I purchased the 7-inch ARS Pruner over two years ago and am in love with it! It is fantastically sharp, the blade has never lost its super-sharp edge, and it never causes me any any hand strain. I have small, thin hands and not a lot of hand strengh. The ARS pruner just glides through anything I need to prune for as many hours as I need to use it. For several years, I used a 7-inch Felco and frankly was never happy with it. The blade became dull very quickly and never kept a sharp edge and it caused severe hand strain after pruning for a couple of hours. I have never had any strain or pain using my ARS pruner and it has become my most treasured gardening tool. I intend to purchase another one this season. I highly recommend this hand pruner - especially for women.