If you own the proper tools for the task, you should easily finish most gardening jobs with relative ease. However, most garden tools are safely used on a daily basis, with the exclusion of large shears and saws. Here are five of the best garden tools you will ever need for your favorite gardening activity.

Anvil Pruners: These garden tools are also known as claw-like pruners. One of the main differences between anvil pruners and other pruners is that they do not actually touch or break the branch. Instead, when the pruning shear hits the branch, the blade will slice it in two before the pruner breaks it off at the base of the branch. Anvil pruners can safely be used day after day, and on most types of branches. However, pruners with a higher diameter of blades tend to last longer and be much more effective when it comes to cutting down thicker branches.

Hand Pruners: For those who like working with their hands, the best garden shears are hand operated. As the name implies, hand operated hand pruners are made by the user instead of being a mechanical piece. Some have a single, fixed blade and others have two, revolving blades. The best ones usually come with a lifetime warranty. Additionally, these come in a variety of sizes, from one and a half inches to three and a half inches.

Garden Scissors: Garden scissors, or compound hands are the largest and most intimidating of all the tools. These are the ultimate shear tools as they have a maximum capacity for cutting and are extremely long lasting. The best garden scissors are made of carbon steel, which is the strongest material available. Also, while purchasing a pair of garden scissors, make sure they fit comfortably in your hand, as well as comfortable to hold. Remember that the key to maximum comfort is ease of use and ease of movement, so choose a pair of garden scissors that not only feel good but are also easy to hold.

Sharpening Scissors: Sharpeners are the simplest of all the tools. They consist of a metal tube with a metal bar inside of it, and a sharpening stone attached to the outside of the tube. The user holds the sharpener close to the metal bar and uses a pry bar to slowly apply pressure on the blade to a shallow angle. After a few passes of this pressure, the sharpening stone will remove most of the oil from the stem. This method is similar to the process of honing a diamond’s stone.

Folding Scissors: Similar to sharpeners, these tools are designed for light manual work. Folding garden scissors are usually a piece of metal tubing with a metal bar inside of it. It is used the same way as a sharpener. However, it does not come with a blade. Instead, the user inserts a small amount of plastic or wooden dowel into the sharpener, and gently turns it in a circular motion to sharpen it.

Stain Scissors: This tool is similar to the sharpeners as they also sharpen and clean a piece of wood by applying a liquid solution. Unlike sharpeners, stain cutting tools allow the user to apply the stain in a straight line. These are very similar to the scissors or wire cutters, and they are often used to cut paper, foil, cardboard, twine, and rubber. These tools are useful for a wide variety of jobs including mold making, paper cutting, thinning out documents, fabric dyeing, and painting. To make things easier on the woodworkers, most stains come with protective coatings. To further increase the durability of the tools, most manufacturers provide an extended warranty on their stainless steel blades.

Garden shear sharpening and shaping tools are important not only for home projects but also for professional gardening projects. Whether doing small projects like shaping stems of grass, or large projects like preparing a shed for storage, a set of quality gardening shears and shaping tools are an essential part of the gardening arsenal. Finding the best garden shears can save a lot of time and money. With the proper sharpening and shaping tools, any gardener can achieve professional results that rival those of experienced craftsmen.