The spring growing season is fast approaching. In your garage or utility sheds, your pruning and digging tools have been hibernating for the winter. Now is the time to begin preparations by cleaning them up and sharpening them so that when they are needed, you can hit the ground running with pruning and other cutting and digging tasks. Sharp tools result in cleaner cuts and easier yard maintenance. As you head out into the yard, sharp matters.
Pruners
Bypass and anvil pruners and loppers are the mainstays of maintaining flowers, trees, and shrubs. Many don’t realize that regular sharpening of these tools not only make pruning tasks easier on you, but also allow for clean cuts which mean healthier plants and foliage. The Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener works well for sharpening such. The sharpening pad of the Work Sharp Guided Sharpening System also works well. Use light to moderate pressure, carefully following the curvature of the blade.
Shovels & Hoes
Shovels and hoes are two garden tools that most people do not consider to benefit from sharpening, but yes indeed, a properly sharpened shovel or hoe makes gardening work easier. For hoes, you want to file a cutting edge on the backside (side facing away from you as you hold the hoe) to promote easier digging. For shovels, the edge facing you (as you hold the shovel) can be filed, again to promote easier entry into the ground. Using the Work Sharp Knife & Tool Sharpener with the cassette turned to the tool grinding position, this is a fast and easy task.
Axes & Hatchets
Axes and hatchets can be hand filed too, but any major sharpening work may have to be done using a powered method, then hand filing can be used to dial in the desired sharpness. For power, the Work Sharp Knife & Tool Sharpener works great, followed with the The Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener for any manual sharpening.
Lawnmower
Lawnmower blades also benefit from regular sharpening as they will cut the blades of grass as opposed to tearing them like dull blades can do. A cleaner cut promotes healthier turf and reduces browning of the tips – a visible sign that your mower blades are dull. The major portion of the sharpening must be done using a powered method, then you can fine tune it with the pad of the Work Sharp Guided Sharpening System. A great method for lawnmower blades is the Ken Onion Edition Knife & Tool Sharpener because the larger, high quality belts uphold to the task and create razor sharp edges.
Sharp Matters
When you look around your garden tool collection you probably will find other tools that benefit from sharpening. Do those as well! Having sharp tools makes your work easier and that adds to the overall pleasure of the tasks at hand. Sharp does matter with lawn and garden. Depending on the frequency of use, you may have to resharpen your tools and blades midway through the growing season (or more) to maintain peak performance. A minor investment of time and effort is all it takes.
This article was written by Work Sharp Pro Staffer, Dexter Ewing. Dexter is a contributing Editor for BLADE Magazine, runs a professional knife sharpening service, along with years of experience in the lawn and garden industry.
