these are cordless tools that will deal quickly and efficiently with branches up to four inches (10cm) in diameter.
Although they are both called chainsaws in the blurb, they fall into our definition of pruning shears as they have 2 surfaces involved in the cutting that oppose each other.
However, having said that, they have very distinctive chainsaw like functions and characteristics.
These include a bar and a chain that needs to be oiled.
They are also significantly heavier than your average electrically powered pruning shears. Probably about six to eight times heavier depending on which particular brands you compare.
Needless to say they are also significantly bigger physically.
As a result of the last 2 points, they also need two hands to operate them.
The advantages that these tools have over conventional chainsaws for garden pruning are obvious.
These include being smaller and lighter than most chainsaws. They have a scissor like cutting action which makes for a cleaner and more precise cut. And probably the best of all is that the whirling chain is not exposed! Much safer!
The Down Side
While these are both superb tools, there is a downside to owning them. And that is:
They are fairly specialized.
In other words you can use them to prune thick branches and even pretty thin branches. But they might not be very good for pruning other plants and shrubs in your garden.
For example, the chain action is going to mash, rather than cut, more delicate stems. The size of the tool might prevent you being able to access specific branches in a fairly densely packed environment.
All of which means that you will need to decide if you have enough specific work to justify buying one of these super tools.
A Final Word
NB/Please Note/Attention/Be aware…..etc
Both these tools form part of their respective group of tools that can share the same power source. i.e. The Worx Jawsaw uses a battery that you can use for other 20V Power Share WORX tools.
Likewise the B&D Lopper can share its battery with other B&D tools in their 20-volt MAX lithium-ion battery system
So be careful to ensure you also buy the battery and charger if you want the battery operated variety.
They do both come in electric corded versions. You can follow these links to see those versions of the tool:
Corded Electric B&D Lopper
Corded Electric WORX JawSaw NB After clicking on JawSaw link you will need to scroll down the page a bit to find this tool.
That’s it – Prune Away 🙂
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