Barnel B888 8-Inch Aluminum Straight Blade Bypass Garden Ratchet Hand Pruner

I've had the "Barnel B888 8-Inch Aluminum Straight Blade Garden Ratchet Hand Pruner" for several months now, and they have never failed me.The ratcheting mechanism works well every time, provided that the blade starts biting into the material you're trying to cut when you first squeeze the handles together. The blade is very sharp so it bites nearly every time. It might not bite immediately if you're trying to cut something with a very hard surface, such as some of the old bamboo I've cut with them ... but in this case just use your other hand to hold the blade and anvil tight against the stalk or branch as you squeeze and release the handles once or twice. Then the blade will bite and you can continue ratcheting through the cut with one hand.The only other issue I've had with these pruners is that sometimes the plastic locking mechanism slides into the lock position when you don't expect it to. This hasn't happened much, and if it ever becomes a real problem rather than an occasional annoyance I would just wrap a rubber band around the slide lock to keep it open while using the tool.Obviously the two issues I mentioned above are so minor that they have not influenced my decision to give these pruners a 5-start rating. The fact is, they have cut through every soft and hard woody material I've been able to fit into them, they feel good in my hands, and the red rubber grips keep them in my hands without slipping around, even when I'm wearing cloth/cotton gloves which are notorious for their lack of grip.For maintenance when I'm done using them I simply wipe them off and apply some spray oil to the moving parts and blade. If they get exceptionally dirty or sticky I scrub them with an old toothbrush and dish detergent, rinse in hot water and dry them, then apply the oil.I have every indication that these pruners will last for years. They are well built of strong metal and I would absolutely buy them again. Having said this, my next hand pruner purchase might be the Clauss 20133 8-Inch Heavy-Duty Ratchet-Action Pruner because I think they may be another excellent tool. I had a hard time deciding between the Barnel and Claus pruners when I bought the Barnel's, so I wouldn't mind comparing them if I ever need another pair.

I'm a 73 year old woman recovering from two carpel tunnel surgeries. So I wanted a ratcheted pair of clippers as I was clearing about a sixth of a mile of fence line so we could set up an electric fence on the refuge where I'm volunteering. The clippers do an adequate job of cutting small branches but the fastener that closes them is a bear for people with weak hands to use. I had to get out another tool to open or close the clippers. And sometimes, the close doesn't hold and I find the clippers back open. I have only had them for about a month so don't know how well they will hold up. They do feel well-made. I have had lighter clippers that cut larger stems so I took off one star for that and one star for the frustration I have in opening or closing them.Dec, 30, 2016I'm revisiting this after owning them for over almost two years. I just spent several cutting back privat and vines with my non dominate hand since I'm not allowed to use my right hand. They are getting easier to open and close and were easy to use, even though The joint at the base of my thumb is severely arthritic. I gave them another star.

I have a Florian ratchet pruner which has worked well for years. I recently misplaced it and ordered the Barnel ratchet pruner to replace it as the price was quite a bit lower and the reviews were good. This pruner works well - better at cutting thicker branches than my non-ratcheting pruners - and has very sharp blades. The reason I'm giving it only three stars is that the mechanism for keeping the blades closed when not in use is awkward to use and, more important, doesn't work. Other reviewers have mentioned this and it seems to me the manufacturer should do something about it. It bothers me to leave them with the blades wide open in the drawer. If these get lost I will spend more to replace them with the Florian ratchet pruner which stays closed easily and works just as well.

The first time I used this, I was quite pleased - it cut well and at a fraction of the cost of those sold at my local hardware store.When I put it away, however, I noticed the locking device did not work, but that was not a problem - I don't have kids in the house to worry about them cutting themselves. The second time I went to use it, I noticed it did not seem to work as well, and I thought perhaps the branches of my shrubs might be a bit thicker than the ones I initially pruned. The third time I took it out to cut away dead plants and get my garden ready for wintering over, I found I could cut and cut and cut and nothing happened. Finally took out a pair of scissors and used them to snip off my petunias, etc.Next time I know better. I'll buy a recognized name brand AND I'll pay a bit more to know I am getting something with lasting power.

There is so much wrong with the "nontraditional" way these feel. They are aluminum so they are super light. They ratchet but not like any other ratcheting system (no feel of click, click, click) and the actual cut just feels like nothing happened. I wanted to make sure that was said. They just don't feel like normal garden shears. But, they are comfortable, super light, durable, and very easy to operate. I prefer these for cutting and I even use them for a little more thickness than I should just because the feel is so soft and not like a work out. On the really small stuff the ratcheting does not seem to kick in. The blades have to kind of bind/ clamp on to something to start ratcheting. So that is nice because traditional ratchets you are clicking through the gear... click, click, click and these ones you just don't feel it. I like them.