Long-handled edging shears can vary dramatically in terms of how much they weigh. In some cases, very light shears may not be very robust, though this isn’t always the case.

On the other hand, some people might not like the more flexible feel to the handles and prefer the solidity of steel, so that’s something to think about. Different brands and models use different materials for their blades. Each with their pros and cons. Carbon steel is known for its hardness and the fact that you can get a razor sharp edge, but some blades of this type can be brittle and need a special coating to make them resistant to rust and corrosion. Stainless steel blades require less maintenance and are good at fighting off rust so they are generally considered more durable but it is harder to get the sharpness that matches a carbon steel blade. Something like 420HC is high carbon steel and ideal for blades. High quality steel with high carbon content and a good heat treat retains blade edge the best Buffers At 1.9 kg, the P75 Edging Shears are verging on the heavier side of lawn edgers. They are not especially light, although this helps give them a robust feel, and will need a fair amount of strength to use for a prolonged time. When it comes to brands that are trusted names, Wilkinson sword is right up there with the best of them and for the most part, have been producing high quality products for centuries.

The shears can be used by either a right- or left-handed user – they possibly favour right-handed use, but are comfortable enough to be used by a left-handed person as well. Speaking of comfort, there are plastic sleeves on the top sections of the handles to help with grip, making the shears easier to hold.

The shears weigh 1.48 kg, which is ‘midweight’ for this style of tool – there are lighter models available, but lightness can compromise durability. For the most part, these Wilkinson Sword shears are considered a manageable weight, although more rests may need to be taken depending on mobility and arm strength. The 20 cm blades are drop forged and hardened with chrome plating; in real-life terms this means they are powerful blades that create a very clean cut against edges. They’re sharp, and stay that way for a long time thanks to their self-sharpening mechanism, and have a smooth cutting action.

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These are currently priced sensibly and are easily the heavy duty commercial choice – they are a very good deal for such a well put together garden tool. However, carbon steel blades to blunt faster so you do need to keep on top of maintenance to keep them cutting optimally. You will also have to oil them from time to time too as carbon steel isn’t as rust and corrosion resistant as aluminium or stainless steel. 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. Bahco tools have a good reputation for quality and value, and their P75 Lawn Edging Shears are no different. Our final reviewed product is another set of edging shears from Finish brand Fiskars, makers of the innovative ‘servo-system’ shears we reviewed earlier.

It doesn’t matter what your wife/girlfriend told you, size does matter when it comes to edging shears! 😀 The whole point of these tools is to negate the need for stooping or crouching down low to trim the edges of your lawn, so you need to work out what would be a comfortable length for you, personally. Too short and you’ll be bending over, too long and the tops of the handles will be in your armpits. Typically from testing the overall length is about 900-950mm in most of these – this is comfortable for a standard height man like myself as I found from testing. Handle and shaft material 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. verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ Although you might expect these shears to weigh more than others – based on their longer blades and handles – they are surprisingly lightweight. Weighing 1.1 kg, they are actually the lightest shears featured here, as well as the longest. In length, these shears measure 95 cm and have lacquered, hardwood handles that are relatively easy to hold onto. They have no grips added onto them, so wearing rubberised gardening gloves will help.Fiskars have opted to make the blades for this model out of stainless steel for increased longevity. Usually this means the blades aren’t as sharp as carbon steel, but these did a great job of cutting through everything I aimed them at, so no complaints there.