Garden Shears

Discover our collection of high-quality garden shears. We stock a wide variety of shears to keep your hedges, lawns and plants looking their best. Visit Outdoor & Gardening to explore our gardening range. Our garden shears are carefully chosen from quality suppliers like Spear & Jackson®, Bulldog®, and Rutland®.

What are garden shears?

Garden shears are cutting tools designed for shaping and trimming plants. Edging shears create precise lawn borders, hedge shears are used for pruning shrubs and hedges and lawn shears handle grass in harder to reach areas. There are two main types based on their cutting action: anvil shears, which cut against a flat surface for tougher branches and bypass shears, which have two blades that pass by each other for cleaner cuts.

Why buy garden shears?

Garden shears are an essential garden tool for all seasons. Used to prune and cut hedges to edging lawns.

Garden shear types

There are various types of garden shears, each suited to specific tasks:
• Edging Shears - Designed for trimming grass along borders and edges, they have long, straight blades for clean and precise cuts
• Hedge Shears - Feature longer blades and can be either serrated or straight. They are used to shape and trim hedges
• Lawn Shears - Usually have short, curved blades and are used for cutting grass around obstacles or tight spaces

Considerations when choosing garden shears

• Action Type - Consideration of the action type is crucial for the overall effectiveness:
•Bypass shears   -   This type of shear uses a scissor action to make a cut. Just like a pair of scissors, both blades are sharp and bypass one another to provide a clean and accurate cut. Ideal for cutting young stems and general pruning.
•Anvil shears    -   This type requires less force and uses a crushing action to chop through plant material. They consist of a sharp blade and a flat blade, and the cutting is forced onto the sharp blade by the flat blade. Ideal for cutting dead wood and sturdy branches.
•Handle Length - Shears can differ in the blade and handle length which affects both comfort and reach. Longer handles provide greater leverage and better for cutting larger or thicker branches, while shorter handles offer more control and precision. Choosing the right handle length ensures efficiency and reduces strain during use
•** Weight** - Select the most suitable weight to support maneuverability and ease of use, with lighter shears reducing fatigue during extended periods of work

FAQs

How do you sharpen garden shears at home?

Some shears can be taken apart for easy cleaning and sharpening, which makes the task much easier. First clean the blades to remove any dirt and debris, then using steel wool remove all rust. After this has been completed, rinse and dry.

To sharpen, secure the shears (if you can) using a vice or clamps. Take a metal file and position it against the bevel of the blade (approximately a 20° angle) and in a single sweeping motion push the file from the central point of the shears and up to the point of the blade.

Once the edge appears shiny, you can assume it has been sharpened. This may take between twenty to thirty strokes with the file. Complete this action on all bevelled edges and finish with a general-purpose oil to lubricate and protect the blades.

Can garden shears cut metal?

Garden shears are designed for cutting plant material. Using them to cut or trim metal would likely blunt and stop them from working effectively. Some garden shears have an extra cutting feature that allows for cutting twine or tags, but we don't recommend using them on even the softest metals.

What oil should I use on garden shears?

General-purpose oil designed specifically for garden tools is available from most reputable garden centres. However, if a quick trip out isn't an option, a spray and wipe over of WD-40 will do the trick. Alternatively, any non-petroleum-based oil, including vegetable and olive oils will also work well.