Japanese Professional Pruning Shears "A Type Damascus Blue Paper" 200mm Artisan Secateur - Tobisho

Uniqueness and Tradition: Tobisho Damascus 200mm Shears

The Tobisho A Type Damascus 200mm pruning shears embody the excellence of Japanese artisanal tradition.
Hand‑forged and tempered in Aogami (Blue Paper Steel) and enhanced with a Damascus finish, they combine refined aesthetics with outstanding performance.

Tradition and Innovation: Hybrid Damascus Shears

This is a hybrid pruning shear that employs the rare manual brazing technique, a process seldom used nationwide in scissor manufacturing.

For the cutting blade, a 16‑layer multilayer steel is used, incorporating Yasugi Aogami steel, renowned for its excellent wear resistance.
The lowest layer, which forms the cutting edge, is made of a particularly thick Aogami steel.
The surface is specially treated to highlight the damascus‑like patterns.

This product combines practical functionality with aesthetic appeal.
※ Since each piece is manually finished to bring out the pattern, individual differences may occur.
Wear resistance may vary depending on usage conditions.

This model offers not only excellent sharpness but also distinctive aesthetic value.

Key Features:

- Hamaguri blade: delivers clean and precise cuts, reducing fatigue even during long hours of work.
- Damascus Aogami steel: exceptional hardness and wear resistance, with a unique decorative finish.
- Brazing technique: blade and handle fused into a single body for superior robustness and durability.
- Longevity: more than 100 forging and assembly steps, resulting in a strong monoblock structure.
- Essential design: lightweight and well‑balanced, with no unnecessary parts.
- Reliability: trusted and appreciated by professionals in Japan and worldwide.

These shears are ideal for vineyards, orchards, and carefully maintained gardens, offering a superior cutting experience and long operational life.

What is A type Blue Paper Aogami?

Unmatched sharpness and beauty born from a century of craftsmanship

This pruning shear model applies the ancient technique of brass brazing to the handle, combined with high-quality steel—a craftsmanship now unique in the world.
With its extraordinary blade, you can easily cut even the hardest branches!

Why do professionals choose Tobisho?

 

On the left(first image): the cut of commercial secateurs is not clear and the branch is dry.
On the right(second image): with Tobisho secateurs the cut is clean and the sap remains on the branch.

1.Comparison of sharpness

Ordinary shears often leave rough cuts on branches, causing sap to leak and increasing the risk of disease.
Tobisho shears, with blades polished by skilled craftsmen, deliver smooth cuts that protect plant health

2. Features of the Hamaguri blade

The Hamaguri blade, perfected with Tobisho’s craftsmanship, has a shell‑like curved shape that allows exceptionally smooth entry and exit from branches.
With reduced friction, it eases the strain on the hands even during long hours of work.

One hundred processing phases: all by hand More than 100 steps are needed to get from two steel bars to a pair of TOBISHO secateurs. 

3. Reason for durability

The body is forged through more than 100 steps and consists of only two steels, one screw, and one spring.
With so few components, the risk of breakage is minimal, allowing the shears to withstand years of use.

4. Efficient use of materials

Tobisho shears are designed to make full use of the materials, avoiding unnecessary reinforcements or decorations.
This ensures they remain lightweight yet strong, while keeping environmental impact to a minimum.

Sharpness, durability, and a streamlined design—Tobisho shears embody the very reason professionals trust them.

   

Precautions for use:

- When new, the blade is extremely sharp: start with thinner branches.
- For thicker branches, place the blade at the base at a 45° angle and rotate slowly.
- Avoid twisting the blade or moving it up and down: the screw may loosen and affect balance.

Maintenance:

- After use, wipe off resin with a cloth and apply a thin layer of mineral oil.
- If resin has hardened, scrape it off with a hard plastic tool.
- Apply a drop of oil to the screw to keep movement smooth.
- The Hamaguri blade does not require frequent sharpening: use the dedicated whetstone to restore perfect cutting.
- Never sharpen the back of the blade.
⚠️ Excessive sharpening wears down the blade and shortens the lifespan of the shears: if the cut seems less clean, a light home sharpening is sufficient.

Regarding the pattern

- Each product is hand-finished to bring out the pattern, so individual variations will occur.
Returns or exchanges cannot be accepted for reasons such as the pattern differing from the expected image.
- A surface treatment has been applied to highlight the laminated pattern.
With use and maintenance, the appearance may change, and friction or polishing may cause the pattern to fade.
However, the laminated layers do not disappear, so please rest assured. (Differences in shade do not affect the properties of the material.)

These products may show variations such as the thin width of the gold line, the presence or absence of black dots, or grinder traces, all resulting from hand-finishing, but these are not defects—they are marks of craftsmanship.
The purpose of brass brazing is not decoration but to firmly bond the handle and blade, and differences in pattern or shade do not affect sharpness or durability.
Therefore, they are not considered defects and are not eligible for return or exchange.

Message from the company owner:

Excellent blades are produced in Michinoku Yamagata.
The world is full of mass-produced products with simple manufacturing methods; we, on the other hand, use carefully selected steels and our products have achieved exceptional perfection and durability thanks to the traditional technique of hand finishing, the validity of which has been scientifically proven and is appreciated by users.

We hope that as many people as possible will appreciate the perfection of these one-piece products.

You can watch Tobisho’s work (only in Japanese language, approx. 1.44min)

Watch the video

Tobisho – Japanese professional pruning shears

Tobisho is one of Japan’s leading artisan makers of professional pruning shears.
Each pair is hand‑forged and tempered following traditional blacksmithing methods with more than 200 years of history.

Founded in 1930, the Tobitsuka family workshop is now led by the fourth generation.
Combining traditional craftsmanship with modern techniques, Tobisho delivers tools that are durable, reliable, and trusted worldwide.

Tobisho pruning shears, featuring the distinctive Hamaguri blade for smooth and precise cuts, are highly valued by farmers, vintners, and professional gardeners.
Today, Tobisho shears are sought after not only in Japan but also across Europe and around the globe.