Sharpening tools

[4390evans]

how would I go about sharpening the blades on a lawn mower, secateurs, machete on a sharpening stone?

Bit of an idiots question I know but I was given the stone just a bit stuck on techniques.

Thanks guys
Jen x

[roitelet]

Mowers are best left to the professionals but other tools can be sharpened with a stone. Try Googling 'Sharpening garden tools with a stone' there's lots of advice and techniques there with pictures!

[cptncrackoff]

if you have a scythe stone..or an angle grinder, and a nail banged in a wall, you can sharpen your own mower blade... but it needs to be balanced or you'll get vibration when using it, hence hanging on a nail to ensure its balanced.

In all honesty though I would take it somewhere.. typically £10 - £20 to sharpen a push mower blade.

quick edit - most mower blades arnt 'razor sharp' when new - you would struggle to cut yourself on a new hayter/honda/mountfield blade! its the speed that cuts the grass coupled with an edge on the blade.

[RaptorUK]

quick edit - most mower blades arnt 'razor sharp' when new - you would struggle to cut yourself on a new hayter/honda/mountfield blade! its the speed that cuts the grass coupled with an edge on the blade.

You need to distinguish between a rotary and cylinder mowers. Cylinder mowers work like a pair of scissors, cutting the grass between the blade and the cutting bar, a rotary blade cuts by being sharp-ish and rotary speed.

When sharpening it's important not to try to "sharpen" the flat side of the blade, always the cutting angle.

[cptncrackoff]

sorry yes I assumed its a rotary, if its a cylinder i would definitely take it to a pro, they can sharpen the cylinder, bottom blade and adjust everything to give the perfect cut.

[Bill HH]

yes i was going to say a rotary blade is easily sharpened but dont over sharpen if it becomes thin and soon blunts, just get out all the notches ets. A cylinder blade on the other hand is probably best left to someone with proper equipment as the tolerances are into a thousandth of an inch.

[johnjohn]

how would I go about sharpening the blades on a lawn mower, secateurs, machete on a sharpening stone?

For my hand tools that don't need a fine edge I use a cigar stone like this
It's quick and very easy to use and they are really cheap to buy.

[Bill HH]

I have never actualy found the need to sharpen trowels. hoes and spades etc. The abrasive action of the soil seems to do it.

Secateurs on the other hand need to be taken apart and rubbed on an oil stone, plenty of u tube vids on using oil stones.

[johnjohn]

Your right Bill, I must admit I have never sharpened my trowel but I do sharpen my hoe, spade and sickle and a flat oil stone would be better for the secateurs as you suggest.

[Compo72]

my advice go to a cheap bargain store and buy a sharpening stone and steel
Not a wet stone you use for knives but a stone you would use on shears

Follow the angle of where it should be sharpened , start in the middle then the back of the tool been sharpened

I have sharpened hoes , spades scissors etc
Finally finish off with a chefs steel over the cutting edge

I work in the meat trade , we use a steel over awkward edges that need sharpening .

horses for courses what works for some doesn't for others

I had a go at a hoe last year , got it that sharp nicked myself with it testing it
Should have known better


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