Sharpening Tool
I am really excited about a new tool that I just discovered. I was sharpening tools for the volunteers pruning the roses at the Sacramento Historical Cemetery, and one of the workers showed me a sharpening tool that I had never used. I had avoided it because it seemed like just a gadget too simple to be effective. But I tried it out on the spot, and it really works! This tool consists of a handle with a slim rectangle of carbide at the end. Even though the carbide has 90 degree edges, those edges are so sharp that they are able to shave off metal from the cutting edge of a pruner or lopper. Using this tool takes just a little practice, and I could show you the technique in few seconds if you end up buying one. So why would you use this tool instead of the metal file that I’ve touted before? Using a file is tricky because you have to stabilize the garden tool and then establish the proper angle with the file. Then too, sometimes there is very little space to fit a file near the hinge point of the blades. This new tool avoids these complications. It is such a small tool that it can easily be carried in your pocket if you want to sharpen your pruner on the job. So I think this tool should be on your must buy list if you like to keep your pruners and lopper sharp.
The Corona AC 8300 Sharpening Tool can be purchased on Amazon for $10.
Stan, still The Tool Man