Thornx Pruners

[MuddyMess_8a]

I oil blades after I use them - pruners, saws, whatever. I’m the only one at my place who does, though.

[mamuang]

What kind of oil do you use? I swear my Felco prune has not developed any more rust after I started applying veg oil on it.

[Drew51]

Oiling blades is fine. I prefer to use ARS pruners which are the ones to compare to all others not Felco. The blades are far superior. I’m sure you have read what Alan has said about them.
To clean and lubricate my blade I use ARS cleaner. it removes all sap, they look brand new after a year’s use.Really they look like I just took them out of the package, an amazing product. No rusting at all, zero. No sap discoloring metal, and tools that are badly sapped up they look a heck of a lot better after cleaning.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002SWRP88?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_sfl_title_3&smid=A2KWDTIENSFGOH

[MuddyMess_8a]

I use vegetable oil on them if I’m in the kitchen. When I’m in the garage, I use the nozzle topped lightweight oil that lubricates my nail guns. It’s a matter of whatever is most convenient at the time. . . . or you say I’m lazy.

[clarkinks]

Good to here that Drew I thought Felco were the best. ARS are relatively inexpensive pruners http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005Q4LU1I/ref=mp_s_a_1_1/175-0814883-2113925?qid=1456631959&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=ars+pruners&dpPl=1&dpID=41zXMp1EmCL&ref=plSrch
Reviews are very good as well.

[Drew51]

See this thread for more info.

Hand pruner

Yeah, I like the ARS VS series which has been discontinued supposedly but is still available. They come in three sizes, so even those with small hands can get the 7" model and get much better leverage than can be had from an over sized pruner. The blade is made of much harder steel than Felcos so need less frequent sharpening and I prefer how they feel in my hand. I used to get aches in my wrist when I used Felcos but I can prune all day long for six work months in a row and have no issue wit…

Wow, that is a good price! I really love the one hand operation. I can collect scion in one hand and open, close, reopen, with the other hand, so it’s quick and easy.

[Drew51]

I don’t have much light to work with right now, but a shot of mine. About a year old, with over 1000 cuts with it. I clean it afterward every time with the ARS cleaner.

Nothing wrong though with Thornx Pruners, seems like a great buy too!
It’s just personal choice. If you prune a lot the ARS are nice as it takes very little strength to make the cut. I have yet to sharpen mine, blade seems to have a very good edge still. You can see from the close up photo the metal is so hard it has no scratches or anything on it.I bought them last winter, so they have one season of cutting so far.

[clarkinks]

Drew,
I just ordered some ARS pruners and I will let you know how they do this year. Thornx will be my experimental pruners which appear to be very good quality. Time will tell what the steal is made of. If the ARS perform half as good as you say Drew I don’t mind spending the money.

[Drew51]

Yeah compare them, let us know! Using them both for a bit will be interesting to compare.ARS sells a nice sharpening stone. I have a stone, but it is square. Also finding good sharpening stone oil is not easy. Very few places carry it. Amazon has it. And this is the stone.
http://www.amazon.com/ARS-AC-SS240-Stone-Pruning-Tools/dp/B00699F04C/ref=pd_sim_469_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=41TsoBn6tSL&dpSrc=sims&preST=AC_UL160_SR160%2C160&refRID=0CYZWM37R1QSX3E9BM1T

[clarkinks]

My oldest pruners are excellent quality though I don’t recall what they are. The blue handled ones shown above. I’ve used them for years and want some spares.

[alan]

I sharpen my loppers and hand pruners with a diamond sharpener designed for chef knives. This is the best buy because it has so much surface that it maintains it’s ability to sharpen a very long time. You need a good sharpener in the kitchen, so it is worth the higher price just to buy one for all your uses. I hate the ones they sell for hand pruners that you hold with a couple of fingers.

The good ones run for about $40 and are about 10" long or so with a handle. Medium grit.

[clarkinks]

So I tried the thornx pruners today and so far they seem good. No steal dulling , cut like a hot knife in butter. Today I cut nothing over 1/4 inch and just around 100 cuts of mostly mulberry and pears. Will keep you posted on how they hold up against ARS. We all know felco are very good pruners.

[murky]

@clarkinks

So I tried the thornx pruners today and so far they seem good. No steal dulling , cut like a hot knife in butter. Today I cut nothing over 1/4 inch and just around 100 cuts of mostly mulberry and pears. Will keep you posted on how they hold up against ARS. We all know felco are very good pruners.

What do you mean by “steal dulling”?

[clarkinks]

Steel gets dull very quickly with cheap pruners in my experience. The quality of steel is different from one brand to the next and determines how well the tool holds it’s edge.

[murky]

@clarkinks

Steel gets dull very quickly with cheap pruners in my experience. The quality of steel is different from one brand to the next and determines how well the tool holds it’s edge.

I see. I wouldn’t expect to need to sharpen after 100 cuts, but I’ve mostly used either high quality pruners, or such complete junk garbage that blade sharpness wasn’t the main concern.

[clarkinks]

Mulberry, osage orange, che are very hard wood so you know in a very short time.

[alan]

On top of the reasons I use ARS shears is that the steel is exceptionally hard and the blades can take several days of constant use without becoming dull, but the harder they are to get dull the more you need a good sharpening tool.

The Silky Gomtaro saw blades are also made of very hard steel- so hard they can’t be commercially sharpened.

[murky]

Drew, BTW, your ARS pruners look brand new, or better. Impressive.

[Chris_in_GA]

Alan, Drew, do you use the ARS VS model with the rotating handle?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005Q4OU9C/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=1944687462&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B005Q4MFT4&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1TY41YYENK3S3N2D79K1

[Drew51]

@murky

Drew, BTW, your ARS pruners look brand new, or better. Impressive.

Part of that is me, leave them outside one night and well they look like any other. I clean them after every use, that really makes them look good. And a year old is not that old. I do use them a lot. I used them even in winter to cut fig cuttings.When i get a fig cutting I make a cut to expose wood, and remove any calluses so they root better. I score the root end with them too.