What cutting capacities should I expect?
Written by
Nguyen Minh
Reviewed by
Prof. Charles Hartman, Ph.D.Understanding the cutting capacity of your pruners can help limit damage to tools, as well as improve gardening efficiency. I learned this lesson the hard way after breaking a bypass pruner by forcing its cut on a branch that was too thick. Both the thickness and the type of material determine how thick a branch you can cut. It's essential to respect cutting limits to extend the lifespan of your tools and maintain the health of your plants for years to come.
Bypass pruners are capable of cutting live green wood measuring up to a maximum of 1 inch in thickness. This includes canes from roses, branches from fruiting trees, and other plants. Beyond this, the blades of the pruners will strain as they cut the wood and can become misaligned. My garden rule is that if I cannot cut cleanly in one motion, I switch to another tool.
Anvil pruners efficiently deal with deadwood up to 2 inches thick at their maximum capacity. Their crushing action even powers through oak limbs and other storm debris. Additionally, the ratchet mechanism increases the tool's capacity by an additional 20%, reducing the amount of hand effort required to cut through larger limbs. I can clear fallen tree limbs after a storm using anvil pruners without fatigue, thanks to this feature.
Upgrade Thresholds
- Switch to bypass loppers at 1.25 inches live wood
- Use anvil loppers for deadwood over 2.5 inches
- Employ pruning saws beyond 3 inches thickness
Warning Signs
- Blade binding during cuts
- Increased hand strain
- Incomplete cuts leaving torn edges
- Visible tool flexing
Ratchet Benefits
- Reduces hand effort by 50-70%
- Enables cutting with arthritis
- Prevents slippage on tough material
- Extends tool lifespan
Be aware of when you have to update your tools. My bypass loppers will prune live branches that measure up to 1.5 inches in diameter, while my anvil loppers will tackle up to 2.5-inch deadwood. A pruning saw will handle larger material with much more efficiency. I keep my tools staged in various locations around my orchard so they are easily accessible during my pruning season.
Using the proper tool for the right job saves time and can prevent injuries. For example: I find pruners only grip what I can pinch and when I force pruners beyond their capacity, I do so at the expense of accumulative strain and trauma. My favorite garden journal indicates that my efficiency in cutting tasks doubled after that "capacitance awareness." Better yet, if you measure your pruning subject you can always reach for whichever tool matches the branch absorbance.
Read the full article: Bypass vs Anvil Pruners: Key Differences
