22:32 Oct 10 

What doesn't help is that the Jardipedia http://www.jardipedia.com/article_Choisir-son-secateur_139.h... seems to think that "by-pass" is distinct from " a coupe tirante" - it describes "a coupe tirante" but not "by-pass".

In the context of a pruning saw (Felco 600), "a coupe tirante" does appear to refer to a pulling - "pull-stroke" - action, but although it's part of the French description of the tool it's left out of the English name, where the tool's foldability is considered more important to mention.

22:15 Oct 10 

Owen might have sawn off the branch I was sitting on. Following his posting, I found:
http://www.numerama.com/comparer-les-prix/secateur
http://jardinor.wordpress.com/2009/08/14/jardinage-elagueur/

These do seem to indicate that, rather than "tirante" being about pulling a cord or strap to operate the blades, it is about the blades having a scissor action. This website shows "bypass secateurs" and "bypass loppers"
http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/garden-tools/spear-jackson-razorshar...

21:31 Oct 10 

"a coupe tirante" indicates a "bypass" mechanism
"a enclume" indicates an "anvil" mechanism
"a cremaillere" indicates a "ratchet" mechanism

"pruner" and "lopper" appear to be to some degree interchangeable - in the US "pruner" seems to be used more for the longer-handled "pole" variety, "lopper" for the shorter-handled tool, and vice versa for the UK, though there doesn't seem to be a hard and fast rule. So there's no certainty the elageur here is the "pole" variety.

I'd suggest something like "bypass pruner/lopper", but unless you know what the tool referred to is, it's hard to be certain of the translation.

11:20 Oct 9 

I can't really say for sure. the only thing i know it is used by a gardener in a residence.

11:13 Oct 9 

If you don't know what it's used for it's very difficult to imagine what the translation could be. Is it for cutting branches off trees?