How to Sharpen Secateurs for Garden Use

Garden secateurs, essential tools for any garden green thumb, often lose their edge with frequent use, making pruning a more challenging task. A sharp pair of secateurs not only ensures clean cuts, promoting plant health, but also reduces hand fatigue and strain. In this article, you will learn how to sharpen secateurs for garden use, with plenty of guidance to restore their pristine edge, ensuring your garden maintenance jobs remain a joy rather than a chore. By learning how to sharpen secateurs, you will get a longer lasting life out of these tools, which will save you time and money from having to buy a new pair as soon as they become a bit worn or rusty.

What will you need?

In order to clean your secateurs and sharpen them effectively, you will need the following items:

• WD40
• Sand paper.
• Sharpening stone.
• Oil.
• Cloths.
• Replacement blade (if required).

If you do not currently have these tools, then they can be found at your local hardware shops such as B&Q or Screwfix. 

Sharpening Tools Explained

Having the right sharpening tools at your disposal for the task on how to sharpen secateurs will make it an easier experience for you, and each sharpening tool will also provide different benefits to your secateurs for longer lasting use. Here’s a simple guide to sharpening tools:

Whetstones

Whetstones are old-fashioned stones that are commonly used for sharpening. They come in two kinds: oil-based and water-based. If using whetstones, you should ensure that you use the right lubricant or you’ll ruin the stone. Some have two sides: rough and smooth. Place them on a stable surface, like a table, when sharpening.

Diamond Sharpeners

Available in various forms, diamond sharpeners are handy blocks or pocket tools which are great for quick touch-ups on secateurs or knives. Diamond files work well for tools such as garden spades as well as hoes.

Sharpening Rods

Commonly used for kitchen knives, but there are versions for garden tools like loppers.

Files

Using files makes it an easier experience for bigger tools such as garden spares. However, do not underestimate using files, and make sure it’s meant for metal.

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Guide on How to Sharpen Secateurs Using a Whetstone 

Common secateurs, where one blade slides past the other, are more common and versatile than anvil types, which have a blade that presses against a flat surface. Sharpening bypass secateurs can seem challenging due to their bevelled blade, but with the right tools and steps, it is an easy process. Here is what to do to sharpen secateurs using a whetstone.

1. Prep the Whetstone: Before starting, immerse your whetstone or sharpening block in hot water until no more bubbles appear. This lubricates the stone for smoother sharpening.
2. Grip the Secateurs: If you’re right-handed, hold the secateurs with your left hand, and vice versa.
3. Position the Sharpening Block: If your block is concave, its curved side should touch the blade. Otherwise, angle the block 30-45 degrees against the blade. This angle ensures an even sharpening.
4. Sharpen with Consistency: Slide the block from one end of the blade to the other, moving away from the blade. Use the full length of both the stone and blade. Continue this motion for about 2 minutes on the bevelled side for a sharp finish.

How to Sharpen Secateurs That Are Blunt or Damaged

As well as knowing how to sharpen secateurs normally, you always need to know what to do if your secateurs become blunt and damaged, and you wish to sharpen them so that they do not need replacing. Follow these instructions on what to do on how to sharpen secateurs if they have become damaged or blunt. 

1. Cleaning the blade: Spray the blade with WD40. Then, using sandpaper or a scourer, gently scrub away any sap from both blade sides.
2. Sharpening the Blade: For dull blades, grab a sharpening stone. Slide it flatly across the blade’s surface. Flip the secateurs and angle the stone to match the bevelled edge, then glide it along the blade.
3. Dismantling for a Thorough Clean: Many secateurs come with a tool for disassembly. Unscrew and carefully take apart the secateurs, noting the placement of each component. Detach the blade and hone it using an oiled sharpening stone. Once done, reassemble the secateurs.
4. Replacing a Damaged Blade: If the blade is beyond repair, then you can consider buying a replacement. Simply disassemble the secateurs and install the new blade.

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Choosing the Right Sharpening Stone

Traditionally, whetstones are better for sharpening gardening tools, including secateurs. The term “whet” actually means to sharpen, not to wet. While there are various tools and files available, concave stones are the best since they are user-friendly and effective. They offer a superior sharp finish. Plus, using them gives you a clearer sense of the sharpening process, rather than aimlessly grinding the blade.

Understanding Stone Coarseness

The grit level of your sharpening tool determines the blade’s finish. A lower grit means a rougher texture. For damaged tools, start with a coarser grit to fix imperfections, then progress to finer grits for refinement.

• For typical secateurs, a 1000-grit stone is ideal.
• 200-500 grit is coarse, suitable for mending chipped blades.
• 1000 grit is just right for honing secateurs.
• 3000+ grit is reserved for precision tasks, like sharpening grafting knives to a razor edge.

