The Fiskars 9" hedge shears are hardened stainless steel 9" blades with a PTFE coating to reduce friction while cutting. These Hedge Shears feature a PowerGear mechanism to increase the leverage to make cutting 3 times easier than conventional single pivot shears. These strong and lightweight Hedge Shears are the only shears to be awarded the Arthritis Foundation Ease-Of-Use Commendation in the USA and the Arthritis Society friendly in Canada. The handles on these gardening shears are FiberComp. Handles are made of strong NyGlass (combination of nylon and fiberglass reinforced composite materials).