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Secateurs

yarrow2yarrow2 Posts: 782
in Tools and techniques

image

 

Lost my good secateurs.  Phone rang, put them down, rushed into the house, came back out - senior moment, can't find them.

Bought this very cheap set.  First took out the ones on the right without looking closely at them and found of course I couldn't chop as they don't have blades on both sides whilst the other pair do.

This is probably the stupidest question I've ever come up with so far - but what are these for with a blade on one side and plastic on the other?  (I know I'm going to slap myself on the forehead when someone puts me right on this)!

 

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  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,131

    There are two types of secateur - Bypass and Anvil - there's an explanation here 

    http://www.which.co.uk/home-and-garden/garden/guides/how-to-buy-the-best-secateurs/choosing-and-buying-secateurs/ 

    image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • SupernoodleSupernoodle Posts: 954
    That's handy. I did wonder what anvil ones were for but never got round to looking up. Does anyone regularly use the anvil ones?
  • Hester ScottHester Scott Posts: 181

    Yep, I prefer them!

  • rosemummyrosemummy Posts: 2,010

    i tried anvil ones, prefer bypass myself

  • hogweedhogweed Posts: 4,053

    Bypass for me too.

     

    'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
  • yarrow2yarrow2 Posts: 782

    Ah - thanks for this.  I can't get the anvil ones to cut anything though.  Will need to practice or maybe it's harder because they were cheap as chips ones.

  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190

    If they were mine, I would wrap red insulation tape around the handles, much easier to spot in the garden.

     

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    I had a pair of anvil ones years ago which my  Mum bought me but I never found they cut cleanly so I stick with bypass. Perhaps they were poorer quality though and just didn't function very well.image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • bekkie hughesbekkie hughes Posts: 5,294
    I have to get the ratchet ones, think mine are bypass, either way if they last more than a year, im doing well! image
  • artjakartjak Posts: 4,167

    I got some ratchet anvil ones at The Royal Norfolk Show about 2/3 years ago - for about £4.5 i don't use them as my main secateurs, but they have lasted well and can tackle really thick material. Sadly there is no manufacturers name on them.

    My by-pass ones are Wilkinson Sword with a rolling handle and were pretty cheap and have lasted years. I just wish these things were a smidgen smaller for women's hands (then they would probably colour them pinkimage)

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