Winter months before spring chores resume is the perfect time to clean up and sharpen tools that are regularly used in the garden.
Clean. Start preventative care of tools by removing residual dirt from wide-bladed implements like trowels, shovels, spades, digging forks, and hoes to prevent the onset of rust. Wash dirt off with water, using wire brushes or steel wool to clean off stubborn dirt. Dry thoroughly. Remains of plant resins and sap left over on pruners, saws, and loppers can be cleaned off first with a fine brush then swabbed with turpentine to take off stubborn spots.
Sharpen. Usefulness of the trowels, shovels, spades, and especially hoes is improved with sharper tools. Blade surfaces are ready for sharpening after they have been cleaned. The objective in sharpening is to give blades a sharp edge while keeping the original angle.
For trowels, shovels, spades, and hoes use files made for metal. Coarse files are used for rapid removal of surfaces, while finer files produce smooth surfaces and thin edges on blades. The most commonly used are flat files that usually have coarser teeth and files that have smaller teeth for finer finish. Stabilize the tool blade with the rounded, concave side up. Find the sharp side or leading edge. Sharpen the leading edge by pushing the file diagonally away from your body across the blade at a 70-degree angle. Always forward, not backward. Sharpen fork tines using same downward movements.
For pruners, use a whetstone to give a sharp cutting edge. Most whetstones are two-sided, one coarse grit side and one fine grit. As above, keep the original angle of the metal. Single-beveled bypass pruners are sharpened on only one side. File the flat side of the blade. Place a few drops of water or oil on the whetstone before beginning. Place the metal against the stone and run the sharp edge of the blade toward the stone. The movement is as if shaving a slice of cheese from a large block of cheese. Anvil pruners are beveled on both sides. Sharpen both from the base of the blade to the tip.
Oil. After sharpening protect blade surfaces with a thin application of sewing machine oil.
Preserve wooden handles. Clean residual dirt. Swab with protective like Penofin penetrating oil finish then apply a coat of varnish or lacquer.
Ellen Peffley Harp, a retired professor of horticulture at Texas Tech University, writes about gardening for several Texas newspapers.
