shoehorny's Full Review: Fiskars 91546935 Powergear Bypass Lopper
The other day I was driving my old Wheelhorse lawn tractor towing one of my trailers with my three children inside. It was a perfect day for a hay ride, as they call it (swapping hay for blankets, sheets and pillows). While riding out to the far end of my property, I would occasionally get off the tractor to survey damage caused by young buck deer to young trees I planted. The deer bucks like to rub their horny heads on the young trees to scratch the velvet off of their antlers. By doing so, they destroy the tree. I have lost dozens of trees this way.
Fortunately, for many of the trees, they grow new shoots at the base, below where the deer had rubbed. By cutting off the damaged tree trunk off, and all of the other "suckers" as they are called, I can train one of the larger suckers to be the new trunk. Because most of these trees were planted as a re-forestation project, they do not have to look too pretty. For this type of work, there is no better tool than Fiskars Powergear Bypass Lopper.
What makes these loppers so good is that the "powergear" provides extra torque to enable the steel blades to slice into the tree wood almost effortlessly to cut the wood. The slice leaves a nice, clean cut that will eventually heal itself. Most of the trees I have pruned down this way have come back to life. The root system is fully established underground, so the tree actually grows back fairly quickly.
The lopper is a relatively simple tool. It has two aluminum tubular handles. Fixed on one end is the lopping cutting mechanism that includes the steel blades, and gear mechanism that aids in cranking down. The handles are painted with a tough, enamel paint. They also include nice, rubberized grips on the other end for easy holding.
I store my lopper tools in my garden shed on hooks along the wall. I have not had to sharpen these yet, but maintaining the blade on lopper tools is pretty much routine. I simply lightly go over the cutting edge with a file a few times and the blade is sharp as ever. I also spray a light penetrating oil on the cutting edge to prevent (gulp) rust.
I primarily bought this tool for the purpose of cutting down the damaged trees, for which this tool is the ideal choice. However, I have also used it to cut sucker branches off of bigger trees, to cut up dead branches to size to put in my out door wood burning furnace, to cut wayward branches from bushes along my driveway, and to occasionally prune a shrub of dead branches. For each of these purposes the Fiskar Loppers served me well.
This is not the first one of these Loppers I've owned. I did have another identical pair that my father-in-law was using while visiting. He was cutting out some poison ivy vines from some trees. He left the lopper tool on the lawn and forgot it there. About a year later, I ran over the tool with my tractor while passing by. It baddly crunched the handles, but more bothersome was the fact that the cutting mechanism was rusted shut! I soaked it in kerosene and oil and manage to get them working again, but they now look like hell.
I would highly recommend Fiskar tools. This is a quality made tool that works well, as do most of their other products. Also, $30 plus dollars for this tool??? You have got to be kidding!!! Somebody is making some bucks. I got both of my lopper tools from Target for $10 each several years ago during an end of season sale. Even not on sale they were under $25 each. Thanks for reading my review and best wishes for a nice day!
An ideal tool for cutting large vines and branches Patented dual-hinge gear system increases cutting power Replaceable blade Large, 2-inch cutting cap...More at Amazon
powergear cutting action- tubular aluminum handles. ptfe coated blade- high carbon replaceable steel blade- 32 inch overall length. 2 inch cutting cap...More at UnbeatableSale, Inc.
Unique design uses 2 gears to amplify the cutting force, reduce cutting effort, and provide leverage throughout the cut. Features lightweight tubular ...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
Fantastic prices with ease & c...(Stock status: N/A)
An ideal tool for cutting large vines and branches Patented dual-hinge gear system increases cutting power Replaceable blade Large, 2-inch cutting cap...More at Amazon Marketplace
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