sharpening devices

[Joe]

Hi, guys;

I would like to find out what types of devices people use to sharpen tools such as pole pruners. I looked at a sharpening device designed to sharpen kitchen knives that can be described as an oversized chainsaw file with lines running vertically from 1 end of it to the other. It looked too big to use to sharpen pole pruners.

Thanks in advance.

Joe

 

[Stumper]

Amen Brian!

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

For the blade of a lopper I like a narrow, flat mill file. For the bypass hook I like a halfround to take off burs and square it off if wearing. Same thing for touching up the Felco's. I used to keep a stone handy for touchups when I ran a crew.

When I sharpened hand/pole saw blades I liked the same mill file for that.

I've never liked power tools for sharpening.

Those ceramic sticks work nice for honing.

 

[M.D. Vaden]

Small flat file.

Yearly, I dismantle various tools and use the finer wheel on the grinder for an edge to start with.

On hedge shears (gas) I use a cone shaped mini grind wheel on my drill - I start and stop the shears to reposition the blades (don't really like dismantling that one once the threads are seated)

 

[Matt Follett]

I carry a small file, plus one of those diamond stones, the plastic backed ones, they're excellent for touch-ups

JP's comment about the bypass hook is right on too, a file touch up there is important to keeping the blade from getting dinged by burs, but you have to be careful not to be too aggressive or you can throw the tolerances out of wack and then they won't work worth a hoot, taking the whole assembly apart and flat filing the whole suface works to put things back in line.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

When i ran a crew we did a lot of hedge and shrub work, (one of many reasons I left. They saw it as more proffitable then big tree work). I wanted the shears as sharp as possibel so would hone them regularly and any burs I would take them apart and use a mill file on them.

IMO the power tools always take off too much and too easilly do it uneaven.

set it in a vise, a few strokes per cutting surface with a good flat file then hone and you have a very sharp tool.