Snow , shabu and freezing rain make it pretty unpleasant to be out in your garden this time of yr . While the conditions may be unpleasant , the winter calendar month can be a great time to work on maintain your digging shaft before the leaping planting season kicks off .
Why should you bother with this often thankless task ? keen garden creature are safer and more efficient than their dull counterparts . Regular usage dulls tools over time , and dig implements , like spades , shovels and hoe , need to be honed at least once or twice a time of year . luckily , most digging cock can be easily and safely sharpen at domicile . Be certain to wear gloves and safety goggles to protect your hands and eyes during the entire unconscious process .
Gather Sharpening Supplies
by from your work baseball glove and eye protection , the only instrument you will need for sharpening is an 8- or 10 - column inch whoreson cut grinder file , which can be found at most reputable computer hardware stores . I commend find a handle affixation for the file , as this will make the sharpen process well-fixed and much safer . A mitt - hold grinder putz will also bring , but a bastard Indian file is for certain the cheapest option .
The Tool-Sharpening Process
Before sharpen your tool , remove any cake - on malicious gossip , so so you do n’t clog the file . To start up sharpening , tailor the front of the shovelful or spade toward you , and assure the tool in your hand . Firmly push your file across the inner edge of the tool , seek to keep the original angle ( usually 30 or 45 degrees ) and bit by bit work your way of life across the entire brand until major snick have been removed and the edge is shiny .
Mill files only go in the forward direct , so do not pull the file across the edge on your backstroke . Take care not to over - sharpen the blade , as these edges will dull speedily and your initial drive will be wasted . The taper process may create a slight burr on the back side of the blade . Lightly file off any bur , but do not set about to sharpen this side of the steel .
Proper Storage For Digging Tools
To keep the edge on your tools , it ’s a skillful musical theme to properly store your tool off the flooring . Moist conditions can advance rust geological formation , which both dulls and deteriorates your equipment and eventually demolish your investment in quality dick .
Kevin Fogle
