I bought my shears at Walmart -- don't remember the brand, but it's a known brand and the shears have orange handles. I have several pair. They run about $12.00 a pair, have lasted through at least three seasons -- and I use them to cut everything in the garden but wood. The blades keep their sharpness -- I only have to clean the blades once in awhile due to accumulated plant residue, which can become sticky.

Orange handle...sounds like Fiskars.

I use scissors for cutting the leaves too and old resharpened kitchen knives for cutting the rhizomes.

I considered Fiskars...but they're made in China.If I can help it, I don't buy
from there. My little bit to improve the balance of trade!

Most of the things we get that are made in China are not available for the average Chinese person to purchase in their homeland. They have to buy them in America and ship them back to China personally.

janwax said:I considered Fiskars...but they're made in China.If I can help it, I don't buy
from there. My little bit to improve the balance of trade!

A Finnish company, has it's products made in China, for sale in the United States......tell me the world ain't screwed up

I had to look under my foot to see if I was made in China.

My first pair of clippers were Craftsmen.. Probably from around 1975.. I've still got them out in the garage and oil them up every once in awhile to keep them from freezing up. Occasionally I'll need to cut something down that way and don't want to go all the way back up to the house to get my good ones. They're in need of sharpening, but they served me well.. I got my first Felcos a few years later, and have three pair of them.. I never thought anything or anyone could pry those Felcos out of my hands, but for the detailed pruning I do, the ARS are better. I also have their long-reach pruners, which I use on the Wisteria and other hard to reach spots. Their folding saw has held up a little bit better (sharp-wise) than the felco or Samurai (?). The Japanese are just making better pruning tools than anyone else right now. I covet this ladder:
http://www.niwaki.com/store/en...

UndertheSun said:I had to look under my foot to see if I was made in China.

Dang, I bought a lot of Fiskars garden products. I had no idea they were made in China. For some reason the name seemed better than that. Future, I may also look for different pruning shears and knives, and loppers, etc.

Henhouse said:My first pair of clippers were Craftsmen.. Probably from around 1975.. I've still got them out in the garage and oil them up every once in awhile to keep them from freezing up. Occasionally I'll need to cut something down that way and don't want to go all the way back up to the house to get my good ones. They're in need of sharpening, but they served me well.. I got my first Felcos a few years later, and have three pair of them.. I never thought anything or anyone could pry those Felcos out of my hands, but for the detailed pruning I do, the ARS are better. I also have their long-reach pruners, which I use on the Wisteria and other hard to reach spots. Their folding saw has held up a little bit better (sharp-wise) than the felco or Samurai (?). The Japanese are just making better pruning tools than anyone else right now. I covet this ladder:
http://www.niwaki.com/store/en...

Quite to the contrary of China made products, Japanese products I have usually found to be of better or much superior quality. [Probably the difference it governments.]

I have made a pointed effort to purchase products not made in China. I have by-passed products at Walmart -- and have gone to Tru-Value hardware stores, and Lowes, etc. -- and was unable to find products made anywhere else. It's very hard to find anything that isn't made in China.

Amazon usually has details about where the products being offered are made. We live in such a
rural area - there are very few stores - so I use Amazon a lot. Then there's free shipping.
Sherry mentioned Felco pruners - we have several pair - they're great - but I was looking for
a more lightweight pair for just cutting dead or affected leaves.

I use Florian Ratchet Cut Pruners for most pruning jobs. I absolutely love them. They have a great replacement policy too. Years ago I dropped a pair in a chipper shredder. The Florian person at the San Francisco Garden show said they would have replaced them if I brought in a piece that they could identify a piece of Florian.
Since these are ratchet pruners they are easy on the hands.

Thanks for this thread. I thought it was just me, or dull hand pruners, that was the reason I was having some issues cutting the iris foliage.

I hadn't thought to try scissors; I guess I'll have to remember to try that.

My only complaint with scissors is that they're awkward to stick in my back pocket. Maybe I need a carabiner to hook it onto a belt loop. I saw some cute gardening aprons at one of my favorite nurseries that might be handy to stick all those accessories in.

Barbara, I've got a pair of ratchet loppers. I rarely use them.. Only if I'm in a tight spot that I can't reach with a saw. I tried the florian pruners at the landscape show and didn't like the quality of cut nor their feel. Have I mentioned just how anal I am about proper pruning cuts?

Henhouse said:My only complaint with scissors is that they're awkward to stick in my back pocket. Maybe I need a carabiner to hook it onto a belt loop. I saw some cute gardening aprons at one of my favorite nurseries that might be handy to stick all those accessories in.

I hear you about this, the scissors/pocket thing being awkward, even in a front pocket (nail pouch) or side pocket sling holder. I still tended to get poked with the scissors as I sqautted, since they were so long. I tend to carry around a small tool bag now, though not exactly convenient. I try to purchase pants that have the lower leg pockets. They are nice for carrying short pruners, but still not scissors.

I use Corona tools. Made in California, USA, and they are quality tools. My pruners are very sharp and easy to "snip" with. I also have a saw thingy they make for larger limbs, love it too!

I use Corona, Fiskers and Husqvarna. Very international household here.

Anything Husqvarna is excellent quality!!

We're a Stihl family here.

Also a quality product.