SabotenPower Slim Pruning Shears 1200 (Japan Import)

I have had this exact small pruning shears for at least 8 years and it has outlasted and outperformed a dozen other cutting and pruning tools I have owned and used. I have nearly an acre of trees, perennial plantings and hedges on my property and maintain them myself. This wimpy looking little cutting tool is amazing. I have made thousands of cuts of heavy vines, wiry bunch grasses and twigs, roots and branches up to 1/2" thick. I use these for everything from trimming cut flowers for arrangements, dead-heading potted plants and annuals to shaping my yew and privet hedges and cutting suckers off my trees. They are super comfortable to use with my small hands and the sharpness of the blades is almost miraculous. I have never sharpened the edges and they still cut cleanly after all this time and never splay or jam up. In fact I lost track of them once and they spent months lying out in the rain and dirt before I found them again and they are still rust free and working like a charm.These Saboten shears are a great product and I am so glad they are still available -- in fact the reason I am posting this review is that I just went on line to find out if I could still get this model to buy as a gift for a gardening friend. I may order a second pair for myself -- if I ever lost this old pair I would be devastated!