2025 Pruner Shootout

[TK421]

I purchased (6) pairs of pruners: I went into this not giving a literal damn who won, I wanted the sharpest, most precise pruners out of the bunch.

Felco 8 & 11

Okatsune 103 & 104

ARS 8" & 9"

I went out & pruned live & dead wood, pine, hardwood, & fruit wood & there was a clear winner, no question at all in my mind. I started with Okatsune, then ARS, then Felco, then did it in reverse. (Felco, ARS, Okatsune).

To increase my sample size, I brought out all five family members present, one at a time & did the same procedure with each. not saying anything to them to influence their decision, just noting their favorite at sharpness, precision, ease of cutting, ease opening & locking the pruners, etc. The only thing I showed all was the proper way to open & close Okatsunes, which once they saw it & did it, everyone liked.

The clear winners were the Okatsunes, followed closely by ARS, and to my surprise, the Felco’s were not only third, but I dare say, a distant third as no one cared for their cut even remotely compared to the other two brands.

And although we all felt the ARS pruners & Felco 8’s were a bit more comfortable in the hand, we all felt the other criteria were more important, especially w/ regard to the Felcos.

I also have some pruners coming direct from Europe, but that’s for later. I hope this helps anyone who is on the fence or in the market for new pruners

[TK421]

I will add this morning that w/ regard to ARS & Okatsunes, that there are a TON of fakes on the market, so be very careful where you buy from.

If you decide to use Amazon, you are all but guaranteed to get fake, Chinese made pruners. If anyone needs reputable sources for those two brands, just message me.

[krismoriah]

I am happy with my Stihl ARS pruners. They are made in Japan and i am happy to support my local dealers.

https://www.stihlusa.com/products/gardening-tools/hand-pruners/

Hand saws are also ARS.
https://www.stihlusa.com/products/gardening-tools/hand-pruning-saws/ps60/?aqid=a98aaf04ad6ac2966a7aaa33293a5795

I also have a need for lesser quality pruners… such as for lopping Elderberries, or cutting canefruits to the ground. Fiskers has served me well and nothing has broken… I can just file them and they just keep doing what i ask of them.

I havent tried or heard much about the Husqvarna ones… i do like their saws and trimmers over Stihl myself.

Gardening Tools

[TK421]

Thanks Kris.

That was going to be my next post, I had to make the last one quick.

Yes the PP series pruners from Stihl are ARS and I just ordered two pairs of the PP 80’s All my dealers are selling over retail on them though Retail is 57.00, they’re all selling them at 60, which was strange.

But yes, that is a good way to get guaranteed ARS pruners and saws.

I too use my Corona’s for the tasks you listed, they’re not good for anything else…

[DownlakeGarden]

@TK421

ARS 8"

Any thoughts on how ARS 8" / Stihl PP80 stack up to something like the Barnel B808?

I’m due for a new set of pruners this year so this thread is timely. I’d like to try some bypass ones as I’ve been using an older pair of Wiss 908 anvil.

[TK421]

@DownlakeGarden

Barnel B808

I’m not familiar with those, but I will say this. The Japanese have forgotten more about making next level sharp implements than most others will ever know.

My short list of pruners I’m willing to buy are:

ARS (Stihl is ARS branded as Stihl)
Okatsune
Niwaki
Tobishos
Ranshou

I PERSONALLY would never buy Corona again, nor Felco, those are the days behind me.

Get yourself some excellent pruners & a fine saw like Samurai, ARS, or Silky, & mate them with a Weaver scabbard (#14 or #1700) designed to hold both, & you’re all set

[Bigmike1116]

When I first moved into my house in 2015 I was house poor so I did all my major cutting, including cutting limbs, with a Shark brand 15 inch Japanese style (made in china) pull saw. it did every job I could throw at it with ease. I have since moved on to a chainsaw for outdoor cutting, but Shark has a line of yard implements (including pruners) that I would consider if I needed something new, but I have no idea how the quality compares with the best brands you listed, only that the saw has served me well over the past decade.

[danzeb]

Is there anyway to determine if Okatsune 103 is legitimate?

