How to Clean & Sharpen Your Pruners! ✂️🧼🌿// Garden Answer, by Garden Answer on YouTube. 19 min 7 s.
- Video length
- 19 min 7 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Open the pruners and brush loose dirt, dried sap and plant bits out of the hinge and the groove of the cutting blade.
Wipe the blades and handles with a cloth dipped in soapy water, then dry every part fully with a clean rag.
Spray lubricant on the pivot and spring, and work the handles open and shut a few times so it spreads.
Hold the pruners so the cutting blade faces you. Lay a diamond sharpening tool flat against the bevel of the blade.
Stroke the file along the bevel from the base to the tip, following the existing angle. Use light, even pressure.
Repeat about five to ten strokes on the bevel only. Do not file the flat back of the blade, which keeps the two blades meeting cleanly.
Wipe off the metal dust, then test the edge on a thin twig. It should slice cleanly without crushing the stem.
Add a little grease to the pivot, close the pruners and store them dry with the lock on.
Tips and common mistakes
File only the angled bevel, not the flat side, or the blades will stop meeting properly.
Skip the water wash if rust is a worry and clean with a dry brush and oil instead.
Dry the pruners completely before storing them, and spray oil again after any washing.
Sharpen little and often through the season rather than waiting for a blunt blade.
Questions
How often should I sharpen my pruners?
A quick touch-up every few weeks of regular use keeps the edge sharp. Sharpen more often if cuts start crushing stems instead of slicing them.
Can I use a normal metal file?
Yes, a fine file works, but a diamond sharpening tool gives more control on the small bevel. Keep the strokes light either way.
Do I need to take the pruners apart?
No. You can clean and sharpen them while assembled. Only undo the pivot if grit is stuck deep in the hinge.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
