Secateurs

Hi everyone...I'm looking to buy some new Secateurs, as I plan on cutting back my three Honeysuckles this year and as it stands I don't own any that will be up to the job.

I was looking at some Darlac Expert Bypass Secateurs for about £20 to £25 depending on where you buy them from, plus they have very good reviews, so these were at the top of the list.

Link to Darlac DP1030A Expert Bypass Pruner – Darlac Ltd

But, then I saw some Felco Model 8 for about £40, now from what I have read the brand Felco are considered to be the Rolls Royce of pruners, so I was wondering are they worth the extra £15 to £20?

Link to Felco https://www.worldoffelco.co.uk/cate...uct/felco-model-8-classic-secateurs/L117~L117

Thanks in advance

 

Hello Sheps I don't know the Darlac brand, but the big advantage of the Felco secateur is that it dismantles easily for cleaning and sharpening, and all the parts are replaceable. There is even (AFAIK) a service centre in Leicester that do the maintenance for you quite reasonably. So Felco isn't just for Christmas...it's for life P.S. Apologies if the SC info is out-of-date!
Just having looked at your Darlac link, that looks like an excellent copy of the Felco! If parts are easily available, go for it!

 

Well, I am the most heavy handed guy on the planet....I break the unbreakable!!!
Used to own felco secateurs....had a couple....but they broke, of course. (Recently broke a pair of heavy duty loppers and hoping to claim on its 3 year warranty)
Now I seem to purchase a pair every year or two so I buy anything that is relatively cheap.....prob around the £15 to £20 mark.
Felco are great secateurs but Wilkinson Sword, Fiskars, Spear and Jackson are pretty good.

 

Hi Sheps - I have one of the cheaper Felcos and it's great. But I have read the gardening gurus like Christopher Lloyd loved the more expensive one with the rotating handle because it reduces soreness when you do a lot. The Darlac LOOKS identical to the Felco, so unless you are going for the top of the range, it might be good enough.

 

Thanks noisette... that is good to know re the spare parts, and I must admit, the more I read about Felco the more I'm drawn to them.

 

I used Felco professionally for 13 years. Didn't manage to break them but then I wasn't trying to I have the Felco7 with the rotating handle but quite honestly, I'm not sure it's much of an advantage. Like the classic 'shovel' story...they've had new blades, new parts galore, even a new handle on one side, but they're still my beloved old secateurs The Felco folding pruning saw is a beauty too!

 

Hi Caroline and JWK... thanks for the advice, they do look the same, as do a lot of the other brands, maybe the design is based on the Felco so maybe that is telling us something.

 

Hi noisette...13 years WOW!... I guess there is no substitute for quality

 

I'm sure you know that if you have to force them, twist them etc, to cut, you should be using loppers or a saw

 

My 2 penneth worth.

Choose the correct secateurs for the job - bypass are good for pruning soft stemmed plants, anvil for hard stemmed. The idea being anvil will crush a soft stemmed plant when pruning.

Have a look in your local Morrisons - I was standing there looking at their own brand pruners when a guy came up and told me that he was a groundsman and that the Morrisons pruners were the same as a 'professional' brand costing much more which he had used.

I've no idea why the text in italics again - a bit of a nuisance.

 

Thanks for the advice, noisette

Hi Verdun...sorry I missed your post ( was using a mobile phone to reply ) I'm a sucker for quality brands like the ones you have mentioned, including Felco, so maybe I'll have another think and do a little more research.

Thanks for the help so far everyone

 

My advice is to avoid bypass secateurs which feature aluminium handles if you intend to cut thick branches (about 22-25mm diameter).

Last year, I broke four pairs (1 Felco, 2 Wickes, 1 Generic brand) trimming down branches to fit into the compost heap.

They all cracked at the point where the blades were attached to the handles.

Luckily, I was able to salvage the jaw blades from the Wickes secateurs and bolt them onto the handles of a spare pair of Wickes anvil secateurs (bypass and anvil have identical handles).

 

I have two pair of Felco. If my memory serves me right, both are No.2 First pair I bought in the late 1960's and the second pair about 1982.
Although back in the 60's Felco would service including supplying new blades free of charge. Since then you have to pay. My oldest pair, I've fitted new blades to once before. I now have two sets of blades that I will fit soon. I'd say I've had my money's worth.

Three tips. Whatever make you choose. Make sure they are comfotable.
Learn how to use them correctly. Keep them clean.

 

Hi my friend.
No offence meant.
Sadly damage/breakage is caused by. Attempting to cut too thick a branch, in one go. It's safer and wiser to apply pressure and cut so far, release pressure, allowing the blades to retract then apply full pressure.

Second problem is. Allowin the blades to twist or tilt, rather than making a straight cut.