[Tobisho] Root Pruning Shears 270mm (10.6") Single Bevel [TBS010205]

Built for What Won't Give Easily

About the Root Pruning Shears Series

Root Pruning Shears are built for a different job than the leaf-trimming shears elsewhere in our lineup. Their real purpose is cutting through suckers (hikobae) growing from the base of a tree or stump, and severing thick, tangled roots when repotting or transplanting, work that happens low to the ground, in soil, not up in the canopy.

That job shapes the blade. Where our double-bevel hedge and topiary shears use a hollow-ground back (urasuki) to shed sap and glide through foliage with minimal effort, this single-bevel root shear uses a flat, solid back (beta-ura) instead. Down at soil level, a hollow-ground edge would trap dirt and grit, jamming the blade or chipping it. A flat back holds up to that environment instead.

The single bevel also changes how the cut itself works. Rather than pinching material between two edges, it works more like a knife coming down against a cutting board, a push-cut that shears cleanly through fibrous material without crushing it. That's what lets it bite into a tough sucker or a root, close to the ground, in a single controlled motion.

About Root Pruning Shears 270mm (10.6") Single Bevel

This shear handles the toughest material in our Bud & Harvesting lineup: suckers growing back from a cut stump or trunk base, and roots thick and tangled enough to need cutting down when you repot or transplant. The single-bevel blade is built for exactly that, pushing straight through fibrous, woody material rather than pinching or slicing it apart.

Tobisho designed this shear to hold up over long sessions: removing steel from areas that don't carry load, and controlling how far the handles open, so it doesn't tire the hand under repeated use. It weighs approximately 300g, around 50g more than a standard pruning shear, but the balance is set so it doesn't feel that way in the hand.

The standard handle uses red and yellow vinyl tape; a black finish is not offered for this model. This model is available only at 270mm, and is right-handed only.

How to Maintain Your Tobisho Pruning Shears

What if I force it through material that's too thick?
Don't. Twisting or levering the shear to force a cut transfers lateral stress directly to the blade, chipping, blade separation, handle damage. This shear is not designed for material thicker than a little finger. That is what a saw is for. The boundary is the thickness of a little finger. Remember it.

Can I twist the shear to cut through a tough root?
You may come across gardeners online describing a twisting motion to force this shear through an oversized root. This is not a technique Tobisho recommends. Twisting applies sideways force to a blade that's built to cut straight through, and a single-bevel edge is particularly prone to chipping under that kind of lateral stress. If you try it and the blade chips, that's not a manufacturing fault, it's outside the intended use of the tool.

How do I keep the blade in condition?
Wipe off resin after every use, ideally. Resin buildup gradually forces the blade trajectory outward, the two cutting edges stop meeting cleanly, and the pivot bolt begins to wear along that same outward path, compounding the problem. If wiping after every use isn't practical, clean the blades regularly. Carrying a small cloth and blade cleaner means you can do it on a break.

How do I lubricate the pivot?
Ideally, remove the bolt periodically and pack grease inside, grease holds longer than oil. That said, this requires skill and confidence to do correctly. A practical alternative: one drop of oil on the pivot once a month. It's not the full solution, but it keeps things running smoothly.

Can the shear get wet?
Avoid it where possible, and never leave the shear wet. Root and sucker work often means soil and moisture on the blade, wipe it dry thoroughly after use. The pivot area retains moisture longest, use a blower or compressed air if you have one. Regular oiling helps here too: a well-oiled blade sheds water rather than holding it.

What if I drop it?
It depends on how and where it lands. A handle-first drop can bend the handle, affecting feel and the locking mechanism. A blade-first drop risks chipping. As a general rule: the sharper the blade, the harder and more brittle the steel, and the thinner the edge. Handle forged Japanese blades accordingly.

Can I sharpen it myself?
Yes, if you understand the blade geometry and have the skill. A single-bevel edge is sharpened differently from a double-bevel one: sharpen the beveled face, and only touch up the flat back lightly to remove the burr, never sharpen the flat back itself down to a new angle. If you are not confident, leave it to a professional. A blade sharpened incorrectly is harder to recover than a dull one.

About Tobisho: Four Generations of Pruning Shear Hand-Forging

Tobisho has been forging blades in Yamagata since 1804, ten generations of blacksmiths, four of them dedicated to pruning shears. It was Syojiro Tobitsuka, the seventh-generation bladesmith in his family line, who founded Tobisho as a pruning shear forge in 1930, making him the first of four generations dedicated to shears.

Syojiro's shears served both the silkworm farmers already working the region and the orchardists who followed as Yamagata became one of Japan's great fruit-growing prefectures. The tools had to work. His name is still stamped on every Karikomi Shear Tobisho makes.

Generation by generation, the shears got better. What Tobisho is known for today, their heat treatment, their distinctive surface finish, is accumulated experience, made visible.

The late master Yasuhito Tobitsuka, third generation, developed the SR, the Hiryu, and the Asuka, and redesigned the A-type's handle. Daiki Tobitsuka, the fourth-generation master working at the forge today, has added the Hisui, the Hirei, and a Damascus steel A-type. His philosophy: "Cutting well is the baseline. Beyond that: simple and sturdy.", 質実剛健

Forging the Handle

Sharpening the Blade

Notes on use

IMPORTANT: This shear is made of High-Carbon Alloy Steel (Not Stainless Steel). It is exceptionally sharp but prone to rust if not maintained.
Designed for suckers and roots up to the thickness of a little finger. Use a saw beyond that.
Do not twist or lever the blade during a cut.
Handle with care, blade-first drops risk chipping.
For one-handed use only. Right hand.
Oil and clean regularly to prevent rust and blade separation.
Do not use on wire, rope, or any non-plant material.
Keep out of reach of children.

💬 Story of This Model - By Shop Manager (Part 1 of 2)

Topic: Barracuda Clippers, and the name we'd rather use.

Hiroshi Urata

You'll often see this shear sold under the name "Barracuda Clippers" on various websites. It's a memorable name, but it isn't one Tobisho gave it, nor is it a name commonly used in Japan. As a category of tool, this is the single-bevel version of a single-handed hedge shear, and by its actual use, it has a name: root pruning shears (根切鋏). At Tetsufuku, we care about a tool's own identity, so rather than attaching a catchy name for the sake of selling it, we sell it under the name used in Japan, or a straightforward translation of what that name means.

Continue to Part 2 ➔