Felco Sharpening Tool (F 903) Review

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Rumor has it there’s a secret password to freely get inside every arboretum, conservatory, and botanical garden in the United States. It’s only spoken in a hushed whisper, but right here, right now, you’re going to read that password in print for the first time ever. That password is: .

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There is no secret password. But if there was one, you could bet your bottom dollar that it really would be Felco F-2. As far as pruners go, there is no other choice for the beginning, serious, or professional gardener. These things can be used for cuts up to 1 inch in diameter, but are still articulate enough to prune roses.

Any number of websites can tell you about their forged aluminum construction and reliable durability. garden. Instead, this here is a firsthand account of a guy beating the hell out of his work tools on a daily basis as a professional landscaper and gardener. Now, let’s get to it. I received my first pair of Felco F-2 pruners in November of 2016.

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I pruned branches here and tree limbs overhanging driveways there, snipped a few pieces of wire for holiday decorations (the F-2 has a built-in and functional wire cutter), and cut back some dried out perennials. One of my first lessons as a landscaper was that a good gardener takes care of their tools. equipment.

Imagine my surprise when I saw a coworker using his F-2s as a hammer, banging in the tension pin on a grass rake! My look of concern was met with a shrug, and I tentatively began using my own pair as a light-duty hammer too. I’ve used my pair of pruners in such a way that it voids any potential warranty: driving bamboo stakes into the ground, pins into place (like the ones on a grass rake), and opening plenty of beer bottles (it took me a while to figure that one out).

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Even when the blade and anvil of the pruners would get gunked up from sap, they still administered crisp and clean cuts. As New Year’s came and went, I placed my pruners and gave them a much-needed rest until spring came. As of this writing, it’s been exactly 171 days since the landscaping and gardening season officially began in Philadelphia, and I’ve put my pruners through 172 days of absolute hell.

Now consider performing that kind of work for fifty hours a week and the toll it takes on the tool! My trusty Felco tool has literally been at my side, along for the whole ride. Seriously, I feel like I’m a cowboy putting away my six-shooter when I holster my pruners.

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Photo by Matt Suwak They’ve pruned through thousands of branches and stems, and only require some very basic maintenance. The F-2 breaks down into 12 pieces very easily, and can be reassembled quickly. It is sold with a special key that can be used to adjust the tension on two of the screws, while the last remaining bolt is easily adjusted with a ½-inch wrench.

During the week and between pruning jobs, I use isopropyl alcohol to clean the blade and anvil - Grow Food Guide. A little tip: If you disassemble and then reassemble your F-2 pruners, adjusting the tension on the primary connecting bolt is key to a smooth action and springy response. Photo by Matt Suwak Alright, since we’re being honest here… I have definitely voided any potential warranty that Felco offers.

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The Felco F-2s have proven themselves to be a pruner capable of handling a tremendous workload reliably and without any fault. Throw in some basic maintenance and sharpening practices, and you’ve got yourself a garden tool worth its weight in saffron. I didn’t tell you where I got my pruners, did I? The F-2s have a pretty hefty price tag for a hand tool, about the same as a dinner for two at your average restaurant.

Fortunately for me, a coworker happened to have a second pair. So he gave them to me, “looking out for the new guy,” as he said. And he told me the story of where he found them. This coworker was walking on Germantown Avenue in Philadelphia when he spotted a pair of Felco F-2s lying in the street.

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So he picked them up and brushed off the worst of the damage and brought them home, throwing them on a shelf in his garage. And then, after a few years of sitting and waiting, he gave those bad boys to me. These were beat up when I received them, scuffed and scratched and clearly well worn.

Photo by Matt Suwak The next time you go to an arboretum, conservatory, or botanical garden, whispering “Felco F-2” might not save you the cost of admission. But it will certainly earn you a knowing nod and show of respect from anybody working there. You might not need all that the Felco F-2 can provide, but the Felco F-2 can provide for everything your garden needs.

This is my official thumbs up. Have you used your Felco F-2s to the same success? What’s your favorite tip for household pruner use? Tell us about it in the comments! Photos by Matt Suwak, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Additional product photos via Felco.

This upbringing keeps him permanently affixed to the outdoors where most of his personal time is invested in gardening, bird watching, and hiking - Grow Food Guide. He presently resides in Philadelphia and works under the sun as a landscaper and gardener, and by moonlight as a writer. An incessant questioning of “Why?” affords him countless opportunities to ponder the (in)significance of the great and the small.

