Best Tool to Cut Blackberry Bushes

We all know how hard it can be to manage the vegetation in your backyard.

Imagine how hard it would be to manage a plant that grows delicious blackberries!

Well, it’s not that hard. But it is still a bit tricky and requires frequent cleaning and cutting to allow the plant to grow big and healthy.

To do this, you need the right tools. And there is more than just a single tool to cut blackberry bushes.

Here I will discuss the required tools to cut a blackberry bush.

There’s also a buying guide that will further help you understand which tool is best for which purpose.

QUICK PICKS

Here are my recommended products picked out through amazon you would be interested in depending on your budget…

BEST PICK

Fiskars Gardening Tools: Bypass Lopper, Sharp...

SaleBest Value

Hooyman Machete with Heavy Duty Construction, Ergonomic...

DIMENSIONS: 20.25 inches L x 4.25 inches W x 1.25 inches D and weighs 1.8 lbs

gonicc 8" Professional Sharp Bypass Pruning Shears...

Ergonomically designed non-slip handles are strong,lightweight,and comfortable.; Sap groove design to help keep pruning shears from sticking by channeling off sap.

10 Best Tool to Cut Blackberry Bushes Reviews

Here is my list of the Best Tool To Cut Blackberry Bushes in 2022;

1. Greenworks 40V Cordless Hedge Trimmer

• Cutting Capacity: ¾ inches
• Battery: 40V lithium-ion
• Blade length: 24-inches
• Runtime: 60 minutes

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Overview

With a powerful dual-action steel blade, the Greenworks’ cordless hedge trimmer is the perfect tool to cut down blackberry bushes.

It works with a 40V lithium battery that can power the trimmer for up to an hour without the need to be recharged.

Plus, the blade is 24-inch long, so you can easily reach places that are buried deep. This is especially useful if you have a lot of thick weeds growing all around.

Also, the cutting capacity of the blade is ¾ inches. This means it can cut bushes or branches that are this thick in diameter.

Finally, to make the cutting easier and fun, the trimmer’s handle can be rotated at an angle of 180°. This is attached to an additional handle so that you can use both hands one to rotate and the other to hold the trimmer.

2. BLACK and DECKER 20V MAX Cordless Hedge Trimmer

• Cutting Capacity: ¾ inches
• Battery: 20V lithium-ion
• Blade length: 22-inches
• Weight: 5.7 pounds

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Overview

The Black Decker Cordless Hedge Trimmer is truly the device you need if you are having troubles with a run-away yard that has overgrown bushes and branches all around.

Giving you an incredible level of convenience, the Black Decker works on a 20V lithium-ion battery and comes with a sharp 22-inch dual-action blade. This lets you cut with ease and gets the trimmer to reach areas that are hard to cut down.

Also, the capacity of the blade is ¾ inches. This means you can use this trimmer to cut branches with a diameter of up to ¾ inches.

The best part about this trimmer is that it can trim up to 3000 square feet of hedges on a single charge. Now that’s a lot!

Plus, there are two handles. One can be used to hold the trimmer, while the other can be used to get more precision when cutting.

Lastly, the trimmer is optimized so that it does not vibrate while cutting. This is quite useful since it makes the job way easier. In fact, it is reported that the trimmer vibrates 20% less than other trimmers of a similar type.

3. GARCARE Electric Hedge Trimmer for Blackberry

• Cutting Capacity: ¾ inches
• Power: Corded 120 V
• Blade length: 20-inches
• Weight: 14.22 pounds

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Overview

If you are looking for a truly versatile cutting experience that offers both precision and comfort, then the 4-in-1 GARCARE Electric Hedge Trimmer is surely the one for you.

It comes with an incredible hedge trimmer with a 20-inch long dual-action blade with a cutting capacity of ¾ inches. And although you get a pole with a length of 7.2 feet for long-range cutting, you can still extend it further to 9.2 feet!

In addition, you can rotate the entire blade through the handle at 5 different angles. These include positions at angles of -90°, -45°, 0°, 45°, and 90°. But that’s not all. To give even more flexibility, the head can be pivoted to 6 different positions as well!