[TK421]

There are a couple of ways.

Those with Japanese characters stamped on the handle are made for the Japanese market & if bought on amazon are being sold by unauthorized sellers.

Those that are stamped “made in Japan,” and on the opposite side stamped with “Okatsune 103” are made for the US & other markets.

That said, the Communist Chinese are faking these things left & right. Here are some photos of legitimate vs. fake. The real ones are on the left.

The only sure way is to buy and look at them as the photos on amazon are often fake as well.

[murky]

I’ve gotten several sets of real ARS from Amazon. The only fakes I got were a ridiculously good price and I expected they would be fake. There’s a thread about it.

[TK421]

While I’m at it, here is a photo that makes it real easy to spot the many fake ARS pruners, essentially all of them on amazon are fake.

If yours look like the one on the right, congratulations, you’ve got a counterfeit Chinese fake pair…

Real ARS have a fine adjustment screw system, not a cheap lock nut!

[TK421]

Yes, if you think you’re getting them for 30 bucks, they’re fake.

[murky]

What is the basis for your rudely delivered assertions?

[Perkolator]

Awesome, thanks for sharing your comparison! I have no experience with ARS hand pruners but have considered adding some to my inventory, as I absolutely love my ARS 6ft loppers and ARS 4-7ft telescoping pruner (also have the cut/hold head for it that I swap between); I also have ARS telescoping hedge shears - OMG those are as smooth-cutting as my wifes’ dedicated fabric scissors.

You mentioned nobody liked the Felco hand pruners, but I’m curious to know how something like a Felco #2 would compare since you didn’t use that model and it’s their most popular “classic” model.

[murky]

@Perkolator

Felco #2

I used Felco’s, I think #2, for over a decade because they were held up as the best mainstream option at the time. I was happy with them and they are well built.

At some point I tried ARS, I think after Alan posted about them. I like them much better than my Felcos, bought several more pair, and gave the Felcos to my brother. I think the only real problem I had with the Felco was eventually one of the two red handle liners loosened and came off.

ARS cut smoother and with less effort. The action just feels good and they are tight and well put together. They feel really good and well balanced in the hand. Sometimes I just air snip with them in my hand because I like the way they feel.

TK421 didn’t respond yet to my question, but I believe my ARS to be high quality and built in Japan.

I also have the telescoping cut and hold pruners. I just used them a couple of days ago to collect scions, for which they are superb. They perform exceptionally assuming I don’t try to tackle branches that are too high a diameter. I think the grab feature limits the size of limb more than what the pruner can handle if it is removed.

[Perkolator]

Yes those ARS cut and hold are great pruners! I use it for harvesting pomegranates to avoid getting poked, and to pick clusters of persimmons out of reach - they can hold considerable weight in the jaws!

I broke the cutting head on my ARS loppers and they mistakenly mailed me the head for the telescoping pruners, and told me to keep it. I was admiring how well constructed it was and decided to buy the cut/hold tool to go with and be able to swap between heads.

[TK421]

Hi,

I just saw this.

Essentially we did prune with the Felco 2 as the 2 & 11 are the exact same pruners. The only difference is the ease with which the counter blade is replaced. On the 2 it’s a real pain in the a$$, on the 11 quite easy. No other difference.

So none of us cared for the 11/2 Felcos. They’re not in the same league as the others listed.

I hope this helps

[LarisaLee]

Thanks for the recommendations! I am in the market for some new tools.

[Gkight]

What online shops definitely carry the legit Okatsune

Okatsune Secateurs Japanese Pruning Shears 200mm 103

This look legit? I’ll snag a pair as I’d like a new pair of pruners this season.

[Tunamelt]

I don’t think it’s that simple to spot the fakes. Legit older models (VS-8Z) have a nylon lock nut, while newer models (VS-8XZ) have an adjustable locking setscrew. The advantage of the newer model is you can easily purchase a replacement blade.
With that said, I’ve had my older model pair for several years now, and they may no longer be easily attainable anymore. In that case, your point of spotting fakes may be valid.
Just wanted to clarify, but thank you for your original post, it was very insightful and appreciated.