How To Sharpen Your Garden And Workshop Tools

How To Sharpen Your Garden And Workshop Tools

Sharpening tools like shovels, hoes, pruning shears, knives and chisels can make a world of a difference in how they work. Here are some tips for sharpening the most common tools.

Title photo by Christopher Sessums

Sharpening Gardening Tools

This video covers sharpening shovels with a file, and using a blade sharpener on tools like pruning shears. While they use vegetable spray to protect the metal and wood handles, boiled linseed oil is another option (or, as I once saw an old farmer use, spent motor oil).

Sharpening Chisels

Both new and used chisels need to be sharpened in order for them to work properly. This primer provides a thorough run-through of one way to sharpen chisels using a grinder, a set of Norton waterstones, and a DMT Dia-Flat lapping plate.

Sharpening A Chainsaw Using A Dremel

A chainsaw sharpening attachment is one of the handiest reasons to keep a Dremel around. This video provides a quick tutorial on how that attachment works.

There are many different methods for achieving a sharp edge on your cutting tools, and these are just a few. If you have any other can’t-live-without sharpening tips or tools, let us know.

Lifehacker’s Workshop column covers DIY tips, techniques and projects.


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