You also get a nice comfortable handle with auxiliary support. The handle has two safety switches. Both need to be turned on to operate the trimmer. This gives an extra level of safety.

Lastly, you also get a garden shear and a folding saw. The folding saw blade is made out of strong carbon steel, and the shears come with a safety lock that is thumb operated.

4. VIVOSUN 6.5 Inch Gardening Hand Pruner

• Color: Orange
• Blade Length: 2.1 inches
• Blade material: Stainless Steel
• Weight: 0.18 pounds

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Overview

The VIVOSUN gardening hand pruner comes with an extra sharp blade that is perfect for precision cutting and would definitely make your garden look great. It can be used on flowers, vegetables, bonsai, etc.

But the specialty of these shears is the spring attached to the handles. This allows the shears to open up by themselves without needing much effort from the user.

This is really useful for people with arthritis or other similar disabilities,, making it difficult for them to hold.

The spring has a safety lock as well, which ensures that the blade is locked in place.

Lastly, the handle is designed for a strong grip and convenience. Basically, you won’t feel your hand getting tired while cutting.

5. Gonicc 8″ Professional Sharp Bypass Pruning Shears

• Color: Red
• Blade Length: 8 inches
• Cutting Capacity: ¾ inches
• Weight: 0.5 pounds

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Overview

The Gonicc Pruning Shears are an excellent tool for all your gardening needs with an innovative and state-of-the-art design.

With a bypass blade design and a blade length of 8-inches, these pruning shears are incredible at cutting branches or stems, along with living green plants. This is because the bypass design cuts through the outer walls of the stems quite easily.

Those who may not know what a bypass design is basically mean that the blades have a curved shape, similar to those on a scissor. The design helps in cutting branches without the need to apply much force.

Also, the blade features ultra-fine polishing that consists of a titanium coating. This means that the shears are resistant to tree pulp getting stuck on the blades. And so, it’s straightforward to clean off the shears. The blade itself is made of SK-5 steel.

Finally, the handles are easy to hold made out of aluminum and PVC material. This makes them quite comfy and gives them a rubber-like feel.

6. HAUS & GARTEN ClassicPRO Titanium Bypass Pruning Shears

• Color: Red
• Pruner Type: Bypass
• Cutting Capacity: 1 inch
• Blade Material: SK-5 Titanium

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Overview

Both futuristic and highly versatile, the Haus and Garten Pruning shears are indeed a must-have for any gardener or DIY enthusiast who wants to get rid of those ugly outgrowths forming in the backyard or their beautiful garden.

With a heavy-duty titanium blade with a cutting capacity of up to 1-inch, these pruning shears are powerful and have sap grooves that prevent sap from sticking onto the blades.

The bypass design of the blade makes the shears all the more effective in cutting down the toughest of branches or stems.

They also feature highly ergonomic handles with shock-absorbing capabilities. This means you won’t even notice your hand getting tired even if you cut for long hours.

There’s also a thumb lock located near the blade that lets you adjust the opening width of the handle for getting a precise cut. So, if you are looking for fine cuts, you can adjust the locks so that the handles don’t open fully. When fully open, the width is 6.1 inches, while it’s 4.7 inches when half open.

7. Fiskars Bypass Lopper for Blackberry Bushes

• Color: Black
• Length: 28 inches
• Cutting Capacity: 1.5 inches
• Blade Material: Hardened Steel

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Overview

If you are someone who is looking for a tool to cut down shrubs or prune trees that are at a considerable height above the ground, or perhaps bushes that need to be trimmed till the far end, then the Fiskars Bypass Lopper is the perfect companion for you.

With a hard steel blade that comes with a coating, a lopper is an excellent tool for cutting down branches with a diameter of up to 1.5 inches.

Also, the Fiskars Lopper features shock-absorbing bumpers near the blade, which help prevent jarring of the blades. That is, you will be able to cut smoothly without the handle getting stuck.

Most importantly, the full length of the lopper is 28-inches. So you can be assured that you can reach some far-off areas.

