ORCA, prunning shaers by Cutting Edge Technologies

Conventional garden shears rely on a single pivot to transfer hand force to the cutting blades, with the large fingers of the hand placed closer to the pivot point. The energy transferred to the cutting action is the sum of the products of forces and displacements of individual fingers. This results in a significant loss of hand power that could be delivered to cutting.

The core innovation of Orca shears is a four-bar linkage mechanism that places the instantaneous center of rotation between the handles at a position away from, distally to, the tool, optimizing the power transfer from the fingers to the cutting blades. Hand power delivery to the cutting action is increased by approximately 50% compared to conventional shears. The four main components are injection molded from the highest performance 40% carbon fiber reinforced polyamide to minimize the weight and compliance of the shears. This should be of particular benefit to pruning professionals working in vineyards or orchards.

The molded parts are shaped to allow for tight packing into a 20 mm thick, compact construct. A hand guard protects the fingers and allows easy handling of the shears, even in an open position, without using the thumb or the palm. An optional thumb support can be attached to the palm section. Blades are made of matched, hardened stainless steels, chromium-plated for resistance to wear and corrosion. Both can be removed for sharpening or replacement. The variability of blade-to-blade compression is reduced by a Belleville washer under the head of the center pin. Orca shears are available in two sizes, corresponding approximately to large and small hand gloves. The same blades are used for both sizes.