[Tobisho] Double-Bladed Pruning Shears (Straight Blade) 185mm (7.3") [TBS012002]

A Shear Without a Fixed Job

About Double-Bladed Pruning Shears (Straight Blade) 185mm (7.3")

This is a double-bevel shear with a short, straight blade, ground thin for sharpness rather than for cutting through wood. It's built to slide straight into whatever it's cutting, in one clean, flat motion, rather than curving into the material. The thin edge isn't suited to branches; it's made for softer, more fibrous material like garlic and onion roots, or the stem of a pumpkin, the same territory as our curved-blade version.

Unlike our other bypass and single-bevel pruning shears, this model doesn't have one settled, well-known use. Tobisho itself has told us as much directly, see the story below. What we can say with confidence is what it's not for: don't reach for this to cut a branch.

How to Maintain Your Tobisho Pruning Shears

Can I use this on a branch?
No. This shear is ground thin for sharpness on soft, fibrous material, not for wood. Forcing it through a branch risks chipping the edge. For branches, use a bypass pruner or a single-bevel shear instead.

How do I keep the blade in condition?
Wipe off resin or plant residue 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.

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.

Can the shear get wet?
Avoid it where possible, and never leave the shear wet. After use, wipe it dry thoroughly, especially around the pivot, where moisture lingers longest.

What if I drop it?
It depends on how and where it lands. A handle-first drop can bend the handle. A blade-first drop risks chipping, this blade is ground thin, so treat it with more care than a heavier pruning shear.

Can I sharpen it myself?
Yes, if you understand the blade geometry and have the skill. Sharpen only the face of each blade, never the inner flat side. If you're 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.
Ground thin for sharpness on soft, fibrous material. Not suited to cutting branches; use a bypass pruner or single-bevel shear instead.
Do not twist or lever the blade during a cut.
Handle with care, blade-first drops risk chipping.
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: A tool even the maker can't fully explain.

Hiroshi Urata

Tobisho's double-bladed pruning shears used to come in 200mm as well, but that size was discontinued as of the summer of 2026, leaving only the 185mm. I happened to be on the phone with Tobisho about exactly this when I asked about the intended use. Their answer: "Honestly, we're not entirely sure ourselves. We just keep making them because orders come in from time to time." It surprised me, a tool whose own maker isn't quite sure what it's for.

Continue to Part 2 ➔