I bought these two or three weeks ago, I have used (or abused!) them on one particularly tough job and also used them for more routine hedge trimming. They are wonderful! They cut through anything reasonable with ease, they are an absolute joy to use. The handles are a solid rubber (over the metal frame), they are not the rubberised sponge sort of handle that falls apart after a while. The long blades enable quick clearance however they are narrow enough to enable the removal of individual twigs with precision. I was nervous about buying from a manufacturer I did not recognise but I'm glad I took the chance. Highly recommended.