Thank you for this! As a fellow knitter I feel the pain of overuse every year. It's turned into a recurring wrist injury for me, yay. I hate my pruners so much, so I'm happy to have good recommendations for the next time I can splurge on a pair.

The Felco Bypass with the articulating handle is a Godsend! It's all I've used for nearly 20 years!

I've used a couple of different ARS pruners (great Japanese steel) for about 8 years, and they are the best pruners I've ever come across. One of the ARS is a lighter weight pruner made for roses, and the second one, which I use constantly, is ARS signature pruner and is somewhat heavier. It cuts through a variety of canes, stems, and branches like a knife through butter. And yes, they stay so clean and never rust (none of my pruners rust, though since it's so dry here). ARS pruners are used on Bonsai. I also have the ARS pruning saw. I have several of the Fiskar's loppers, from their shortest one, to several much longer loppers, including the telescoping lopper for small tree branches and very tall roses. When Fiskar's came out with its pruner with the rotating handle, I immediately tried it and hated it. It cuts very poorly. Until I found ARS, I despaired of ever finding the right pruner for me. I wasted so much money on pruners, and still have the remains of my awful pruner collection, though I admit at least one of these pruners ending up in the garbage, and a few others were somehow "lost".

Magpie, try the ARS pruners. They're on Amazon. Diane

I agree that even the high end very well made pruners will still be an individual choice as to whether they work for your hands or not. Good to have various suggestions on here -

Jackie

Fiskars makes great utility scissors and decent paper cutting scissors. I use them in cutting out sewing patterns. Their rotary cutters for fabric are also quite good. I like them as well as I like the original Olfas. But my limited experience with them as garden tools did not get me excited. Personally I prefer ARS, Felco, and even Corona over Fiskars.

I'm on my second decade with my Felco loppers. About fifteen years ago someone who wasn't me used them and (I hope inadvertantly) cut through a hog wire fence. Fortunately Felco replacemnt parts are readily available and easy to install. I bought the loppers that early in my rose growing because I was getting old woody growth and the secateurs were barely getting through canes.

Secateurs aren't for all uses and definitely iffy for canes over 1/2 inch if they are old and woody. Loppers come next.

For beyond loppers there are some circular saws, but the saw that will fit everywhere is from a hardware store plumbing department, about 1/8 of an inch wide and two feet long with rings on either side. It's used for cutting through plastic plumbing pipe. (Boy scouts used to sell a similar product for cutting fire wood, but I heard it was deemed too dangerous and dropped even though no boy scout ever garroted anyone.) This is what the saw looks like

I'd add products to keep the blades clean. Alcohol, turpentine, green scouring pads work. 3-in-1 oil to keep the mechanisms lubricated.

And finally, Klingspor sanding blocks to clean the blades when they get really grotty. There are three levels of abrasion and I use them often. The finest of the three I also use on my carbon steel chef's knife when I forget and use it for onions and it is also good for a fast honing of the cutting edge of all kinds of knives secateurs and loppers. The link shows Amazon as a source, if you have a Klingspor shop near you (there are three or four in North Carolina), they are cheaper.

I bought an ARS on Diane's suggestion and am very happy with it

I hope you continue to be happy with the ARS pruner, Aaron. Diane

Thank you for these recommendations!

@Aaron gl with all your plants and roses, hope all is well

Coming late to the party, I'll add another pruner, a small one made by Stihl that my sister gave me for my birthday. That was three years ago and the pruner is going strong. I use it for a lot of things that I suspect pruners don't like much, such as cutting superficial tree roots (we have areas that are infested by elms), and it stays sharp and unrusty in spite of considerable contact with dirt. A very fine tool.

Fiskars isn't my favorite brand, but I've had their loppers for several years and they keep on going. They also make an excellent lightweight, sturdy plastic trowel. It's a surprisingly tough tool.