In addition, the coating on the blade prevents the formation of rust and does not allow the sap to get stuck on the blades or any other type of waste or sticky stuff, for that matter.

8. YARTTING Extendable Loppers Heavy Duty Branch Cutter

• Color: Orange and Black
• Length: 28 inches and extendable to 41 inches
• Cutting Capacity: ¾ inches
• Blade Material: SK-5 Japanese Steel

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Overview

The YARTTING extendable loppers come with a highly durable and efficient blade made out of SK-5 steel and coated with Teflon to avoid rust formation.

It is ideal for cutting branches that are up to 2 inches in diameter. The loppers also feature a compound action system which means your effort levels are cut down to half of what you usually exert on other loppers.

And you would be surprised to learn about the length of the handle. This is because it can be adjusted from a minimum length of 28 inches to up to 41 inches! Now that’s a long handle!

For convenience, you just have to press a single button to extend or retract the handle. And the cutting capacity of the blade is ¾ inches. So, you can easily achieve the cuts you need with little to no effort.

Finally, the handles are made out of aluminum, so you can rest assured that they are lightweight and do not give into corrosion.

9. Colwelt Small Bypass Loppers Bypass Tree Trimmer

• Color: Yellow and Black
• Length: 17 inches
• Cutting Capacity: 1 inch
• Blade Material: Carbon Steel

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Overview

Colwelt Small Bypass Loppers are the type of product where simplicity is at its best. The loppers are designed for light pruning and cutting, and they indeed deliver what they promise.

Since they are made for easy pruning, they can only cut branches up to 1-inch thick in diameter. However, this doesn’t mean they are not effective.

They have a total length of 17-inches and weigh only 1.6 pounds. This makes them really easy to carry and store.

The blade is made out of hardened steel, and the handles allow for a convenient hold, making the loppers easy to use and not cause much strain on the user.

The loppers are ideal for cutting small vines and stems, thorns, branches, twigs, etc. They are also perfect for those who suffer from pain in their hands or cannot hold heavy stuff for a long time.

10. Hooyman Machete with Heavy Duty Bushcraft

• Color: Green and Black
• Blade Material: Stainless Steel
• Weight: 1.8 pounds

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Overview

With a durable blade made out of stainless steel, the Hooyman Machete is a strong and durable cutting tool that can be used for cutting hard branches and cutting down bushes.

It also features a non-slip H-grip handle that makes it easy to hold and does not strain your arms.

And if you are worried about storing or carrying the tool, then you would be happy to know that the machete is pretty lightweight and features a hole in the blade that can be used to hang the machete anywhere at any time.

Also, you would get a belt sheath that is made out of polyester, which gives incredible protection to the blade.

Buying Guide

Cutting blackberry bushes can be the most annoying thing you can do if you don’t know where to start. With the wrong approach, you can create even a greater mess than it already is.

And there is a certain art to cutting blackberry bushes. You cannot just go in and start yanking off the branches and stems blindly. Of course, if you are cutting down blackberry bushes, you are mostly attempting to grow blackberries.

For this, you need to make sure that you don’t cut off the entire thing. Plus, there are two different stages of cutting blackberry bushes. If you want to ensure that you grow nice and juicy blackberries, you can pick them later.

In the first stage, which is in spring, you only do tip pruning. This simply means you just prune the tips of blackberry canes. This helps in getting the canes to grow branches effectively. At this stage, you can use sharp shears or loppers.

Then comes summer. This is the second stage. At this stage, you will need to cut down the canes that have already produced fruit. This is because blackberry canes will not produce any fruit after two years. So, it’s best to cut them out so that newer canes can grow.

To perform this task, you can again use loppers or shears. But the canes are quite long and thick; you can even use electric hedge trimmers to do the job.

As you can see, there are various tools that you can use to cut blackberry bushes. It all depends on the season and the size of the bush. It also depends on convenience and precision, along with the distance and location of the bush.

If you want extra precision, perhaps a hedge trimmer with fine blades and rotary functionalities will be best. But if you are someone who likes to do things manually, then a simple pair of shears would do.

