My Swiss-made Felco #2 snips rule! I love them. I love using them. Sometimes I forget to really love them and they fall into disrepair. I own four pairs. One is brand new, one requires an intervention, one will get maintained very soon; and one I left behind after helping another landscape company.
Great work with great tools
To do great work, you need great tools. Felcos are fantastic. The handles feel great and the other parts can be easily replaced. Assuming you don’t leave it too late. Like I did. While working in the field with bigger diameter branches, my Felcos fell apart. Oops. I was shaking my head. Clearly I didn’t show my snips the required love. Never let it get this far.
Basic maintenance
Look at the pair above. The top blade will get replaced at a cost of something close to $20, tax included. The spring will also get replaced. Once it gets old, it tends to pop-off at the worst possible time. The small lock on the left side will get tightened so the snips lock together nicely. Otherwise the lock interferes as you prune. One final step is lubrication. I also have a sharpening tool for the blade. Like handsaws, sharp snips are mandatory for making nice sharp cuts.
New Felcos
New Felcos are a dream! The blades are sharp and everything works well. It’s critical to keep everything lubricated and clean. In BC, a new pair of #2s will cost you around $75, plus tax. Money well spent. Don’t even think about it. Your plants and clients will thank you. You can try Tri-City Power Equipment or Lee Valley. Or Amazon.ca.
New Felcos are great for jobs like this. You can clean up any shredded branch tips after power shearing. Sharp blades make it a snap.
Sheath
Yes, spend the extra $20 on a leather sheath. Made in USA, which puts a smile on Donald Trump’s face. I’m sure.
Attached to your belt the sheath ensures that your Felcos are always available. It also makes you look like a professional. Finally, it also makes it harder to lose them. I’m hopeless. I get distracted on site and lose track of my snips. Leaving $75 lying around is a bad idea.
New worker issue
As senior supervisor, I need my Felcos. But what about new workers? Predictably, they get $8 gardening snips. They are decent enough for the snipping our new employees do. When they go missing- and they often do- it’s not a huge loss. Just remember the difference: Felcos can handle bigger cuts, the cheap pairs tend to fall apart so only use them on simple perennial cut-back or small diameter branches.
Safety
One last tip. Safety! New Felcos are extremely sharp. Make sure you can see your hands and fingers at all times. Sadly, I have had one bad experience. While pruning inside a Choisya ternata I cut into my own finger. There is no need to describe the blood and pain, nor the depth of the cut. Learn from my mistake.
There are many snips on the market. I swear by my Felcos. You should too.
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