Abstract: Gripping cutters have either shearing blades or blade-and-anvil cutting members. Attached to one lateral side of each cutting member is a movable jaw arranged to grip the elements being cut when the cutter is closed and to release the elements when open. Each jaw has a pair of elongate parallel pins extending from its rear face. A pair of supports affixed to each lateral side have an aperture for slidably receiving a pin. A compression spring on the pin forces the jaws together and an adjustable stop on the pin limits the extent of the jaw movement so that the relative position of the blades at the moment of release of the cut elements may be adjusted. Resilient jaw faces may be provided for gripping small and large branches simultaneously.