Each of our tested tools cleanly trimmed fresh and slightly dried grass and common lawn weeds (dandelion, clover, henbit, wild onion, etc.) all the way to the blade tip. Several exceeded expectations by pruning green and semi-ripe shoots on holly, boxwood, and juniper. FAQs Some grasses are tougher than others, requiring stronger shears. For stubborn coarse grasses, leaves, and stems, use these swivel-blade shears from Kings County Tools. The blades rotate either 45 or 90 degrees, giving more options for trimming than a fixed blade but less flexibility than shears with a 360-degree rotation. Most other shears have a handle length ranging from 80 – 100 cm and will be suitable for the majority of gardeners. Although they may be most famed for their razors, Wilkinson Sword do a good line in gardening tools as well, as demonstrated by their Long Handled Edging Shears. As you might expect from Wilkinson Sword, the cutting blades are particularly well designed. Handles for grass shears should be at least 4 inches, but longer handles are generally better for an easy grip. Handheld options are used in crouching, bending, or kneeling positions. Long-handled shears come with an elongated shaft, enabling users to stand upright while tending to the lawn.

There are soft grips on the tops of the handles, to make the shears easier to hold, made from a combination of thermoplastic rubber and polypropylene. Made by Bulldog, a company based in Wigan, UK, these shears are the only model with a fibreglass handle to have gained a spot on this list. As a lightweight but durable material, the fibreglass shaft helps with manageability. The shears weigh 1.81 kg in total. This makes them comfortable to manoeuvre and use for prolonged periods; plus, on top of this, they have the addition of non-slip handles for better grip. As a result of these three factors, they’re some of the best edging shears in terms of comfort, particularly for taller gardeners who may have to stoop a lot when using other models. You’ve brought your new grass shears home; now the work begins. Getting going is always one of the hardest parts, especially if you’re unsure of where to start. It’s common to have questions about new tools, and grass shears are no exception. To help, here are some commonly asked questions and answers about grass shears. Q. What do you use grass shears for?Even so, these are some of the best lawn edging shears on the market due to their quality and the results that they offer. In most gardens, they will work well to crisply neaten up grass edges – just make sure the weight will be manageable. This is good to look out for. Whilst cheaper shears can be tempting, untreated metal blades made from poor quality steel won’t cut as fluidly. You may find you’re having to work harder than you would if the blades were better quality. Weight and balance affect ergonomics and ease of use. Too much weight or imbalance with grass shears may cause injuries and a lower quality of work and may slow down productivity. If the blades grossly outweigh the handle, the tool requires more effort to hold. One-handed tools should weigh less than 3 pounds. Precision cutting, such as manual trimming, should not be attempted with tools heavier than 1 pound. The most important feature to consider is whether you want long-handle grass shears that must be operated with both hands or shears that offer one-handed operation. Two-handed models have much less flexibility, but they are more powerful and built to last. One-handed models offer a wide range of features that are not available on two-handed models, but they are designed for lighter-duty tasks. Materials Long-handle grass shears are an environmentally kind option as they require no gasoline or electricity to operate. What are long-handle grass shears?

We tested these manual grass shears at the beginning of spring on a combination of succulent new grass and weeds, along with old, dry perennial stems from the prior year. Our first goal was to establish each tool’s initial effectiveness and overall user comfort, including all of the various adjustable positions for those with rotating blades. After using them as expected, we attempted to take each one to its operational limit by incrementally cutting tougher vegetation. Lawn edging shears traditionally have long handles which allow them to be used from a standing position. However, if the handle is too short or too long, it could arguably be more uncomfortable than simply working kneeling down.Shorter blades, measuring between 17 – 21 cm are better for smaller gardens and getting into more intricate areas. If your garden has shallow verges, you may find it easier to work with smaller blades. The orange handle is easy to spot, minimizing the risk of misplacing these shears. A loop-handle design helps maintain a secure and controlled grip for each snip. Weighing just under half a pound, these shears’ light weight reduces the labor necessary when manually trimming the grass.

Even in a large garden, you may need smaller blades to effectively cut a shallow verge . I also recommend these short blades for working in any fiddly, intricate areas. In terms of performance, the 20.5 cm blade, made from forged manganese steel, results in a sharp cut and is easy to use to neaten lawn edges. The tension of the blades is adjustable, using a screw head positioned where the blades join. When held, the blades of edging shears are vertical to the ground. As you work the handles, they open and close, snipping from the side. These types of grass shears are specifically designed to neaten up any edge you might have, whether it’s along a garden, path, or sidewalk. Multifunctional shears

Key considerations

Lawn shears are meant to clip blades of grass or weeds that pop up in the middle of the lawn, as the blades on lawn shears are horizontal. With vertical, scissor-like blades, edging shears clean up the edges of a driveway or around flower beds. Q. Can grass shears also cut through small roots and branches? This Edward Tools grass shear follows the same classic design used by the Corona, Q-yard, and Kings County Tools grass shears in this guide: a rolled-steel offset handle, riveted blades, and a spring-lever scissor action. We like the simplicity, comfort, and lightweight functionality of the design. This one is the lowest priced of the group. It performed well in testing, but we noticed that the rivets and control arm are not completely snug. The looseness allows for some play or rattle while cutting. If the total handle length is over 100 cm, the shears will be more appropriate for taller users, those who are approximately 5’10” (178 cm) or above. It’s also possible to get shears with a telescopic handle, but don’t instantly presume that these will definitely be longer than standard shears. A lot of telescopic shears still only extend to around 100 cm. If you’re tall, and you want to avoid stooping, take some time to compare different shears on the market. This is the best way to make sure to find shears that are comfortable. There are three standard types of manual grass shears: edging shears, topping shears, and swivel-blade shears.

If you’re looking to cut the tops of your grass, in places where perhaps the mower can’t reach, you’ll want lawn shears. If you want to sort out the edges of your lawn, go for lawn edging shears. You can’t easily use one type of tool for both tasks.Admittedly, there are a few pruning shears that beginning gardeners may confuse with long-handle grass shears as they also resemble scissors with long handles. These models, however, feature excessively large and long blades. While they could be used to trim grass evenly in a pinch, they are designed for delivering a level cut to hedges. Key considerations