Gardening apparatus

A garden tool 1 for cutting and/or pruning comprises: a first shear part 2 and a second shear part 3, at least one of the first and second shear parts having a cutting blade 4, 6 each of the first and second shear parts having a shaft or lever arm 5, 7; a pivot mechanism rotatably connecting the first and second shear parts with each other, the pivot mechanism comprising a main spindle 8 and a main bolt 9; and a locking mechanism which comprises a retaining cap 14, wherein the locking mechanism is removably attachable to the first or second shear part such that when the retaining cap is attached to the first or second shear part the retaining cap covers the head of the main bolt, wherein the locking mechanism is configured to prevent rotation of the main bolt with respect to the shear part to which the locking mechanism is removably attachable. The tool may further comprise a bush 12 comprising a cavity and the cavity is configured to receive the head of the main bolt such that when the bolt is attached to the main spindle rotation of the main bolt causes rotation of the bush. The bush may comprise radially projecting teeth (13, figure 2) and the cap may comprise internally projecting teeth (16) which correspond with the teeth on the bush. Also disclosed is a garden tool having an AlCrN functional layer on a cutting blade of the shear parts.