Kurt, I was looking at pruners and noticed the two different types of springs, as shown in your two pruners. Are the ones you mention with the longer shaped spring easier to use
Hello Jane,
Yes the longer spring ones (Okatsune) are easier to use. The Okatsune are smooth as silk and are put together very well with zero wiggle. Other pruners have friction on the springs or the springs are stiff. Also they do not jolt your hand upon completion of a cut. As I mentioned before the sound they make is very satisfying as well. They can be locked and unlocked with one hand even with thick gloves on. No other pruners I have used or seen my co workers use are as easy to lock and unlock with gloves on one handed. They also stay sharper far longer than any others I have seen. The steel is very hard. The springs are available on Amazon for under 10 bucks which isn't cheap but my spring has never been an issue.
I have seen springs fly off other pruner types. My professor/boss/mentor carries an extra spring on him just in case for his felco 13s.
Further hand pruner ramblings. ..The picture of the ones with black handles are Stihl brand and are slightly bigger than the Okatsune. Sometimes one trys to cut something that are beyond the pruners capability. The felco 13s (not pictured)do best here because the ease in which you can use two hands they are pricey. A second place are the corona BP7100D (red handled) which open up extra wide but you don't get much leverage and it takes a lot of strength. The stihls (black handles) are a close third, they are very stout and feel very durable. But I discovered that loppers or a pruning saw are much better for this oversized job. The okatsune are the smaller capacity of the 4 I have been talking about. The smaller size almost lets you know when it is time to grab the pruning saw or loppers while the others make you feel as if you can tackle the job.
Long winded but after a year of working in the vineyards extra large okatsunes in a leather holster and a corona folding saw will tackle nearly anything you come acrossed.
