I'm on the look out for a new branch lopper as my old one is no longer! I'm looking for a non electric version but with some clout rather than one of the cheap b&q jobbies. Also if anyone can recommend a good handheld scarifier (non-electric) that would be great :-)
cheers
Mechanical or powered? (I have a petrol one).
If manual I bought a Fiskars pole thing last year that extends to about 5 metres. It has an optional saw blade that fits on the end that deals with chunky branches that the lopper won't deal with.
Wear a hard hat. Ask me how I know.
Yes our loppers are Fiskars and are very good. They have a gear arrangement at the pivot to give some mechanical advantage.
MechanicalOriginally Posted by Incredible Sulk
Mechanical or powered? (I have a petrol one).
If manual I bought a Fiskars pole thing last year that extends to about 5 metres. It has an optional saw blade that fits on the end that deals with chunky branches that the lopper won't deal with.
Wear a hard hat. Ask me how I know.
+1 on the fiskars. I use it on my neighbour's overhanging vegetation.
Costco have them.
Fiskars stuff is good. I don't think the mechanical scarified are much cop. You'd probably be better using a lawn rake
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Another vote for Fiskars. For lawn raking, forget the blisters and back breaking work, I've had one of these Bosch scarifiers for many years. You can frighten your lawn into growing really well by giving it a "number 1" in the spring and autumn and occasional trim in the summer.
Just be warned, even a small lawn it will extract a couple of wheely bins worth of thatch and moss.
I have had a set of the Fiskars telescopic loppers for years. They have been badly mistreated but they simply refuse to die! I am not sure if the new ones are built to the same quality, though, as there are quite a few one-star Amazon reviews.
For higher branches perhaps consider the Wolf Garten professional pruning saw - I have this and the pole that extends to 4 meters and it's coped with everything I've asked of it.
Fiskars do indeed have a good reputation. For a pole saw, if you need that sort of thing, there is hardly anything better than a Silky. The Zubat polesaw uses the same blade as the normal down-to-earth hand version and is the least expensive of their line of pole saws - but they are all pretty costly anyway.
If you want to swing a big blade to lop off anything up to about an inch and within reach of your arm, get a Terävä Skrama 240 bush tool. One of the best blades in that category you can get. Also handy to split your firewood with and scare off werewolves. Tendency for evil laughter included. Not sure it will go well with UK knife regulations unless you can argue it is a gardening/forestry tool and not a Crocodile Dundee sized knife. Only sold by the crazy Fins at Varusteleka in Helsinki. Google it.
Seriously, I use that thing a lot to delimb larger branches I cut down from our trees, to debark, split and so on.
Do take care not to engage in large scale deforestation with the above.
Ah....Varusteleka. Excellent knives, great service.
Another vote for Silky Zubat. Japanese steel. Not cheap but you only need to buy once unless you accidentally throw it on a bonfire when tidying up. Don’t ask.
The really nice thing is that it comes with a scabbard, so you can wear it. Ideal when up a tree.
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
Or any of the silky saws. I use the Gomboy 240 around the yard and on canoeing trips... it folds which was the attraction for me and replaceable blades. I bought one when I got the saw but in the past five years never felt necessary to replace the blade so I’m impressed.
Last edited by canuck; 2nd May 2020 at 18:15.
Agree with the amount that comes out. I bought an Alko which has both moss rake and scarifier attachmentsAnother vote for Fiskars. For lawn raking, forget the blisters and back breaking work, I've had one of these Bosch scarifiers for many years. You can frighten your lawn into growing really well by giving it a "number 1" in the spring and autumn and occasional trim in the summer.
Just be warned, even a small lawn it will extract a couple of wheely bins worth of thatch and moss.
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Silky are excellent, but I would also look at Bahco, as a significantly cheaper but only slightly less good option.
I use their loppers (the Professional model), they are excellent. I abuse them a lot (usually by cutting a larger branch than I should), they shrug off my attempts to ruin them very effectively.
Their pruning saws are also very good, I have a couple, one for climbing with (in a holster), the other longer curved one with wooden handle for ground work that doesn't need a chainsaw. Both excellent bits of kit.
Another top tip is a cheap handheld spreader. Ideal for weed and feed, moss treatments, new seed etc ..
Opted for the Fiskars powergear L78, what a thing of beauty! Cuts through branches with ease!
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