A Pruning Tool Guide: Secateurs, Loppers and Saws

Pruning goes wrong far more often because of the wrong tool than because of a wrong cut. A pair of secateurs forced around a branch twice its capacity will crush the stem, leave a ragged wound and strain your hand. A saw used on a twig will be slow and clumsy. Match the tool to the branch diameter, and the work becomes quicker, cleaner and much kinder to the plant.

A useful rule, and a common guideline in garden practice, is to let diameter decide. Secateurs handle stems up to about 20 millimetres, roughly the thickness of a pencil to a thick finger. Loppers, with their long handles, comfortably cut branches up to about 40 to 50 millimetres. Anything thicker belongs to a pruning saw, or, for high or large limbs, to a qualified professional. Cutting beyond a tool's comfortable range does not save time; it damages both plant and tool.

Secateurs: bypass, anvil and ratchet

Secateurs are the tool you will reach for most, so they are worth choosing carefully. Bypass secateurs have a curved blade that passes beside a counter blade, like scissors. They make a clean cut on live wood and are the best general choice for roses, shrubs, fruit canes and herbaceous stems. Anvil secateurs have a straight blade that closes onto a flat plate. They are better for dead, dry wood, where a crushing action is less of a problem, but they can bruise live stems if used carelessly.

Ratchet secateurs add a mechanism that cuts in stages, which helps if grip strength is limited or if you regularly cut thicker stems near the top of the secateur range. They are slower per cut, so they suit careful, occasional pruning better than fast hedge work. Whichever type you choose, try the grip in your hand if possible. A handle that is too wide will tire you quickly, and a spring that is too stiff will make the last hour of pruning feel much longer than the first.

Look for replaceable blades and springs. A secateur that can be taken apart and fitted with a new blade will last far longer than a sealed model, even if it costs more at first. Keep the blade sharp, because a blunt secateur crushes rather than cuts.

Loppers: leverage for thicker branches

Loppers are essentially long-handled secateurs. Their leverage lets you cut branches that would be impossible, or painful, with hand secateurs, while keeping your hands clear of thorns and dense growth. Bypass loppers suit live branches; anvil loppers suit dead wood. Telescopic handles extend your reach into a shrub or over a fence, but they also add weight and can flex, so a fixed-handle lopper often feels more solid for routine work.

Handle length is a trade-off. Handles of 60 to 75 centimetres give good leverage for most shrubs and small trees, while very long handles are useful for reaching into the centre of a large bush but become awkward in a tight border. Weight matters here as well: a heavy pair of loppers used overhead quickly tires shoulders and arms, and tired arms make sloppy cuts. If much of your pruning is above shoulder height, reconsider the job itself. Pruning from a stable step, with both feet planted, is very different from stretching from a ladder with a saw in hand. For large limbs, high branches or anything near power lines, hire a qualified professional rather than improvising.

When using loppers, position the branch deep in the jaw, near the pivot, where leverage is greatest. Cutting at the tip of the blades reduces power and can bend the blade. Cut just above an outward-facing bud or a side branch, at a slight angle so water runs off the cut surface, and avoid leaving a long stub, which dies back and can invite problems. Step back often to check the shape of the shrub as a whole, rather than cutting stem by stem without looking up.

Pruning saws and when to stop

A pruning saw cuts on the pull stroke in most designs, which gives control and reduces the risk of the blade jumping. A folding saw is compact, safe to carry in a pocket or tool belt, and suits branches from about 40 millimetres upwards. A bow saw, with a longer blade held in a frame, cuts faster on larger limbs but is less manoeuvrable inside a dense shrub. A small, curved pruning saw often works best in tight spaces because the curve helps the teeth stay in contact with the wood.

Saw technique is simple but worth practising on a low branch first. Start with a light, shallow cut on the underside of the branch, a few centimetres from the trunk, then cut from the top a little further out. This two-step approach prevents the branch from tearing bark down the trunk as it falls. Then remove the remaining stub with a clean cut just outside the branch collar, the slightly raised ring where branch meets trunk. Do not cut flush into the trunk, and do not leave a long stub.

There are jobs a saw alone does not make safe. Anything that involves climbing, working above head height with a heavy limb, felling, or cutting near buildings or cables should be left to a qualified tree professional. The same applies to a large, dead limb that could fall unpredictably. A professional will have the training, ropes and insurance for that work, and the cost is a reasonable trade for safety. For routine sharpening and care of the tools you do use, How to Sharpen Garden Tools Safely explains files, stones and safe handling.

Cleaning, sharpening and storage

Clean tools cut better and spread fewer problems between plants. After pruning, especially if you have cut diseased-looking wood, wipe the blade with a cloth dampened with household disinfectant or soapy water, then dry it thoroughly. A light wipe of oil on the blade and pivot prevents rust during storage. This takes a minute and makes a real difference over a season, particularly in damp climates where tools left wet in a shed rust quickly.

Sharpen secateurs and loppers little and often, rather than waiting until they are blunt. A few strokes with a fine file or sharpening stone on the bevelled side of the blade, keeping the original angle, is usually enough. Do not sharpen the flat side, which would change how the blades meet. Test the cut on a spare stem: a sharp blade leaves a smooth, clean surface, while a blunt one leaves a crushed, pale edge. Store tools dry, with blades closed or covered, and hang loppers and saws rather than piling them in a box where blades knock together and dull.

Safety is part of tool choice, not an afterthought. Wear sturdy gloves that still let you feel the handle, and eye protection when cutting overhead or working in dense, springy growth, where a cut stem can flick back. Keep secateurs closed when you are not cutting, and never carry a saw with the blade uncovered. If you are choosing a mower as well as pruning tools this season, How to Choose a Lawn Mower for Your Yard covers size, power and storage in the same practical way.

Common mistakes

• Using secateurs on branches far too thick for them, crushing stems and damaging the tool.
• Choosing anvil secateurs for live, green wood, where bypass blades would give a cleaner cut.
• Leaving long stubs or cutting flush into the trunk, instead of cutting just outside the branch collar.
• Pruning from a ladder or above shoulder height with a saw, rather than asking a professional for high or large limbs.
• Storing tools wet, dirty or piled together, so blades rust and dull between uses.
• Sharpening the wrong side of a blade, or waiting until a tool is completely blunt before sharpening it.

Start with a good pair of bypass secateurs that fit your hand, add loppers for branches up to about 50 millimetres, and keep a folding pruning saw for thicker stems at ground level. Clean and sharpen them as you go, and you will find pruning becomes a calm, precise job rather than a struggle. The plant responds to a clean cut, the tool lasts longer, and your hands will thank you at the end of the day.