The Importance of Oiling Secateurs 

After honing and sharpening your secateurs, you should treat the equipment with camellia oil. It ensures smooth operation and guards against sap and corrosion. This oil layer simplifies future cleaning and sharpening tasks.

For precise application, try an oil dispenser. If you don’t have one, spray a bit of WD40, clean cooking oil, or another lubricant will all do. Apply lightly with a cloth, ensuring no excess drips.

When to Sharpen Your Secateurs?

When learning how to sharpen secateurs, how often they should be sharpened is something that may play on your mind. For those that do gardening regularly, and therefore will use secateurs consistently, you should therefore sharpen secateurs weekly. After heavy tasks, such as hard pruning, sharpen your secateurs straightaway. If you use your secateurs occasionally, sharpening once a month might suffice. It’s better to sharpen more often than not!

With your sharpened secateurs equipped, you can learn about plants for full shade and know how to cut them accordingly. 

Sharpening Garden Shears

Certain garden shears, like hedging or lawn edging shears, come with brand-specific sharpeners. While some can be honed with general tools, it’s challenging if the blades are fixed or very dull. In such cases, consider professional sharpening.

Understanding Garden Knives

Garden knives vary in design and purpose:

• General Garden Knife: A standard pocket knife.
• Pruning Knife: Features a curved blade.
• Grafting Knife: Has a straight, rectangular blade.
• Grafting is a technique where a plant’s roots are fused with another’s stem, creating a single plant. This method, demanding precision, merges the flowering or fruiting qualities of one plant (the scion) with the resilience of another (the rootstock). It’s common in fruit trees, certain shrubs, and some vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers.

For sharpening, general knives need occasional honing, while grafting knives should be razor-sharp. Like secateurs, garden knives can be honed using a whetstone, diamond tool, or sharpening steel. We’ll focus on the whetstone method here.

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How to Sharpen a Garden Knife

A smaller form of secateurs is a good garden knife. Whilst small and nimble, it can prove just as effective as secateurs. However, they may be more likely to wear out quicker, so it is also important to know how to sharpen a garden knife just as much as knowing how to sharpen secateurs. To know how to sharpen a garden knife, follow the instructions below:

1. Clean the Blade: Start by spraying the blade with WD-40.
2. Prep the Stone: Depending on the stone type, either add a few drops of oil and spread it evenly or soak the stone in water for 5-10 minutes. Ensure a thin film covers the stone.
3. Know Your Blade: Some knives have one sharpened side, like pocket knives, while others, like pruning knives, have two. Check before you begin.
4. Sharpening Motion: With steady pressure, slide the blade up the stone, maintaining the blade’s natural angle.
5. Check Progress: After each pass, inspect for a shiny, smooth, and sharp edge. Dull or damaged blades might need more time.
6. Refining the Edge: Prep the finer side of the stone and give the blade 2-3 passes for a polished finish.
7. Double-Sided Blades: If your knife has two sharpened sides, ensure both are honed equally.
8. Single-Sided Blades: If there’s a burr on the flat side, gently slide it flat on the stone a few times. Avoid sharpening this side.
9. Test the Edge: Hold a paper sheet and lightly press the blade against its top. A sharp knife will slice through easily.
10. Final Touch: Clean the blade and store it in a dry place.

Keep Your Secateurs Sharpened For Every Day Use

In maintaining a thriving garden, sharp secateurs are indispensable. Whether you’re a daily gardener or an occasional pruner, understanding how to sharpen secateurs alongside the right sharpening technique will ensure clean cuts, promoting plant health and ease of use during your gardening activities. Using tools like whetstones and the appropriate sharpening angle can make the process straightforward. Regular maintenance, including cleaning with WD-40 and periodic oiling, not only preserves the blade’s edge but also extends the tool’s lifespan. Equip yourself with this knowledge, keep your garden flourishing, and then sit back and enjoy the results your sharp secateurs have created with our two-seater benches or your personal wooden garden chair.

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FAQs

Sources

B&Q. (n.d.) Home. [online] Available at: https://www.diy.com/ [accessed 29/08/23] 

Screwfix. (n.d.) Secateurs. [online] Available at: https://www.screwfix.com/ [accessed 29/08/23] 

WD-40. (n.d.) Home. [online] Available at: https://www.wd40.com/ [accessed 29/08/23] 

Knivesandtools.co.uk. (n.d.). Sharpening stones and whetstones. [online] Available at: https://www.knivesandtools.co.uk/en/ct/sharpening-stones-and-whetstones.htm [accessed 29/08/23] 

Niwaki. (n.d.). Camellia Oil. [online] Available at: https://www.niwaki.com/camellia-oil/#P00030 [accessed 29/08/23].