 Bibliophile 13
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Registered: 09/08/06
Posts: 7065
Loc: South Alabama
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AHill said:
You didn't mention shovels, but I use a standard mill file to sharpen the business end of my garden shovels. It makes a huge difference when digging.
It also makes hoes a lot more effective at weeding.
Sharp tools aren't just for the woodshop. They're essential in the garden, too.
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Steve S.
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Tradition cannot be inherited, and if you want it you must obtain it by great labour.
- T. S. Eliot
Tutorials and Build-Alongs at The Literary Workshop
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Timberwolf
Honored Veteran and lant something or other
Registered: 06/05/02
Posts: 59989
Loc: Sparkling Clearwater, Florida
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Quote:
Bypass loppers need only the bevel on the cutting edge sharpened. The back slides against the other piece
Correct....The flat sides of by-pass tools {scissor action} are never sharpened...only the bevel edge...Sharpening the flats will/can ruin the tool and make it jam with whatever you're cutting.
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"Remember, we are First Marines, and all the communist SOBs in the world cannot stop us from going where we intend to go".."Chesty" Puller Lt.Col. USMC..Chosin Reservoir, Korea 1950
Jack Edgar USMC.. Korea '51/'52
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KSMike
Member
Registered: 04/28/10
Posts: 451
Loc: Olathe, KS
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Bibliophile 13 said:
It also makes hoes a lot more effective at weeding.
Not... going... there...
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Mike
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Axehandle
No bit---short handle
Registered: 09/27/09
Posts: 2385
Loc: Savannah, Jawja
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Timberwolf said:
Quote:
Bypass loppers need only the bevel on the cutting edge sharpened. The back slides against the other piece
Correct....The flat sides of by-pass tools {scissor action} are never sharpened...only the bevel edge...Sharpening the flats will/can ruin the tool and make it jam with whatever you're cutting.
Yes.
OTOH, I have had great success with LAPPING the flats on loppers, pruning shears, and those big two handed scissor things. Granted, the tool has to have a bolt and nut to be able to take it apart to lap them separately. You cannot do it otherwise.
Get a nice lapping plate or surface plate with some abrasive paper.
I have taken some brand new Fiskars titanium loppers and made them cut better than when they were new by lapping their mating surfaces then honing the bevel. Might sound like overkill but I work on a golf course and these things are used quite a bit. It is good to start with dead flat mating surfaces.
You can even put valve lapping compound or silicon carbide abrasive grit into the joint when the loppers are assembled and work them back and forth so the lapping compound can get in there let the two surfaces perfectly mate with one another. This makes it so your loppers can cut paper, which, I agree, is a little overkill.
Lastly, using the lapping technique, you can take older and abused flea market loppers or shears and turn them into most excellent workhorses for yourself.
I just aquired a small set of Boker hand shears (utility shears for cutting paper and such, not garden implements) and they were rough. I used the lapping compound trick because these shears had curved blades and that made them mate nicely together. THen I used a ceramic slip stone to sharpen the bevel. They will cut a notecard in half without even having to move your fingers.
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Christian Castillo
Member
Registered: 04/06/10
Posts: 630
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If you can, buy a 1x42" belt grinder, they rock for sharpening knives and gardening tools.
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Timberwolf
Honored Veteran and lant something or other
Registered: 06/05/02
Posts: 59989
Loc: Sparkling Clearwater, Florida
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I agree...belt sanders are a great sharpening tool and I use them a lot...But as axehandle stated, lapping is also a good method of sharpening the flat sides of scissor-type tools..For that, I have a Foley sintered diamond lap, and it makes short work of the task. The platen has to be perfectly flat for lapping to be sucessful.
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"Remember, we are First Marines, and all the communist SOBs in the world cannot stop us from going where we intend to go".."Chesty" Puller Lt.Col. USMC..Chosin Reservoir, Korea 1950
Jack Edgar USMC.. Korea '51/'52
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Shovel Man
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Registered: 01/03/06
Posts: 3142
Loc: Michigan
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Shovel sharpening - Start with sturdy tin snips to get back to a proper contour. May need to hammer it into shape after that. A bench grinder will clean up the burrs. This will cut some pretty fat roots. Any sharper and each scrape on a rock will make you cringe.
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Timberwolf
Honored Veteran and lant something or other
Registered: 06/05/02
Posts: 59989
Loc: Sparkling Clearwater, Florida
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I use a right angle 4 1/2" grinder for all gardening tools except pruners. Sharp tools make for easier work.
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"Remember, we are First Marines, and all the communist SOBs in the world cannot stop us from going where we intend to go".."Chesty" Puller Lt.Col. USMC..Chosin Reservoir, Korea 1950
Jack Edgar USMC.. Korea '51/'52
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