Barnsdale Gardens Tools On Test

Barnsdale Gardens Tools On Test: Tucked away in the Rutland countryside, Barnsdale Gardens is a true horticultural gem, boasting 38 uniquely designed spaces that delight visitors in every season. From vibrant summer borders to the quiet beauty of winter structure, each garden tells its own story of colour, creativity, and care.

Behind these ever-changing displays is a dedicated team of gardeners whose passion and hard work keep Barnsdale looking spectacular throughout the year. To do so, they need tools they can depend on, which is why the team has been putting STIGA’s Folding Pruning Saw to the test, using it day in and day out across the gardens

Stiga Folding Pruning Saw Review from Jon Brocklebank, Barnsdale Gardens Head Gardener

First impressions are that this is a very lightweight (0.312kg) yet sturdy saw. The curved blade has triple-ground teeth, and it’s made from high-carbon manganese steel (65Mn) – I’m no metal expert, but it sounds good to me. A non-stick Teflon coating allows for smooth cuts up to 150mm. This sounds a tad ambitious, but I’ll give it a try. Stiga say it’s for dry and dead wood, but I’d say it’s for any wood.

The black Teflon-coated blade measures approximately 250mm long. It’s a thin blade (1mm wide), but it feels really strong and not likely to flex too much when in use, which is a good thing. The ergonomic handle measures just over 310mm long; it’s a bright yellow, hardened plastic with black rubberised grips. The blade closes into the handle with a simple press of a button/lock mechanism on the handle.

As the blade and handle are curved, it means when closed, the top edge of the blade protrudes out of the handle (73mm wide when closed). This means it’s easy to get hold of the blade for easy opening – the button on the handle must be pressed to unlock and open the blade. There’s a hole in the handle for hanging up after use, and it comes with a Stiga 5-year extended warranty.

Under use, I found it performed very well. I tested its cutting performance on both living and dead wood; it sailed through the branches of a mulberry tree, which needed some branches removed, and the blade didn’t stick once, so yes, very impressed.

I did find a thick branch, approximately 150mm in diameter (as per Stiga recommendations), and I did manage to get through it with two hands pulling on the handle. I won’t say it was easy, but it did get through eventually. I think that it’s more suited to 70-100mm diameter branches, which is still more than adequate for a pruning saw, bearing in mind that wood densities vary considerably.

Conclusion: I’d definitely recommend this saw; it’s not the most compact saw I’ve ever used, but that’s not a problem, unless you require something to fit in a pocket. It functions really well for its intended use.

Folding Pruning Saw – RRP £19.99

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