How to Sharpen Pruning Shears - You Need to Do It at Least Once a Year
All lovers of gardening know the importance of well-sharpened pruning shears. However, not everyone knows how to do it properly (although it is not a difficult task). Here you can find out how to effectively sharpen pruning shears.
1. Washing
First, wash the pruning shears well. To do this, soapy water and a toothbrush will do. It's also a good idea to disinfect it with alcohol.
2. Disassembling
The next step is to disassemble the shears (so you can easily sharpen the entire blade). Do this only if you are sure you can put it back together properly. If you don't know how to do that, just lock its blades.
3. Sharpening
You can use a whetstone, a file or a grinding stone. Apply the tool to the outside of the blade at a 45-degree angle. Try not to change the angle while sharpening, as this can significantly reduce the quality of your work. All the time, move the sharpener only in one direction: from the blade to the outside. Remember not to move the file or whetstone in both directions. If you do, you may damage the blade.
4 Lubrication
The pruning shears are sharpened when the surface of the blade is smooth and even. Take your time and do the whole process slowly. At the end you can oil the moving parts. This will prevent the tool from jamming and you will do all the work in the garden smoothly. And, of course, do not forget to screw the pieces back together
How often the shears should be sharpened?
Sharpen your pruning shears depending on your needs and the intensity of your garden work. If you cut a lot of hard shoots in the spring, you can sharpen it even every two or three hours. On the other hand, if you do only light work in the summer, you can reach for the whetstone or file once every few days. This should be definitely enough.
Remember!
Sharpen the shears with a passing blade only on one side (outside). However, anvil secateurs should be sharpened on two sides
