Marc:

I have been using a Felco 8 for over 30 years, and it has never occurred to me that it was ergonomically incorrect. Palm up, palm down, it's all the same to me. Vertical watersprouts are usually the easiest things I have to deal with if I get them before they become too large.

I can't think of an engineering solution to your problem, although I have to admit I don't fully understand what you are dealing with. Perhaps you should be using a loppers for larger cuts.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

I've been pruning all day long, every work day since Jan 3 and I guess I'm lucky. In all that time my wrist hasn't bothered me at all, unlike some years. I prune wrist up, wrist down, right handed, lefthanded and sometimes upside down in a tree. Wish I could learn to prune with my feet.

If your wrist hurts it may also be because your motion isn't relaxed. Sometimes when I'm concentrating hard I work too tense and that leads to RMI (repetitive motion injury). Keep your face (and mind) relaxed and the rest of your muscles will follow.

If you buy an ARS instead of a Felco you also may find that a really sharp blade takes less work. ARS uses much harder steel on their blades so they're sharper.

Marc, I rarely worry about making a flush cut on a watersprout so I use whatever side of the pruners is convenient. You can get quite close even with the "bad side" (the side with the thick thing at the tip in the way).

Scott