When planning to prune branches on a tree that is way above your reach or at the ground level, would you get down on your knees to do it, or need an extendable pruner or ladder that is used by most people?

Kneeling or bending over can result in you having pains in your body, and even when using a ladder, it can be very unstable. Gardena has solved these issues; it addresses any of the concerns mentioned above and more.

Details of the Fixed-length Stick-Styled Pruner

This type of pruner normally comes with two separate designs; the first type comes with an adjustable cutting head that is placed on a fixed shaft, and the second uses a rotating cutting head where you place the blades into an activation handle or an aluminum shaft that spins. The Gardena star cut BL 160 is made with the first type of design.

Features that you can see in the Gardena star cut BL 160:

  • T handle at the end of the pole that has a cutting length of 3.5m (Approx. 11’ 5”)
  • 200 degrees cutting angle (100 degrees on different sides of the center)
  • Length: 150cm (Approx. 5’ 6”)
  • Diameter when cutting: 33mm (Approx. 11’ 6”)

Tension Adjustment

The star cut comes with an extra length of strap joined from the center handle; it is used to adjust the webbing tension. The strap sometimes might be too short for people who are taller.

The Cutting Blades

The blades are coated with a nonstick material that prevents sap and resists them from sticking closely together. It is extremely sharp and has a good shape that allows a clean and easy cut.

Strong Cutting Power

This Gardena tool is by far the best cutting power compared to other styled stick pruners. You can get the best cutting power it can provide when it is placed in a 0-degree position. You can also get a good cutting power when it is 45 degrees, but the further you move it away from 0 degrees, the less the power becomes.

Rotating Cutting Head

As you move the cutting through its head, it can move as far as 100 degrees in each direction from its center, which enables the user to have different ranges of cutting angles and positions.

As it goes through a degree increment that is supposed to lock the head in place, you would find out that it doesn’t lock in place, and this is one of the downsides of the tool.

Different other adjustable head stick-styled pruners have a locking mechanism that comes with them, but with this particular tool, the reverse is the case.

Handles

The Gardena tool has two handles that can be used to activate the cutting head; one handle can be seen in the middle of the aluminum shaft.

It has a fatter end that faces the back of the pruner; this gives you greater pulling power while cutting.

There is a T- handle to provide another pull point at the end of the aluminum shaft; it gives you a very secure gripping point for making pruning cuts that are long to reach.

It also has a Trapezoidal shape that would require the vertical part of the T-handle to be placed inside the aluminum shaft in a certain way, and this is where most people find it difficult to use.

The pruner came without an account instruction attached to it which might not be good for people who are not used to using tools like this. It has some special features that would require some explanation, and if you want to know some of these tips, you should go to the Gardena website and watch the videos.

The Cutting Head

Every part of the cutting head is placed in a hard plastic shell, and no exposed rope is joined to it. It also does not have nylon webbing, wires, or springs that might get stuck in branches when pruning. So this is an advantage to you.

The star-cut 160 BL cutting head comes with a specially geared pulley system that is placed completely inside the cutting head.

The cutting head of the Star cut stick pruner lacks an aggressive locking mechanism that will help in holding the cutting head in place; the producers suggest that this is actually an advantage.

You may have to clear the path leading to the branch you want to cut; this will then create a better flow for the tool.

The Blade Locking Device for Safety

This particular spec has a locking mechanism; it keeps the blades shut while the tool is in movement. There is a nylon webbing attached to the T-handle that can be looped under a plastic attached to the rear pot.

Weight

It comes with a lighter weight that makes it easier to move around for long periods of time without having any fatigue or developing muscle cramps.

The whole weight of the Gardena is not more than 2 ½ LBS which is the normal weight that this style of pruners is made with.

Caution

All stick-styled pruners are made with an aluminum shaft that helps in reducing the weight it is supposed to have. This aluminum attached to it makes it a very good conductor of electricity, and so it should never be used near electrical materials at power lines.

Guarantee

In the description of the tool, it was not mentioned whether there is a limited or lifetime warranty, but there is a 25 years guarantee placed in front of the placard that is used for advertising.

How to Buy

To get the star cut 160 BL at a standard rate, you should consider getting it from Amazon, where it is sold for $97.

You can also purchase it from some home improvement or garden center shops close to you. You can also check online for this particular tool before going to a shop as it can most times be really hard to find.

You can also purchase it directly from the Gardena website.

Conclusion

This tool has a blade locking device which is a nice feature, but the overall best feature that makes this stick pruner stand out is the cutting power it has. And so, if you need a pruner that can guarantee you clean cuts even through ticker materials, then I recommend you get your hands on a piece of this and use it to your best.