Use steel wool or sandpaper to abrade away any of this gummy material from the parts. Make sure your tools are clean of all dirt and plant sap before you move on to sharpening. Some knife sharpeners let you replace the sharpening mechanism when needed, which we highlight in our reviews. Popular knife manufacturer Robert Welch recommends you change the sharpening wheel after months, depending on the frequency of use, to maintain your knife’s cutting edge.

And it wasn’t that long ago that any larger masonry job had a blacksmith on hand heating and re-sharpening chisels. (There were dedicated hand-saw sharpeners too, but that’s another story).

The Right Way to Sharpen a Pruning Saw

If your scissors do the first few cuts fine but then start snagging or tearing, they probably need to be sharpened. Whether you are using your scissors for crafts, hair cuts, or surgery, making sure they are sharp before you use them is an important step. Dull scissors can rip, pull, or tear at the material that you are trying to cut, which can harm your project or client. Fortunately, you can test the sharpness of your scissors in just a few minutes to make sure they are in working order before you start cutting.

Before you sharpen electric garden shears, the most crucial step is to make sure they’re not plugged in. Remove the battery if you have battery-powered garden shears. Never start sharpening or cleaning the blades until you’re sure there is no chance of activating the shears accidentally. After sharpening, apply a spot of lubricating oil on your hand garden shears’ pivot point, spring and blades. Hang the tool up on a rack in your garden shed or place it in a sealed container to protect it from moisture. Hand pruners often get caked with plant sap and other gummy residues over time.

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Read more about Jaw contour here.

Cuticle trimming is a key part of a salon mani-pedi, but experts advise against this practice during a pandemic. “The cuticle is there as a barrier to protect from debris,” Edwards says.

How to Keep Your Pruning Saw from Going Blunt Frequently

If you have to use the blade immediately, you can skip the lubrication process until after you are done with your gardening. Put the blade (or the entire saw if you can’t pull out the blade), into a table vise with the serrated side of the saw pointing upwards. If you don’t have a table vise, you should add one to your toolkit.

Aluminum oxide will dull carbide tools, but probably more slowly than HS. On reamers, the flutes sometimes are NOT evenly spaced. Opt for a lightweight and small-sized cuticle nipper.

Use caution when working on your scissors, as the blades could be sharp enough to cut your fingers. Pull the blade back toward you after you make the cut. Without opening your scissors, gently move your hand back toward yourself away from the latex to make sure your scissors have sliced in a clean line. Your scissors shouldn’t snag or tear at the latex as you move them backwards. Hold your scissors with your thumb and middle finger.