SHARPENING THE BLADE

Secateurs with sharp edges will cut more cleanly and with much less effort. The blades can be sharpened easily using a diamond tool, which is a hand-held sharpener that usually has a coarse and a fine side. Holding the blade steady, the coarse side of the diamond tool is swept across it in one direction, away from the body, using even, gentle pressure. Shiny metal will be exposed as the blade sharpens. Only the angled side of the blade is sharpened. The tip of the blades should not be forgotten. The blade is checked following each sweep, and once it is sufficiently sharp, a smooth finish is obtained by running the fine side of the diamond tool across the blade two or three times. After sharpening, the edges of the blade should be sealed with oil.