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Sharpening accessories maintain optimal blade quality for increased longevity and best performance. The Felco 903 Diamond Coated Sharpener is a multi-function tool for professional grade, intensive sharpening and blade strengthening. Diamond-coated hardened steel meticulously hones pruning shear and cable cutter blade edges for clean, effortless cuts. Made in Switzerland. Length 100mm/3.9in.

Felco accessories are expertly designed to enhance the efficiency and longevity of their tools. The Felco 902 sharpening stone made of high quality corundum retains its shape and easily sharpens pruning shears and cable cutters without the need to disassemble tool parts. Clean as needed by brushing with soapy water.

Ease of Use: Quality: Performance: Final Thoughts “Swiss Precision. Made to Last.” One of the best bypass hand pruners on the market. Overall Score 5 I’ve owned the Felco #7 Bypass Pruner for 24 years. (In the video below I said 10 years, but I was mistaken.) I purchased it when I started my tree care company back in the mid ‘90s.

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The only part I’ve replaced is the Volute spring between the handles. (I hooked the original spring on a branch, and it went flying.) The original blades have never been replaced. They’ve been sharpened dozens of times and still cut like they’re brand new. Felco is a Swiss brand founded in 1945.

(It’s probably the most copied bypass pruner on the planet.) : Bypass : Yes. Micro adjustments very easy to make. : Excellent : Thumb latch : Volute : 0.98 inches : Yes : Rotating bottom handle, wire cutter, angled head, all parts replaceable, adjustment key/wrench (comes with the pruner). : yes : High-strength/light-weight drop forged aluminum : Rubberized top coated handle, composite plastic-like rotating lower handle : Specialty formulated hardened steel – high carbon : None : Yes : Yes : 10-¼ oz.

It’s been 24 years since I opened my first and only Felco #7 pruner. The packaging is long gone. I believe it was packaged in a thermoformed clear plastic front and a cardboard placard back that slipped into the plastic window. A notch stamped at the top of the package allowed the shear to hang from a peg board display.

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As a licensed arborist with a successful tree care company, I needed the highest quality, most reliable hand pruner on the market. I paid about $45 in 1995, and I used my Felco #7 on the job every day. It probably made several hundred thousand cuts–or maybe more. I’m confident that a cheap, low-quality pruner can’t compare to the performance of the Felco pruner (Grow Food Guide).

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I’m a tool-for-life guy, and the Felco pruner never let me down. Unlike many other pruner manufacturers, Felco offers a complete line of replacement parts. The Volute spring design keeps dirt and debris out and compresses more than a conventional “helix” (coil) spring Quality, quality, quality. Felco #7 is built like a fine Swiss watch.

Even the precision bolt and screws and the unique locking mechanism ensure quality. Let’s not forget about the Volute spring between the handles. garden. The spring is a closed loop of stainless steel, specifically designed to keep dirt and debris from clogging it. It also compresses farther than a conventional “helix” (coil) spring, allowing the handles/blades to close more tightly.

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The bumpers are made from a very “squishy” rubber-like material. When the final pruning cut is made, the bumpers absorb impact when the handles slam together, making for comfortable operation. “Squishy”, rubber-like bumpers (on both handles) absorb shock when completing a pruning cut Felco rotating handle (top) and competitive “fixed-handle” brand (below) Perhaps the most impressive feature of the bypass pruner is the rotating bottom handle.

Other pruning shears have not offered the same comfort level. A fixed bottom handle versus a rotating one isn’t bad—it just depends on the number of pruning cuts one makes in a day, week, or year. For a professional who makes a living by pruning, the rotating handle is a game-changer.

However, for anyone with hand issues or carpal tunnel syndrome, the #7 Felco pruner may be the perfect tool. I also like that all the pruner parts are replaceable through . At the time of writing this review, I have not found another manufacturer who “knocked-off” the design that offers a complete rebuild kit.

The Felco design has a unique blade tension mechanism that includes a bolt, gear-toothed locking nut, a gear-toothed micro adjustment lock, and a thumb latch pruner lock. The mechanism allows the operator to “fine-tune” the cutting quality/performance and keep the pruner locked securely closed when not in use. Precision components make up the adjustable cutting mechanism.

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Many of the “copy-cat” versions of this pruner are only available for right-handed users. Felco clearly wants to own the market for quality hand pruners. The pruner is advertised to cut almost an inch (0.98-inch). I made ¾-inch cuts in really hard mesquite wood. I easily cut softer woods up to an inch in diameter.

Rotating handle amplifies cutting power by up to 30%. : Very comfortable. : Large hands We had no problem cutting through ¾ inch mesquite branches. The cuts were nice and clean - Grow Food Guide. Sap groove and wire cutter (the notch at end of the blade near pruner frame) add useful features. Sap accumulating on the blades often results in the blades sticking together, so a sap groove prevents that problem.

