Good morning,
I am looking to buy a long handled beak pruner/lopper not sure if that is the correct term for it. Does anyone know where I can purchase such an item please. Or if you have one just taking up room in garage/shed and would like to get rid of it please get in touch. Thank you for reading.
I bought mine from Screwfix or B&Q (same company, anyway) and it's perfectly adequate for the amount of pruning on the allotment.
http://www.screwfix.com/p/forge-steel-telescopic-tree-pruner-2-3m/28405?cm_sp=Search-_-SearchRec-_-Area1&_requestid=107453# (http://www.screwfix.com/p/forge-steel-telescopic-tree-pruner-2-3m/28405?cm_sp=Search-_-SearchRec-_-Area1&_requestid=107453#)
First of all do not buy cheap rubbish from the likes of lidl etc. They look good and work for a while but soon go blunt and the handles bend. The two main types are bypass loppers.
(https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSUA6RRrec7AhfUhDnWmPdl0E26VvgENhzk5wb4vesqjUYD7guMOw)
Or anvil loppers. I pefer the anvil type as they are easy to sharpen and replace the anvil. Some even have a ratchet mechanism to wind the blade down the more you open and close the handles.
(https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS2rqOlpOIhy99Ur7fMSZnw89bPOZw2wec0mKYdVFfGBZWBf8c1)
Keep them sprayed up with wd40 when you put them away and they will see you alright for years
I would recommend any with 'gear' action...like Fiskars...they make working with the tools less arm aching job.
http://www.fiskars.co.uk/Gardening-Yard-Care/Products/Twigs-Stems/Loppers/112240-Quantum-Lopper-Bypass-Scissor-Head-S-L102
..and you can find store locator link at the bottom of the page...I've seen these sold through ebay as well.
If you are on budget....Wilko has some.... http://www.wilko.com/hand-tools/pruners-shears+loppers/icat/gardenprunershearlopper?sort=name&parentCategoryRef=gardenprunershearlopper&order=ascend&q=*&perpage=12&pdxttype=Loppers
...although cheap...they are just fine for occasional job, I have some cheapies from them for allotment as I can leave them and not be worried if they get stolen. All the better tools are kept in home for work.
Amazon is worth a look... I bought this in October for 13.95 incl P&P.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B009VYN2DS/ref=noref?ie=UTF8&psc=1&s=outdoors
It is their Black Friday deals week and they had a set yesterday, so it would be worth looking there later this week as the same things seem to come up again and again.
Or you can try posting on freecycle, you never know your luck, if you are looking for a freebie.
many thanks folks for your kind response. I need something that is much longer in order to trim leylandi plants that over hangs onto my property. There is one I have seen but they fall under vintage category. I can't seem to find it anywhere to buy. I will keep searching. thanks again, hope you all have a nice day.
Quote from: Arumlily on November 28, 2013, 11:21:09
many thanks folks for your kind response. I need something that is much longer in order to trim leylandi plants that over hangs onto my property. There is one I have seen but they fall under vintage category. I can't seem to find it anywhere to buy. I will keep searching. thanks again, hope you all have a nice day.
The one that I linked to is nearly 8 feet long. How long do you need? I've seen, but not used, some very long-handled trimmers, but they tend to be powered.
I bought a cheap pair of loppers in the market in Hungerford and about 12 years later they are still doing a sterling job so sometimes you can get a surprising bargain.
Quote from: Arumlily on November 28, 2013, 11:21:09
many thanks folks for your kind response. I need something that is much longer in order to trim leylandi plants that over hangs onto my property. There is one I have seen but they fall under vintage category. I can't seem to find it anywhere to buy. I will keep searching. thanks again, hope you all have a nice day.
Loppers are used for cutting jobs that you can safely and comfortably reach and that's why they tend to be quite standard length. There is some 'telescopic' handle versions, but even those don't give you extra length that much...foot at most.
Too long handles make cutting very difficult as the they have to open 'X-amount' for you to able to fit the branch between blades...longer the handles and further apart they have to be.
If you cannot reach to cut the branches from ground and going on ladders are not option...Melbourne's suggestion is next level apparatus to get the job done.
I have a telescopic pair I got for a tenner in the local market in 1999, but it's been quite a while since I extended them. If I have to go higher than I can reach at normal length, I find it easier to stand on something. It doesn't often happen, just when I thin out fruit tree branches.
We have lots of bushes , shrubs , trees and hedgerows here .........Best tool in my shed !