What are loppers made of?

29th February 2020

What are loppers made of?


	Shop for Loppers


		Lopper handles
		The majority of loppers feature handles made of either aluminium or carbon steel. Less usually, handles may be made of polypropylene or fibreglass reinforced polyamide.

		What is aluminium? Aluminium is lighter and has a greater resistance to corrosion than steel.

		When introduced to the atmosphere, aluminium’s reaction to oxygen creates a thin layer across the entire surface of the metal; this is known as aluminium oxide. This layer acts as a protective coating, providing resistance to further oxidisation. Rather than allowing this to occur naturally, however, manufacturers force and control it through a process called anodising.

		Aluminium tools are very popular due to their lightness. For tools like loppers – which will often be held above the user, with the arms outstretched – less weight is better for both balance and sustained use without ache or injury.

		However, aluminium tools are more likely to bend, dent and scratch than steel tools.

		What is carbon steel? Carbon steel is steel in which the main alloying element is carbon. It is harder than common steel, but less ductile, meaning that it is more difficult to shape into the desired form, and is more likely to break or snap than bend.

		Carbon steel grades are determined by the percentage of carbon in the alloy (the combination of elements used to make the steel). The higher the percentage of carbon, the harder – but more brittle – a steel alloy will be.

		High carbon steels can be made less brittle by tempering – tempered steel tools are much less likely to break than untempered ones, and will usually be advertised as such. Tempering involves heating the metal to a high temperature then allowing it to cool in the air. It reduces hardness and increases pliability and overall toughness.

		Tools made with a higher grade carbon steel will usually be advertised as ‘high grade steel’ or ‘high speed steel’. Where a tool is simply listed as being made of ‘carbon steel’, it is likely to have been made from low or medium grade carbon steel.

		What is polypropylene? Polypropylene is a type of thermoplastic polymer; a strong, lightweight material which is resistant to cracking and fracturing. Thermoplastic polymers are used widely in the manufacture of items like Lego blocks, ink cartridges, and phone cases.

		What is fibreglass reinforced polyamide? Fibreglass reinforced polyamide (FRP) is a type of fibre-reinforced plastic. This is a composite material in which a polymer matrix is reinforced with fibres; in this case glass fibres. The result is a finish and feel similar to that of polypropylene, and a tool less likely to bend, splinter or break.

		Lopper handle grips
		Almost all lopper handle grips are made of thermoplastic rubber, but loppers with cork and polypropylene grips are also available.

		What is rubber? A soft, rubberised grip is manufactured from thermoplastic rubber (also called ‘thermoplastic elastomer’).


		This type of rubberised grip is extremely popular for use on tool handles due to its elastic qualities, which mean that it can be comfortably squeezed and squashed in the hand, and return immediately to its original shape once released.

		This makes it possible for a user to squeeze the handle of a tool hard, without the handle digging painfully into the hand, and without any lasting effect on the shape of the handle.

		What is cork? Cork is harvested from the bark tissue of the cork oak. You’ll likely have come into contact with it as the stopper in a wine or champagne bottle!

		It is a type of wood which is unique in that it is impermeable, buoyant, elastic and exceptionally light.

		These properties make it an environmentally friendly alternative to plastic and rubber grips. Because the bark of the cork oak regenerates every nine years to a thickness of two to three inches, a single tree can be harvested up to fifteen times during its lifetime, making cork a rapidly renewable resource (one which can be replaced quickly after consumption).

		Additionally, all cork used in tool handles, flooring and insulation comes from leftover material generated in bottle cork manufacture – meaning that virtually no cork ever goes to waste.

		Lopper handle buffers
		Some lopper handles feature a pair of buffers made of thermoplastic rubber.

		Lopper blades
		All lopper blades currently available are made of either carbon steel or chrome moly vanadium.

		What is chrome moly vanadium? Chrome, molybdenum, and vanadium are impurities added to steel to give it corrosion resistance and other properties.

		Added to steel, chromium and molybdenum improve hardenability (its ability to be hardened to a high degree during manufacture), and strength, meaning it is less likely to crack, break, bend or splinter.

		Vanadium increases steel’s durability in high temperatures and makes it more resistant to corrosion.