Yamahiro Secateurs

Hand-hammered secateurs crafted from steel and straight from Japan. A fine specimen of Japanese pruners, the pair is suitable for all-round use in the garden and would make a thoughtful gift for the avid gardener.

They’re made in Yamagata City, one of the last remaining blacksmith industries in Japan. Metalworks in Yamagata date back nearly 700 years, from when it flourished as a village of swordsmiths. The techniques have been passed down over generations and are still used in today's tool making.

"Yamagata Hamono" is hand-made and hand-polished. The craftsman is Yamakawa san, who goes by the name Yamahiro 山広. Unlike the mechanical polishing used by most scissor manufacturers, Yamakawa san sharpens all his tools by hand. By adding a special twist to the tip during hand-polishing, the blade gives a good cut on even thick branches and retains its sharpness for longer.

This is a traditional feature of Yamagata's handmade tools, and one of the reasons why they are loved by many professional users.

These secateurs have an ergonomic “S’ shape curved handle for a comfortable grip, and spring cushioning for easy repetitive use.

And a good pair of secateurs has a slight gap between the blades when closed, just like these. It means there’s a bite point where the two blades meet, unlike flat machine-made secateurs which just wrap around whatever is being cut and lose sharpness quickly. The gap is a marker of quality.

Presented in a gift box.