Also, if the bushes are long and you think you will need to reach far distances, then you can always get a good pair of loppers to do the job. Finally, if you simply want to clean out any additional weeds, a machete can also be useful for some rough cutting.

The list below explains some of the things that you will need to look at in each specific type of tool. So, let’s dive in.

Blade Length

Blade length does not matter when it comes to small shears. But it does when you are looking for hedge trimmers. As you may already know, Hedge trimmers are electronic tools that help you cut down blackberry bushes.

Most hedge trimmers have a blade length ranging from 22 to 24 inches. This is quite enough for most applications. But if you think the bushes are extending far into the fields, then you should look for something that has even a longer blade length.

But perhaps you can get a pair of loppers if you are looking for long-range cutting. If going for loppers, you should consider how conveniently you can hold the handle and how easily you can maneuver between cutting widths by changing the opening width of the handle.

Nowadays you can also find brands that give you all the cutting tools you might need in one package. This includes a hedge trimmer, an extendable handle for loppers, and a pair of shears.

Blade Material and Coating

Cutting blackberry canes does not require heavy cutting. So, you won’t require bulky blades such as those of a saw. But you would still need the blade to be sturdy so that it can last long.

Blades made out of carbon steel are quite durable. You can also get blades made of titanium or stainless steel. Remember, the stronger and sharper the blade, the less effort you need to exert while cutting.

One of the things that you need to worry about is corrosion. Carbon steel is quite vulnerable to corrosion and can form rust quite easily. And so, you should make sure that carbon steel blades have some form of protective coating.

Stainless or titanium steel, on the other hand, is resistant to corrosion. However, they are not as strong as carbon steel. But a good titanium steel blade is perhaps the best choice. It offers both durability and resistance to corrosion. Then again, these are hard to find.

Furthermore, the coating or material should also prevent waste or other sticky substances from getting onto the blade. This ensures the blade retains its sharpness and also makes it easy to clean.

Cutting Capacity

Next comes cutting capacity. This simply means how thick a branch a blade can cut. Most hedge trimmers can cut branches of up to 0.75 inches in diameter. As mentioned above, with blackberry bushes, you wouldn’t require blades that can cut large branches.

With shears and loppers, the capacity reduces a bit. The normal cutting capacity ranges from 0.25 to 1 inch. This is again enough for blackberry canes.

To be careful, you should never try cutting a thicker branch than what the blade can handle. This can damage the blade and reduce its longevity.

Handle

A handle may seem like the least important thing when buying a tool to cut blackberry bushes. But quite surprisingly, a handle may be more important than the actual blade of the tool that does the cutting.

This is because the handle design determines how convenient it is to hold the tool and do the effective and precise cutting. This means the handle should allow for a strong grip and prevent slipping.

Also, it should not put much strain on the wrist and balance out the weight of the blade. Cutting bushes can take a long time, and it only fits the handle to ease the pain you might feel while standing for too long.

With manual sheers and loppers, the handle should allow for easy opening and closing of the blade. The easier it is, the more convenient it would be to cut. With hedge trimmers, handles should be equipped with rotating functionality so that you can easily achieve precise cuts at different angles.

In fact, hedge trimmers may come with an auxiliary handle. The main handle can hold the trimmer, while the other can rotate the blade in a particular direction.

Safety features

This one’s quite obvious. You will be dealing with sharp blades that are long and strong. It only makes sense that whatever tool you buy, has the right safety mechanisms built into it. This will make sure accidents are avoided.

Loppers, shears, and hedge trimmers, usually have a safety lock located on the handle. The lock itself should be easy to operate. Sometimes, a loose lock can be a greater safety hazard than having the lock in the first place.

MEnsurethe lock is sturdy and thick that the blade does not bend or wobble after locking the system.

If you are getting a machete, make sure it has a sheath that you can use for storage when not in use.

Corded vs. Cordless

This, of course, applies to electric hedge trimmers. If getting a corded trimmer, ensure that you learn about the power requirements. This simply means asking the seller to tell on how many volts does the trimmer run.

