I thought I would introduce you to my shears which are definitely considered essential members of the “useful tools” gang.

From left to right, Okatsune 217 Shrub Shears. These are my go-to shears and can handle almost anything. They are light and strong and beautiful to use.

Niwaki Garden Long Handled Shears. A good solid pair of long handled hedge shears. Like the Okatsune shears they are made from Japanese steel and are therefore very strong and very sharp.  The long-handled versions will add to your reach when cutting but they don’t add to the strength of the shears so resist the temptation to put additional strain on the blades.

Niwaki Karikomi Shears.  The Karikomi Shears have curved blades specifically designed for cloud pruning. The white paper shirogami steel blades sharpen to give an incredible edge.  These are amazing shears for their specific task. These are a fantastic addition to the team but whilst I could use my 217s to cloud prune I would not use these for general hard pruning.

As with all my Japanese tools they are a pleasure to use and give exceptional service. At the risk of sounding a little sad, they are also a joy to clean and maintain.