Are you frustrated with dull shears that won’t cut properly and often end up tearing stems? Dull gardening blades cause damage by tearing stems instead of cutting them cleanly. This causes plant damage and diseases. Sharp gardening blades work efficiently with traditional garden shears and are equally effective when used with new cordless garden shears.
This tutorial will teach you how to sharpen garden shears by hand, with power tools, or by other techniques. It will provide you with a number of sharpening techniques so that you can choose the one that suits you best. Let’s get right into it!
1. Signs Your Garden Shears Need Sharpening
Garden shears do not go dull suddenly. They usually show signs of failure before they give in. We can identify these signs and sharpen the shears before they cause damage to the plants or your hands.
Physical Wear and Tear Indicators
The first sign you will notice is the cut quality. If the branches look torn, crushed, or frayed rather than cleanly cut, the blade edge has worn down. Healthy pruning cuts must be smooth; they should not be jagged or shredded.
Another obvious indication is visible blade damage. Any cracks or chips along the cutting edge indicate that the blade is not cutting the plant material properly anymore. These imperfections break the cutting action and give an inefficient cut.
The other sign is that the plant material sticks between the blades. Sap accumulates, causing friction at dull edges where the blades often stick. This reduces cutting performance as time goes by.
Functional Performance Issue Indicators
The garden shears should cut easily with minimal effort. If more hand pressure is required to prune than usual, this indicates that the blades need to be sharpened.
Blade movement is also significant. The blades should open and close smoothly without resistance. When you notice grinding, hesitation, or partial closure, sharpening is necessary. This applies to both manual shears and powered ones like ONEVAN Pruning Shears that use sharp blades to make cuts clean and efficient despite having motor assistance.
2. How to Sharpen Garden Shears with Manual Tools
These hand tools are especially useful if you want to learn how to sharpen garden shears manually. The following methods are used:
Sharpening Shears Using a File
One of the best ways of sharpening garden shears by hand is using a file. Popular files are the flat and mill files, as they have a flat surface that suits most garden shears’ blades. Triangular files can be used in sharpening areas of the tip that are curved.
The first thing is to clean the blade to get rid of dirt, sap, and wet. Next, place the file at 20 degrees to 30 degrees, inserting it along the blade edge. This will be critical since it will help the blade to remain strong and sharp in cutting.
Push the file in one direction only, away from yourself, following the natural curve of the blade. Use light and steady pressure with repeated motion until the blade is clean and sharp. Hurrying would mean less frequent inspection of the blade to see just how far the sharpening has progressed.
Do not file often, as this may result in reducing the life of the shears by cutting away metal. Never saw back and forth, as this will round the edge and reduce sharpness instead of improving it.
Using Sandpaper for Sharpening
Sandpaper is an easy option when learning how to sharpen garden shears at home. It can be particularly effective to sharpen light tools and maintain them.
With some medium-grit sandpaper, you can begin by polishing the sharp edges of your blade. When the edge begins to give some results, change to a finer grit. Hold the blade firmly when sharpening, but do not slide sandpaper sideways across the edges. Do not rotate the angle at which you are holding it.
Sandpaper is good for light touch-ups and going over the blade when it's only slightly dull. But when you've got a real nick in the blade, or it's been getting worn out pretty badly a file or a sharpening stone will do a much better job.
Sharpening Garden Shears Using Stones
Whetstones and sharpening stones are created to sharpen blades in a slow and even manner. They are perfect among gardeners who need neat and fine edges and long-lasting sharpness.
Wet Stone Sharpening Process
It is best to place the stone in water a few minutes before sharpening. In a slow, controlled manner across the stone, at right angles, with the blade. The sharpening should always be done in the same direction, i.e., towards the blade.
The water ensures that it reduces friction and prevents overheating of the blade. The method is especially helpful in understanding how to sharpen garden shears with a wet stone or whet stone. This is a good and protective method for your garden shears.
The most critical indicator of a sharp edge is the "burr." As you file one side, the metal rolls over to the back, creating a tiny, wire-like ridge that you can feel with your fingernail. If you don't feel this burr along the entire length of the blade, you haven't sharpened it enough yet. Once formed, flip the shears over and lightly pass your file or stone flat against the back of the blade just once or twice. This breaks the burr off, leaving you with a razor-sharp cutting edge.
3. How to Sharpen Garden Shears with Power Tools
Power tools are more aggressive and faster; they are best for worn or damaged blades or when you need to sharpen quickly. Their incorrect usage will either strip away excess metal or may overheat the blade, making it weaker. When using any power tool, you must wear safety gloves and goggles, and ensure the blades are securely installed before operating.
How to Sharpen Garden Shears with a Dremel Tool
A Dremel tool is a good option for quick sharpening and touch-ups. Suitable attachments include diamond wheels and small grinding stones. Adjust the tool to a slow speed and work slowly. Do this while keeping the angle of the blade as original.
