I'm Bill Elzey, with Showplace Lawns. Let's talk about how to sharpen hand shears. Hand
shears, clippers, pruners, they're all basically the same, and you will notice that we have
three different sizes. They all have common parts. As we open it up, we see this part
on the bottom, called the anvil. Each one has an anvil. It doesn't look like much of
one, but it is still the anvil, even on this small piece. Where you sharpen it, is going
to be on the other piece, where the sharp edge is, and you will notice again, in both
cases, that you have a beveled side, and a flat side. All of them are the same in that
respect, too. You want to sharpen the flat side. As you do that, you've got the edge
here, with your bevel. It is that point then, that is created as it goes against that anvil,
that does your cutting. First, what you would like to do, get you a good wire brush, and
clean the blade area.You might also run the wire brush over the anvil, to get it clean.
Having done that, take you a rag, wipe the surfaces.
Now, you're ready to do the sharpening. A nice file, or one made like this, with an
area on it, that's for sharpening, just take and sharpen. You might want to put a little
bit of oil, a cutting oil, a 3-in-1 type of oil.
Rub it over your area. Do that first, then come back with your blade, on the flat side,
and I always just go to follow the contour. If you start doing this, you're going to start
putting a rough edge on it, so you just want to follow that contour.
Careful when you check it, but I find the thumb is the best thing to do. Just lightly
touch it, and you will tell if it is sharp. Then, to preserve it, put a little more oil
back on it. You're ready to work. The oil is going to help prevent rust and keep the
area clean for you.