Design
— One-handed. Tools designed to be held in one hand while working. Thus, the second hand remains free, which is important in some situations — for example, when working at height, when you need to hold on to something just in case. Another advantage is portability: the tool is light and compact, many models can be easily carried in your pocket. The main drawback of the one-handed design is the relatively small force on the blades and, accordingly, the low efficiency when working with thick branches. Because of this, models with a maximum cutting diameter of more than 25 mm are extremely rare among such tools. The same applies to
high cutters — for them, a two-handed layout is technically more convenient.
— Two-handed. Models designed to be held with two hands during operation. Usually, these are rather large instruments with long handles; the latter allows you to achieve high force on the blades and even cope with fairly thick branches without problems. The specific thickness limitation may, of course, vary; however, for example, all loppers are by definition two-handed. The disadvantages of this design are considered primarily bulky and rather significant weight, but they are offset by high efficiency. But a more critical point may be that during operation both hands of the user are busy: this, in particular, makes it difficult to work in an unstable position, especially at height.
Blade lock
The ability to block the blades while the tool is not in use.
Blade locking can be carried out in different ways, but the principle of its operation in all cases is the same: a special mechanism holds the blades in place, preventing them from opening and preventing unwanted contact of the cutting edges with surrounding objects. This provides additional security during storage and transportation.
Blade adjustment
The ability
to adjust the blades of the tool. The specific meaning of this option in different models may be different, it should be clarified separately. So, in some cases we are talking about adjusting the distance between the blades, in others — about the angle of the blades relative to the handles, etc. However, anyway, this feature provides additional options for setting the tool for different situations.
Wavy edge
The tool has blades with characteristic
wavy cutting edges. Such blades are well suited for relatively thick branches, as well as climbing plants and coniferous shrubs: the bends securely hold the branches during the cutting process, preventing them from slipping. Wavy edges are only available on scissors (see "Type").
Spring
The tool has a special spring that opens the blades. Thus, the user only has to apply force to close the blades during the cutting process; to open them, it is enough to relax the hand, allowing the
return spring to perform its function. This noticeably speeds up and simplifies the work, especially when you have to make many small and frequent movements — for example, when cutting numerous small shoots. At the same time, the power of the spring is low, and its resistance when closing the blades is almost imperceptible against the background of the overall cutting force. And so that the blades and handles of the tool do not diverge during storage and transportation under the action of a spring, a special lock is provided in the design.
Finger loop
The presence
of a loop for the fingers in the design of the tool. Such a loop is used in one-handed tools: it is usually installed on one of the handles, four fingers are threaded into it, opposing the thumb. Such a device provides additional convenience and reliability in holding the tool (reduces the likelihood of letting it out of hand), and also provides some protection from branches and other foreign objects.