Work slowly and do not press with a hard hand. Let the Dremel do the work for you, rather than forcing its hand. The biggest risk with a Dremel is actually overheating. This can lead to the thing getting busted or its lifespan being cut short. So make sure to give it a break every now & then and let the blade cool off, especially if you're working with high-end stuff like ONEVAN Pruning Shears.
How to Sharpen Garden Shears with a Bench Grinder
Bench grinders are quite handy when it comes to bringing dull blades back into shape. But you have to be pretty careful when you're using them.
First, clamp or place the blade on a vice and sharpen it. Use a fine-grit grinding wheel and maintain a constant sharpening angle. Use short controlled strokes and allow the blade to cool in between strokes. After grinding, be sure of smooth edges, remove any burr, and wipe the pivot. This makes sure your garden shears cut effectively and have a longer life.
A Dremel or grinder saves time, but precision and care are needed. Hurrying or pressing on your shears too hard may forever ruin them. Always follow the instructions of the manufacturer, particularly when using the cordless pruning shear such as the ONEVAN Pruning Shear. This ensures that the motor and blade mechanism are not damaged.
4. Troubleshooting and Maintenance After Sharpening Garden Shears
You should take care of the shears as it is as important as the sharpening itself. A blade that is sharpened to perfection can still perform poorly if not handled and stored properly.
Don't rush out to the garden to test your work on a living plant. Instead, try the "Paper Test." Hold a standard sheet of printer paper and try to slice it with your shears. Dull blades will fold or tear the paper, while properly sharpened blades will slice through it cleanly and effortlessly. If the paper tears, check your edge for nicks or inconsistencies and give it another pass with your fine stone.
Even the sharpest blades will fail if the pivot nut is too loose, causing the blades to separate and "chew" the branch rather than cutting it. After sharpening, tighten the central nut until the shears snap open on their own but have no side-to-side wiggle. If they are too tight, they will cause hand fatigue; if they are too loose, they will crush stems. Finding this "sweet spot" is just as important as the sharpening itself.
Common Sharpening Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
The following are the mistakes people usually make. Make sure you avoid them!
- When you alter the original cutting angle, you weaken the cutting edge.
- Excessive sharpening or grinding removes months of life out of the blade.
- Action should be unidirectional, not back and forth.
- Excess pressure in the sharpening process will result in lumpy cutting edges.
- An overheating blade during power sharpening is a serious drawback.
- Small chips or nicks on the blade should be ground smooth.
- Not cleaning before sharpening results in dirt remaining on the blade.
- Loose screws at the pivot point should be tightened after sharpening.
- It is advised to check for alignment after reassembling.
- Missing lubrication results in rust and friction
Storing and Caring for Sharpen Garden Shears
Properly storing and maintaining the garden shear is necessary to keep them sharp longer. Wipe your blade clean after every use. This will clean the blade of sap, moisture, and plant material. It will also prevent it from rusting and the formation of sap residue that can damage your blade. You can also apply a thin layer of oil to protect the blade.
Storing your garden shears in a dry and well-ventilated area is also necessary. Don't store them outdoors where the weather can damage them. Also, avoid storing them in damp sheds.
For cordless garden shears like ONEVAN Pruning Shears, remove their battery and then store them in a cool and dry place. For garden shears, check blades periodically for rust or dullness. This will make sure that your both manual and powered garden shears are always in a good working condition.
5. Conclusion
To sum up, the best sharpening method depends on the kind of shear that you have, available time, and your know-how of the tools. If you like the manual sharpening, you can use a file, stone, or sandpaper. These are the most appropriate ones.
Otherwise, when you need fast sharpening and have access to power tools, then sharpening using a power tool is the most appropriate. If you spend only a little time taking care of your tools, it will pay you with an easier cut and improved performance with each season.
Before your next pruning expedition, you have to ask yourself: are your garden shears sharp enough to provide your plants with perfectly healthy and clean cuts?
6. FAQs
Can I sharpen garden shears without removing blades?
Yes, with the help of a hand file or a sharpening stone and the existing bevel, we can sharpen the blades without removing them. This would help you sharpen your pruning shears without the headache of removing them.
How often should garden shears be sharpened?
You can sharpen your garden shears once every few months if you are using them in your home’s garden. However, if you need them for heavy use, then you need to sharpen more frequently. Sharpening entirely depends on the way you use your shears and how you take care of them.
What is the best angle to sharpen garden shears?
Its optimum angle is 20 to 30 degrees, which is highly similar to the factory level of most pruning shears. Sharpening at this angle makes sure you get a sharp edge without weakening the blade.
What is the difference between coarse and fine sharpening grit?
Coarse sharpening grit cuts metal fast and is applied to repair sharpened, nicked, or rusted blades of shears used in the garden. Fine grit smooths and sharpens the edge to provide smooth and accurate cuts and extended sharpness.
