How to sharpen pruning shears?

Scissors are one of the tools that those of us who have plants use the most. Even if we only have one or two, they will be very useful for cutting off withered flowers and dry leaves. But without proper maintenance in the end we will have to dispose of them. How to avoid it?

Very easy: following the step by step that I will tell you below. Find out how to sharpen scissors and make them last much longer.

What are the parts of a pruning shears?

When it comes to maintaining scissors, it is worth knowing each of the parts that make them up. That will help you clean them better:

• Mangos: are where the hand rests. Its design is ergonomic, allowing a good grip. In addition, they may have a safety lock.
• Dock: it is a type of wire that facilitates the opening of the scissors safely.
• Pin: it is a screw that holds both the blade and the counter blade together.
• Hoja: it can be made of steel, a very strong and durable material.
• Counterblade: it is of a smaller size than the one with the blade, and of course it is made of the same material.

How to sharpen pruning shears?

All the pruning shears have to be sharpened from time to time. If it were not done, sooner rather than later they would give us problems, because they would stop making clean and straight cuts. And that is not to mention that it would be very uncomfortable to try to prune the plants, or that they would be more vulnerable to attack by insects that can become pests and microorganisms that cause diseases, since a poorly made cut heals worse and slower way.

Therefore, let's know how to sharpen them:

Materials you will need

First of all, it is important to prepare everything that is going to be used. In this way, we will save time by having everything "close at hand". To sharpen the pruning shears we will need:

• A container with water (it can be a small bucket, a basin, ... anything)
• A small wire brush
• File or whetstone
• Bleach
• Lubricant oil

Once we have it, it will be time to get down to work to »rejuvenate» our tool.

Step by step

The step by step to follow is the following:

1. The first thing we have to do is fill the container with warm water.
2. Then, with the wire brush, we remove the dirt that has remained on the scissors (both on the blades and on the moving parts).
3. Then, with a file, from the outside we are removing the alterations that the cutting blade presents.
4. Next, with a file or sharpening stone, we finish leaving the scissors blade smooth.
5. The next step is to empty the container and refill it with water and bleach, with a ratio of 10: 1 (10 parts water to 1 bleach). We introduce the scissors for a few seconds and take them out.
6. Finally, we apply a tool oil all over the metal surface. Thus, we protect it more, ensuring that it has a longer useful life.

Other maintenance tasks for pruning shears

Apart from sharpening them, it is important that they are cleaned after use with water and a few drops of dishwasher. Then, you have to remove any remaining foam with water, and dry them with a dry cloth. They should NOT be left in the sun, and less if you are not clear about their quality, since they could rust.

Last but not least, they must be stored in a cool, dry place until they are needed again. For example, in a toolbox, or on a shelf.

As we have seen, sharpening pruning shears is very simple. If we take it as a routine and do this after each use, we can be sure that we will have scissors for a while. 😉