Okatsune Shears
Japanese Shears
The long blades (8”) and wooden handles of these Shears provide perfect balance for detailed topiary work, whilst being tough enough for hedge pruning and more brutal work! Ideal for box clipping, cloud pruning, yew hedges, bay standards, holly dumplings (?) and just about everything else. Not to be confused with the rusty old things at the back of the shed. Beautiful feel, and a very seductive swishy shhnippy sound to them.
As with all Japanese tools, simplicity and quality materials are the key: super quality steel, riveted into handles of Japanese whiteoak (Quercus myrsinifolia.) That's it - nothing to go wrong. Look after them and they'll go on for ever...
Tip: When clipping box or yew, keep a bucket of water handy, mixed with a dash (5%, no more) of bleach. Dunk the clippers in every so often, and it stops the leaf resin from cloging up the blades. The bleach prevents the spreading of nasty viruses between plants.
Regular 21": great all rounders. 8" blades, total length 21" 800g. (weight varied due to oak handles)
NEW 22 1/2": these have the same short handles of the Regular model, but longer blades, even better for clipping, for all you karikomi fans out there. Total length 22 1/2" 870g.
NEW 26" Medium length, but ultra lightweight with thinner handles and thinner 7" blades. Only for clipping foliage and soft growth - not hard woody stuff. 800g.
Long handled version 31": Quite big and heavy, but perfect for tougher hedges when you need extra reach, and working on very low parterre-style hedges as they're long enough to use standing up. NB these are too long to send as recorded post, so travel as regular parcel mail. 8" blades, total length 31" 1000g. (weight varies due to oak handles)
'I didn't know the real pleasure of pruning until I'd wielded Okatsune Shears': Cleve West, The Independent.
