ARS HP-VS8Z Signature Heavy Duty Pruner

Three years of regular use here. I've owned/used Corona, Bahco, various Fiskars, and tons of random off-brand pruners/secateurs. These are probably the best value pruners I've come across. Excellent out of the package, sharp AF, easy to clean, well-made, Japanese quality. Compared to the Felco F2, they are slightly more petite and great for medium/smaller hands, though I have large hands and they're fine.The more narrow jaw opening and shorter blade means you won't be cutting really large material as you could with the Felco F2. These are more comparable to the Felco F6, which have a shorter blade and more narrow grip span. I have not, however, really had any issues due to this, and I appreciate the more agile feeling of these for more precision work. If you're doing a lot of big branch pruning and heavy cutting, Felco F2 might be the way to go.There are no corrosion issues as you can get with Felco blades, as the ARS are stainless steel. An occasional cleaning with a light abrasive pad or steel wool with some alcohol gets these shiny again, no problem. That said, stainless steel is generally considered to be a little harder to sharpen than carbon steel, though I've sharpened these maybe three times with a hardened steel edge sharpener (Corona sharpener) and a couple light passes was sufficient to get them plenty sharp.Downsides: Blade adjustment can be a pain. The pivot screw and Nylock nut have to be tightened *just right* to have the blade snug as it bypasses the hook/anvil, but not so tight that it binds. I use a socket wrench on the Nylock nut, and a crescent wrench on the screw head, and monkey with it until it feels right. The design decision for this type of adjustment seems inexplicable to me. Felco wins in this area.The only other nit to pick is the tolerances (tightness) compared to Felco are slightly more loose. The bypass cut has a little more gap and just a bit of wobble between the blade and hook. In practice, it's never been an issue that I can recall. It cuts like a champ and unless you're super dialed in to this detail, you likely won't notice.My advice: If you want ze best, with super tight tolerances and precision engineering, and don't mind more regular maintenance, go Felco. Otherwise, get these for 30-some damn dollars. And if the ARS feel good out of the box, don't mess with it, clean it occasionally, oil it every now and then and these will serve you quite well for a nice price.

Excellent pruners. Sharper on first use than any I've owned before (Fiskars). I have other products from ARS which is why I decided to go for these when my other pruners were getting super dull. It makes working in the garden so much easier. I did have to look online to figure out how to open them, as the instructions were in Japanese.

Feels very solid in hand and razor-sharp. Very similar to my Felco 6 in terms of build quality. Feels much higher quality than similarly priced Fiskers,

These are fantastic. I have other secateurs in my shed: Felco, fiskars, Corona.... These are the ones I always reach for first. The biggest comparison is between the ARS and the Felco. I prefer the ARS regardless of price. Note: The felco blade might be just a tad bit more durable. But, both of these are way, way better than the Corona.

I've only used these for a few days, but an enjoying them. The construction seems robust, and the weight is nicely balanced. The handle is comfortable and the grip confident. The top handle shape favors right-handed people, but not so much that being a leftie feels uncomfortable.The locking mechanism is on the top surface. It is very snug and requires inspection to make sure it's fully engaged, but is the best both ergonomically and location wise I've ever owned (most have a side lock that is not leftie convenient and prone to failure).The packaging and information is all in Japanese, in case that matters.

For over 35 years I’ve been pruning, from fruit trees to roses to ornamental trees, to hydrangeas, etc, etc. Over that time I’ve bought, lost, or replaced more pruners than I care to admit. This spring I decided to replace the two pairs I bought last year - this time I wanted the best I could buy. Did a ton of research and happened upon ARS. Bought a pair of these and got to work on my 15 fruit trees. BEST PRUNERS I’VE EVER USED. The next day I ordered another pair. The description lists aluminum blade - which I’m certain is incorrect. I put a magnet on it the day I got it and verified it isn’t aluminum. The non cutting parts are aluminum (based on my magnet test). I think this is without doubt the best deal for an excellent pruner. Yes, the locking feature takes a bit to figure out (I recommend closing the pruner completely and then putting the safety latch on). But for pruning I’m only buying ARS products going forward.

Absolutely love this pruner, feels great in the hand and the ease of cutting stuff is amazing. Great lock mechanism and good spring strength. Highly recommend for a quality pruner

Very nice, sharp and study. Satisfying to use.