[Tobisho] Double Bevel Bud Shears 180mm (7.1") [TBS010602]

Small enough to slip in, sharp enough to matter. — Premium Japanese Hand-Forged Pruning Shears

About the Tobisho Double Bevel Bud Shears Series

In Japanese horticulture, double-bevel blades trade cutting power for precision, and the Double Bevel Bud Shears sits at the most refined end of that lineage, the same family as Topiary Shears and Pine Needle Shears, but built for the smallest, most exacting cuts: fruit thinning, bud clearing, and close work among dense growth. The blade is narrow, and its cross-section thickens quickly past the tip, a shape built for a clean, precise cut rather than for cutting through anything substantial. Thin material cuts cleanly; thicker branches do not, and a bypass pruner or a single-bevel shear is the right tool whenever a cut calls for real cutting power.

Like many of the pruning and harvesting tools born in this region, the Double Bevel Bud Shears reflects a shape shared and refined among neighboring Yamagata blacksmiths over generations, each master learning from and building on the other's work. What distinguishes Tobisho's approach is not a claim to sole invention, but a continued commitment to forging each blade by hand, one piece at a time, with an integral structure that carries the weight and balance of a single, unbroken piece of steel.

Tobisho continues to forge the Double Bevel Bud Shears the same way today: each piece shaped and finished by hand, one shear at a time.

About Tobisho Double Bevel Bud Shears 180mm (7.1")

At 180mm (7.1"), this is the mid-size model in the Double Bevel Bud Shears lineup, a step down from the 200mm in reach and weight, and a step up from the 165mm Pro Petit Snips in versatility. The double-bevel blade slips easily into dense growth for a clean, precise cut, well suited to fruit thinning, bud clearing, and close-in pruning where a sharp, tearless cut matters more than raw cutting power.

The lighter frame trades a small amount of reach for greater control, useful for gardeners doing sustained, detailed work where mobility matters as much as the cut itself.

The blade and handle are forged as one integral piece from Premium Blade Steel of an undisclosed grade, a construction that carries its weight forward through the cut rather than concentrating it at the pivot. At about 170g, it moves easily through repeated, close-in work.

How to Maintain Your Tobisho Pruning Shears

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. After working in rain or morning dew, wipe it dry thoroughly. 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. Sharpening scissors is significantly harder than sharpening knives: you are managing the contact between two blades, and as you sharpen, the blade face recedes, which can cause the edges to lose contact. If you are confident, sharpen only the face of each blade, never the inner flat side. When the blades stop meeting cleanly despite sharpening, that is the point to send it back to the maker. If you are not confident, leave it to a professional. A blade sharpened incorrectly is harder to recover than a dull one. That said: when you reach the point where you can sharpen your own tools, your relationship with them changes entirely.

What if I force it through a branch that's too thick?
Don't. This shear isn't built for it. The blade is narrow, and its cross-section thickens quickly past the edge, so it isn't made to pull through a cut or bite deep into material the way a bypass pruner does. Thin shoots, buds, and fruit stems cut cleanly; anything approaching branch thickness calls for a bypass pruner or single-bevel shear instead.

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.
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.
Designed for thin shoots, buds, and fruit stems. Not suited to pruning branches; use a bypass pruner or single-bevel shear instead.
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 5 of 7)

Topic: What it's not built for, and why.

Hiroshi Urata

Of course, this Double Bevel Bud Shears isn't suited to pruning branches. Thin material is no problem, but anything on the thicker side is simply out of its range. The blade is narrow, and the cross-section is triangular, so it thickens fast past the edge.

➔ Continue to Part 6: Tobisho Double Bevel Bud Shears 180mm (7.1") Red & Yellow Taped Handle