With cordless, the most important thing is the battery life. There’s no point in getting a cordless trimmer if the battery life is quite low.

We all know the major advantage of cordless trimmers is their portability. But it is of no use if you have to keep charging after every couple of minutes.

Usually, hedge trimmers should work for an hour on a single charge. Sometimes, manufacturers only report the square footage that can be cut on a single charge. This may be misleading. So, make sure you ask the duration the trimmer can run on a single charge.

Weight

Last but not the least, the weight of the tool determines the effectiveness of the cutting process. Heavier tools can be hard to manage so the user may not be able to cut with precision.

There is, however, a trade-off between weight and cutting capacity. Higher cutting capacity blades are usually heavy. So, you should make sure that you strike the right balance between these two.

Of course, hedge trimmers are heavier than sheers and loppers. But the trimmers come with extra functionality. Heavier trimmers may be better if they have a comfortable handle that aligns with the design and weight of the overall blade.

Conclusion

Growing blackberries yourself can be an exhilarating exercise. There’s nothing more satisfying than eating the fruits of your hard labor quite literally in this case.

But like with everything else in this world, nothing comes easy. If you want to grow blackberries, then, inevitably, you will have to deal with blackberry bushes.

You will need to make sure that there are no weeds, the bushes have enough space to grow healthy branches, and that canes older than two years are removed.

For all of this, you will need to use various cutting tools. The guide above will help you select between electric hedge trimmers, shears, loppers, and machetes.

There are indeed several things that need to be considered. So, give it a read. Enjoy tool hunting!

Related Posts:

You may also love to read these my reviews and the buying guides…

People Also Asked

Here are a few questions answered that will help you further;

What is the Best Tool to Cut Blackberry Bushes?

Here is my list of the Best Tool To Cut Blackberry Bushes in 2022;

1. Greenworks 24-Inch Cordless Hedge Trimmer
2. BLACK and DECKER 20V MAX Hedge Trimmer
3. GARCARE Electric Hedge Trimmer for Blackberry
4. VIVOSUN 6.5 Inch Gardening Hand Pruner
5. Gonicc Professional Sharp Bypass Pruning Shears
6. HAUS & GARTEN Titanium Pruning Shears
7. Fiskars Bypass Lopper for Blackberry Bushes
8. YARTTING Extendable Loppers Branch Cutter
9. Colwelt Small Bypass Loppers Tree Trimmer
10. Hooyman Machete with Heavy Duty Bushcraft

Does blade length affect cutting performance?

No. Cutting performance depends directly on the sharpness of the blade. The length only determines how far you can cut.

But length may affect the weight of the tool. And if the tool is too heavy, then perhaps it would be difficult for you to cut effectively. In this way, blade length may indirectly affect cutting performance.

How to fix uneven cuts with hedge trimmers?

If you feel that the hedge trimmer is not giving equal-sized cuts, it is evidence of a problem in the blade.

In particular, it is the sharpness of the blade that may be the issue. You can refer to the instructions manual of the trimmer to learn how to sharpen it.

What is anvil versus bypass?

Anvil and Bypass are basically two different types of cutting techniques. They are usually associated with shears and loppers.

Shears with an anvil cut design are used for cutting heavy branches. Essentially, there’s an anvil on the bottom part and the blade on the upper part. With an anvil action, the branch will rest on the anvil as the upper blade cuts through.

In Bypass action, on the other hand, the blade bypasses the anvil as it cuts. This is effective for precision cutting. With blackberry bushes, you will mostly need shears and loppers that have bypass-cut designs.

This is because blackberry canes are quite thin. Also, bypass shears are mostly used with living plants. Anvil-action blades are used with dead plants or when the plant’s health is not a big concern.

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David Houghton

Construction Manager at Schlumberger

I am a content strategist and editor here at tools10.com. I have been working in Oil as well in the Construction Industry for years. The major projects I was involved in are Offshore Drilling and residential buildings. I have great hands-on experience in Tools & Machinery. Read More About Me

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