For tall hedges, a blade that measures somewhere between 9 and 12 inches will provide the best overall performance. Short blades of around 6-inches in length are an ideal choice for making cuts between waist and shoulder high. Shear length can be broken down between blade length and handle length. The right length for garden hedge shears depends on what you want to do with them. The non-stick coating also ensures that natural materials such as sap don’t build up and cause the edges to stick together.
The coating helps protect the blade against rust and corrosion. Many manufacturers will apply a non-stick coating such as Teflon on their blades. However, because of the high carbon content in the steel, these blades are prone to rust when exposed to moisture, so keeping them clean and dry is critical. High carbon steel blades are more robust and sharper, making them a good choice for cutting thicker or harder branches. Stainless steel blades are best for thinner, younger branches with new green growth. Stainless SteelĪ popular choice because of its corrosion and rust-resistant properties, stainless steel is often used for the blades of hedge shears. Some manufacturers will also apply protective coatings to their blades to increase their durability. You need to carefully consider the material the shear blades are made of when buying garden shears.ĭifferent metals have different chemical makeups, which impact how sharp the blade will get, how well it holds its edge, how easy it is to resharpen, and if it will be prone to rust. Some manufacturers design hedge shears with a limb notch that helps to enhance their cutting capacity, but for really thick branches, using a hedge pol e saw or pair of loppers is a better choice. Most hedge shears are capable of making cuts of up to about 0.5 inches. When I refer to cutting capacity, I am talking about the maximum diameter of a branch that a set of garden hedge shears can cut. Serrated blades are the hardest to resharpen and should only be handled by professionals with purpose-designed sharpening tools. The “teeth” on a serrated blade are very effective at biting into the wood, making cutting branches thicker than 0.25 inches much easier. Shears with serrated blades are for cutting through the thickest and toughest branches. Each style has its pros and cons, so consider your options carefully. Hedge shear blades come in several shapes: straight, wavy/curved, or serrated. So have that thought in mind as we run through this nest section. These essential questions can go a long way to narrowing down your choices for shears.
Perhaps the most informative question to ask before buying hedge shears is what you plan on doing with them.Īre you looking for a pair of powerhouse shears that will slice through thick woody branches, or do you only need to trim newer, softer growths on your hedges?ĭo you need long handles to reach up high? Or, are you working in tight spaces where a shorter pair of garden hedge shears might be more dextrous? So let me break it down for you, allowing you to pinpoint what specifications matter to you.
Many people assume that one pair of garden shears is the same as the next, but many different factors are important to understand when you’re thinking of buying hedge shears.