Loppers.......

Many years ago, at the Bright autumn market, I saw a stall selling ratchet type incremental cutting secateurs and loppers, and was amazed how good they looked their sturdy build, and the possibility of replacing each part as well. These pruning tools were obviously made to a standard and purpose rather than a price. I liked them very much, but they cost a considerable amount of money to buy, and as ever, money is a problem when it's not in the pocket so I passed by and looked at this stall and it's tools each year.

Being a lifestyle farmer in an area with unreliable and unpredictable rainfall, it is necessary to cut large quantities of Tagasaste and loppers and secateurs have always been used for this purpose, sometimes using these tools everyday for hours at a time to ensure our small flock of sheep have sufficient food for their needs. It was always the cheap loppers that we bought, loppers that were as low as $20.oo a pair on special from the large hardware chains stores, though usually much more expensive than this. So the years passed and cheap loppers after cheap loppers were bought and wore out, or broke after a very little time. Some were better than others, but none would last more than a year with the work that we had for them, and they failed in various ways and through various parts wearing away.

Just over 2 years ago we were at the Bright autumn market again, and found ourselves in front of that loppers secateurs stall that sold these excellent loppers and after a moments arithmetic working out just how much had been spent on the cheap loppers over the years and discovered the money would have bought three of these really good loppers a purchase was made. It hasn't been regretted, the tools work just as they are supposed to and they are both sturdy and very versatile. Being slightly heavier at the mechanical head is not a deterrent to their use, and they work without any problems, and they cut anything that is asked of them. Buying these was one of the very best tool investments ever made, and there is a certain amount of chagrin that it took so long to realise the value of this tool and that knowing now how good they are and how well they work, I would pay twice the price for the same article and know I was still getting value for money. I have no doubt used them on branches that might otherwise be considered too thick to cut and could be described as extreme use or even abuse to some degree. Many branches that these loppers cut should be cut by a pruning saw. They are so versatile and useful that they do the job just the same, cutting anything they can get their jaws round.

These loppers cut easier when using them to cut diagonally across a branch at about 30 degrees rather than straight across, but either way they will do the job, though it takes less arm power to cut diagonally and there is the feeling of slicing the branch.

Having no affiliation with the company that sells these tools and I feel free to note the web address here so any who wish to check out the products can do so: http://www.2wp.com.au/