Okatsune 103 Bypass Secateurs

Having read a review of these in a gardening magazine I decided to make a break from a lifetime of Felcos and give them a try. They are not cheap but they are seriously good, very well made, secateurs and I am very happy with them, so much so that they have now replaced the Felcos as the secateurs of choice in my holster ( and come on, if you haven't got yourself a leather holster for your secateurs by now then you don't know what you have been missing. Ignore the cowboy references and just get one!). Firstly, they are very sharp and easily pass the bamboo cane test. The blade is sharp enough to use as a razor for opening bags of compost, cutting string etc. I know that's not the point of them but it illustrates the razor like quality. They are comfortable but also quite small so, if like me you have large hands, then go for the 103s which are the largest and would probably still suit someone with medium hands. They have a very clean cutting action, with a satisfying 'clack' sound, and are equally good at snipping off flower heads or taking small branches from fruit trees. What does take a bit of getting used to however is the action. If you are used to the 'thumb flick' opening and closing action of Felco and ersatz Felco secateurs then you might find the opening and closing action of the Okatsune secateurs takes a bit of getting used to. The clip at the base needs to be flicked open and then flicked closed after use. Here is a word to the wise: don't get the skin of your hand caught in the closing mechanism! The spring snaps it back into place and there is potential for a real 'ouch!'- or worse - moment. Having been stupid enough to catch my hand three times I now flick them open and closed by pushing the base of the secateurs against my hip. It works for me; you find your own way.

A nice simple design. The spring is basic but better than the coiled steel of other products which can get clogged with dirt etc. The handle locking mechanism is simple but good. Other makes often have a small lever near the handles/blades pivot point and sometimes self shut between cuts. Not on this one. Blades - sharp as you'd expect from Japanese steel. I've only had it a couple of days but I'm really impressed and expect a long life.

As a professional Landscaper and Gardener, these Secateurs by Okatsune are without a shadow of a doubt, the best hand pruners that I have ever owned and believe me I have tried so many different brands in the past but nothing comes even close to the quality of these by Okatsune. The quality of the steel and the sharpness of the blade is superb. Despite being covered in all manner of contaminants including, sand, grit, moisture and pruning sap etc, these pruners do not rust and always stay well aligned and true in shape, whilst constantly providing clean and accurate cuts which are essential in my line of work. The larger size hand pruners can easily cut through small branches with ease and the folding clip located at the base of the cutters allows for single handed safe easy closing when not in use. I sharpen my pruners with my Blade Tech knife sharpener as I don't like carrying sharpening stones and oil around with me. The blade Tech Tool sharpens the blades with ease, ensuring that you always have your blade in tip top condition and ready for use. You can find the Blade Tech sharpener here from Amazon. Blade Tech Knife and Tool Sharpener Lastly, probably one of the most useful design ideas that these pruners incorporate, are the opposing red and white coloured handles which are brilliant finding your dropped pruners among piles of foliage or cuttings as the handles stand out brilliantly against the greenery. I would not recommend any other brand of pruner other than genuine Okatsune pruners and thanks to Amazon, we can buy them here with confidence that they really are amongst the very best that you can buy.

Worth every penny. Nicely heavy, superbly efficient, clean cutting, no crush damage, also tackles pruning woody stems like a knife through butter: these are fantastic. I even clean and oil them after only a couple of uses, I so value them. My husband is not allowed near them - they are kept hidden, they are so good. Not going to hunt for these where he put them down somewhere in the garden - they're MINE!

I like these secateurs very much: they feel robust, are well made, and they're definitely a step up from the entry level pruners I had to replace following a breakage. Better still, they have a very definite centre of gravity, so although they have a reassuring weight to them, and aren't at all flimsy. The pruners are also very balanced: a feature which is likely to minimise fatigue for some people as there is a definite centre of gravity there. As other people have commented, the retaining catch which holds the handles together can bite back if one isn't careful, but I actually don't mind that, as it's a very positive fitting, and I consider it a safety feature. I also don't mind tools which need a bit of forethought to use. These secateurs are razor sharp, making very short work of the spiraea I tested them out on. For me, these are a perfect balance of quality and cost, and a tool I can't afford to be without.

These secateurs are the best. Having lost my first pair I had to buy them again unfortunately as they have increased in price since. Hopefully I won’t lose them a second time.

Excellent product - super sharp and very strong. Great grip and lock

Beautifully smooth action and very sharp, makes cutting a breeze. Just be careful with the latch as it aggressively snaps into place and can catch you hand if not careful.

Jetzt hat die Gartenschere ihren Platz .

りんごの剪定鋏と摘果鋏を入れられて便利です。質感良く大事にします。

Quelle merveille ce sécateur ! Ce n'est pas tant pour couper des grosses branches, il a des limites de diamètre comme tout sécateur, que pour la précision et la netteté de la coupe. Formidable.

Ho acquistato le 104, cioè il modello più grande, per la potatura secca del vigneto. Nonostante utilizzo forbici professionali anche di altri marchi noti, le ritengo un modello bypass eccellente. Hanno il loro punto di forza nella capacità di taglio netta e precisa emettendo un rumore caratteristico. Forbici semplici ma robuste, mantengono a lungo il filo. Da verificare con l'uso la tenuta della molla. Ergonomia a mio parere migliorabile.

Habe immer schon eine Möglichkeit gesucht, sowohl die Gartenschere (Rosenschere) als auch die Blumenschere mit mir rum zu tragen und dass nicht mit mehreren Holstern. Hier bin ich fündig geworden. Obwohl das zweite Fach für eine Säge vorgesehen ist, passt die Okatsune Blumenschere wunderbar hinein. Sieht stabil verarbeitet aus. Kann sie daher sehr empfehlen