HOW TO CLEAN & SHARPEN ESSENTIAL GARDEN TOOLS
A little time spent cleaning and sharpening your garden tools now will save you a ton of time and effort this summer. Sharp tools are also safer to use because they're less likely to slip and cut you or get stuck and don't require as much pressure from you to do the job.
Here are some tips for getting your tools clean, sharp, and moving well before spring pruning season starts.
What you'll need:
Your tools
Hot soapy water
Scrub brush
Clean cloth or towels to dry
Solvent, like mineral spirits
Steel wool or wire brush
Medium sandpaper
Linseed oil or other lubricating oil
Sharpening file or whetstone
WHAT YOU NEED FOR CLEANING AND SHARPENING GARDEN TOOLS
If you didn't clean your garden tools in the fall, they probably have some hardened sap and dirt on them. Scrub off any dried sap with a steel brush or steel wool.
Wash your tools with hot soapy water. You can soak for a few minutes to soften really tough stuff, but don't leave them in for too long as you don't want to contribute to any rust.
Dry your tools well once you've taken them out, and scrub off any remaining spots of rust or muck, then rinse again. If you have really stuck on sap, you may need to use a solvent to get it off. You can use steel wool or a steel brush to work on significant sections of rust and then sandpaper to smooth the rest of it off.
Scrub any dirt off of wooden handles, sand down any nicks, and condition with linseed oil to prevent splintering.
If your tool handles have plastic or rubber coating starting to peel, you can remove it using a knife. Then you can sand off any stuck-on bits with rough sandpaper and then apply a spray like Plasti-dip on the handles. A plastic spray may not last as long as the original plastic coating, but it is better than a sticky covering or none at all.
HOW TO SHARPEN PRUNERS
Sharpening your tools can be a bit intimidating, but even a bit of a try is better than no sharpening at all. If you take it slow and give yourself time, you'll get the hang of it.
Anvil pruners are usually beveled on both sides of the blade, so you want to sharpen them on both sides of the blade. Bypass pruners, on the other hand, are usually only beveled on one side, so you only need to sharpen on that side.
Lay your whetstone or sharpening file almost level with the bevel edge and the base of the blade. If you want to measure it, aim for an angle of about 20 degrees. Put a slight pressure toward the edge of the blade, and then move your sharpener along the edge of the knife away from you.
Start back at the base and repeat the motion. It's important to always go in the same direction, not back and forth. With a little bit of practice, you'll get a feel for it, and you'll get a bit faster. Don't aim for speed though, aim for a consistent angle. Keep sharpening until the cutting edge looks clean and sharp. You can test its cutting ability if you like and keep sharpening if it's not sharp enough yet.
After you've finished sharpening your tools, make sure to tighten up any loose bolts.
Finally, apply a very light layer of linseed oil across the blade's metal, and let it work into the moving parts, then wipe off the excess with a towel.
HOW TO SHARPEN A HOE OR SHOVEL
Sharpening the edge of a hoe or shovel is also helpful, but you're not going for the same kind of knife-edge as on the pruners. You just need an edge that will easily dig into the ground, so an angle of 30 to 45 degrees is ideal.
For a hoe, it's best to lay it down on the ground with the blade pointing up, then pull your file up to sharpen the blade. It's best to sharpen on the backside of the hoe or shovel. Move your file across the blade in smooth passes, using the full length of the file.
Sharpening a shovel is similar, but you want to lay the shovel on a table with the blade hanging over the edge or secure it in a vise if you have one.
Remember to move your file away from the sharp edge, so you're not moving your hand toward the sharp edge.
You might be tempted to use a bench grinder or angle grinder. The challenge with these is that the metal can heat up very fast, and it loses its integrity when it gets hot, which means it won't hold a sharp edge for very long.
It's also a good idea to put a light layer of oil on your shovel and hoe as well. Oiling your tools will help prevent rust and keep them moving well.
HOW TO STORE YOUR TOOLS
Once your tools are clean and oiled, it's important to store them, so your hard work doesn't go to waste. Hanging your tools on a peg wall makes it easy to access and keeps them dry. It also keeps them from smashing against each other, which does have some potential to dull them a bit.
However you choose to store your tools, just make sure that they aren't sitting in water. If you keep them cleaned, sharpened, and conditioned with oil, your garden tools should last you for many years. Keeping your tools clean and sharp also makes it that much easier to get started on spring gardening chores because your tools are ready to go.
If you need to pick up some new tools, or just need a break from winter, stop by the garden center for a visit and soak in all the houseplant, gardening, and landscaping inspiration.