On Thursday, November 5, 2015 at 10:25:34 PM UTC-5, Gordon Shumway wrote:
I just bought some pruning shears today at a local nursery, that I
have done business with for many years, for what I thought was a lot
of money; about $50.

The first thing was the force required on the handles to enable the
release of the safety latch required so much pressure on the handles
that they were deflecting.

Secondly, after only a couple small, about 1/4" dia., branches were
pruned the return spring couldn't return the handles to the open
position.

Third, the package said the shears could handle up to 1" dia.
branches, but the force required to trim 1/2" or 3/4" branches took
two hands. No way they could handle a 1" dia. branch.

As the person rang up the sale she said "you'll have these for the
rest of your life." She will be right if I die on my way back to that
nursery tomorrow to return them. They are a piece of ****!

Who makes a quality pruning shear?

Just a couple of pruning tips, which you may already know, but I'll share
for the benefit of all:

1 - When using bypass pruners, always keep the flat, wide blade on the "good
side" of the cut - the part of the plant that you want to keep. This will
results in a cleaner cut, with the ragged cut being on the discarded side.

2 - The very last bud on the tip of a stem is the "boss". This bud sends
a chemical down the stem, inhibiting growth from the buds further down the
stem. Many times the interior of a plant or bush can be filled in by simply
cutting off the very tip of the stem. The "inner" buds will begin to grow.