Sharpening Secateurs

Sorry to disappoint, but I've never yet found a method of sharpening secateurs properly. Unless they're Felcos, recommend you buy another pair.

I'll add this question to GoYpedia hand tools....
Not sure if there's any information there ...

Most, if not all, secateurs can be taken appart by removing the central nut and bolt.{ Do this carefully and remember how you did this as it is always useful to be able to put them back together again!!!} You then have easy access to the flat blade and I find an oil stone best for sharpening it.

I gave up on trying to sharpen secateurs some time ago and now buy inexpensive ones for £2.29 from Wilkinson's.

I'm a professional gardener but they last me at least a month,often more. I guess they'd last the average gardener at least a year.

Buying secateurs from pound shops is a waste of time. They are absolute rubbish and often break within a few minutes.

The £2.29 ones from Wilkinsons are tough and although I have big hands and use them on stems bigger than I should I've yet to break a pair.

I'd also recommend Wilkinson's extendable loppers for £13.99 . They're tough,very light weight, have a locking mechanism to fix the extension of the handles at whatever length you like ( many others use a twist mechanism which comes undo all the time)

A cigar sharped sharpening stone will work to sharpen your flat bladed kitchen knives, it is what I use rather than a butchers steel. For any secateurs the oil stone works best. We bought extendable long handled loppers from Lidl which are far better than the ones we bought from the GC and probably half the price!

Burgon & Ball make a 'Pocket Sharpening Steel' which is a small magnetic file, half round and half flat which is retractable and really does the job. They are £13.95 but there are cheaper versions available on Ebay. (So sharp that I managed to cut my finger yesterday after sharpening, silly fool!).

Many thanks for all the useful comments.

I've just bought a Burgon and Ball Pocket sharpening steel from ebay. That should do the trick, and it will also sharpen the shears.

Great, now watch ut for your fingers :-)

I'd echo that caution - I managed to cut a large lump out of my right index finger last year with mine, and the secateurs concerned were a year old, so not even that sharp... It's been six months and that area is still a bit tender and flattened.

Very easy answer to this ... use a diamond stone sharpening file set. They are very cheap from local hardware shops - even lidl has sold them! Place it flat along secateur edge and push forwards in long strokes - similar to sharpening a knife edge. A few minutes of time and your secateurs are as good as new. However, I do use carbon steel secateurs (niwaki) which are worth the occasional sharpening - 5 years so far!! If you buy cheap, expect cheap results.