An angled cutting head reaches into tight pruning spaces. The attention to detail in the Felco pruners makes them stand out from the competition. The Felco 7 has an angled head design for reaching into tight pruning spots. The Felco #7 pruner contains a lot of metal parts. Many of them are made from high carbon steel, which rusts when exposed to moisture.

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If they are damp, chances are the pruners will have water vapor/water in the pivot mechanism between the blades, which is impossible to reach with a dry rag. Instead, use a lubricant to oil this area. A little squirt between the blades is all it takes. While you’re at it, give all the steel parts a light coating of lubricant.

We recommend . Also, the composite rotating handle (of both the Felco #7 and #10) can be removed from the forged aluminum frame. Clean and lubricate it, then push the handle back onto the frame. You should hear an audible click when the handle is securely attached to the frame.

For sharpeners, there are three Felco options available: a high purity corundum stone; a diamond-coated hardened steel sharpener; and a carbide sharpener. Visit the to review the options available. We also offer an extensive list of sharpening tools for bypass hand pruners. See our review of the . It’s a good idea to wear gloves while pruning, but it’s a personal choice.

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For a good glove that offers great dexterity, look for a pair with cotton backs and nitrile palms. Although these are less “cut-resistant” than a pair of leather gloves, at least they offer some protection. I like the nitrile palmed gloves made by Atlas. They provide excellent grip and dexterity, decent cut resistance, and help keep hands clean.

Consider wearing safety glasses. A twig or rose cane in your eye makes for a really bad day. We recommend Felco warrants its products free from manufacturer’s defects. “Any good found to be defective within one year of the date of purchase will be repaired or replaced once the good, along with the original bill of purchase, has been returned to PYGAR USA Inc.” The customer is responsible for the shipping cost back to PYGAR.

My 24-year-old pruner is in great condition and was well worth the investment. I haven’t replaced any parts, except a Volute spring (which was my fault for losing it). The rotating handle offers comfort for people with carpal tunnel syndrome or with hands that tire easily, plus the 30% increase in power helps get through material one-inch in diameter (with less hand strength).

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Made to last” is Felco’s motto. It’s true. I’ve reviewed a LOT of hand pruners, and this is by far my favorite. The Felco #7 Bypass Pruner is available from Amazon. The left-handed version, Felco #10 is also available from Amazon. The pruner is also available from : the #7 for $77 - garden.63 + $12.00 (shipping).

The clasp, the handles, and the gear housing are all made of plastic.A rotating handle can reduce hand and wrist fatigue, but it can be awkward and reduce your power per cut. The ARS HP-VS8R Signature Heavy Duty Rotating Handle Hand Pruner resembles the ARS HP-VS8Z but has one handle that swivels on a pin in a 90-degree arc as you close your fingers - organic vegetables.

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The rotating sleeve did reduce the amount of power I could put into a cut: I needed to use two hands on the ¾-inch buckthorn to force the blades closed, whereas the non-rotating handle could do it one-handed.The Felco 7 is similar to Felco's other pruners but has a rotating handle coated in a stickier, rubbery material.

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In our tests this pair sliced through ¼-inch raspberry canes easily without ratcheting, and it ratcheted through ½-inch dowels and ¾-inch branches with no fuss and little force, but it could barely cut two out of 10 scallion samples. Ultimately, we think the flaws in the construction—riveted connections, plus an anvil-style blade that mashes green stems—overshadow the advantages of the ratcheting mechanism.The Gardener’s Friend Ratchet Hand Pruners were the easiest-cutting ratcheting pruners we tested—and the second most expensive.

The Gardeners’ Friend pair also comes with a little mineral-oil-saturated sponge embedded in the handle for cleaning and oiling the blade, which saves you the bother of getting a rag out.The Corona RP 3230 Ratchet Action Anvil Pruner is an economical choice. It’s lightweight, and it ratchets easily through thick branches, but it can also cut delicate scallion tops.

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When I tested the Corona RP 3230 on berry canes, I could not get it to cut ¼-inch canes without engaging the ratchet—and in the time it took to make three ratchets, the canes were well mashed by being held under pressure against the anvil blade.The Flexrake LRB205 Ratchet Anvil Pruner did a mediocre job of cutting scallions, tearing four out of 10, and it could not cut through raspberry canes without engaging the ratchet.

It worked better on dowels and branches, though, cutting the Norway maple and the buckthorn flawlessly (garden).The Gardena 8798-U SmartCut Ratchet Pruner is far more expensive than anything else in the category, mostly because it has an unusual feature: a lever to switch the pruners from plain bypass to ratchet mode.