Buying and possessing good quality tools is pointless unless you look after them properly. A well maintained tool with a smooth surface and a sharp edge is a pleasure to work but let it become dull and rusty and using it can become a real chore and in some cases even dangerous.
Always make a point of cleaning your tools after use and put them away, one of the worst things you can do to a tool is to leave it out overnight, you can almost guarantee that it will have a layer of rust on it in the morning.
By reading the following tips and putting them to use, you will ensure that your tools are always in tiptop condition and ready for use.
Storage
Find or make a permanent dry place for storing your tools. Not only will this make them more secure, it will help you to find them easier when needed.
Try and store them
away from ground level by hanging them up, it is surprising how much
moisture can come through a shed or garage floor and metal will rust
in a damp place. If you are storing your tools in a shed, reserve
an area solely for tool storage, and give each tool its own place.
Hang long-handled tools upright, off the floor, on nails, pegs, or
a tool rack. You can also hang small tools, such as trowels and pruners,
or store them in a cabinet. If storing in a storeroom with solid walls
erect a simple timber beam and knock the nails into that, alternatively
make a storage rack for your tools. (Click
here to find out how.)
Cleaning
When you have finished
using a tool, give it clean before putting it away. This will only
take a minute or so and will ensure that your tool last a lifetime.
For tools like spades, forks and hoes, remove any soil that is stuck
to it while in the garden. This is easily done using a piece of wood
or plastic and is a lot easier to do wile the soil is still wet than
when it has had a change to dry and set like concrete (if your soil
is like mine). Why not make a tool cleaner to make this job easier?
(Click
here to find out how.) If kept on you when you are digging, it
can also be used for removing a build up of soil on the tools while
you are using them. Thoroughly clean any tools which have been used
for chemical applications by washing them thoroughly and then drying
them off. Fertiliser and other chemicals will rapidly corrode any
metal parts.
When you get back to the shed or storage place, wipe all the metal parts your tools over with an oily cloth. This will remove any particles of soil and will also put a fine film of oil on them and prevent them from rusting. A spray type oil such as WD40 (sold in most hardware shops) can be used if preferred.
One good tip that
I heard about for the more lazy gardener was to fill a 5 gallon bucket
or wooden box with builders sand and pour into a gallon of cheap motor
oil. Leave this in your storage area so that it doesn't get wet and
then each time you store your tools just push them into the sand a
few times. The sand will remove the dirt, keep your tools tidy and
oil them at the same time. It is ideal for spades, forks, hoes etc.
If any of your tools have wooden handles, give them a wipe over with some Linseed oil every so often. This will prevent the wood from drying out or rotting if it gets wet, and keep your handles smooth and in good condition.
Sharpening
Tools with cutting edges including digging tools such as spades, hoes, shovels, knives, secateurs, etc. are far easier to use when kept sharp and are worse than useless if not kept sharp, in fact they can be dangerous. A knife that has no sharp edge to it has to have more force applied to it to try and cut through something. By applying more force you actually have less control and the tool is more likely to slip and possibly cause injury. Remember, just because a knife will not cut wood cleanly does not mean it will not cut you. Flesh is a lot softer than most things and even a blunt tool can cause a nasty injury.
Buy a small
sharpening stone
and learn how to use it and sharpen your tools regularly. A smooth
file is also useful for putting the edge back on spades and hoes.
Here are some basic tool-sharpening principles.
-
Use a flat file for flat-bladed tools and a half-round file for shovels and other tools with curved surfaces.
-
Sharpen single-beveled
tools such as hoes, spades, and pruning shears on the bevelled
(angled) side only. Sharpening the flat side can destroy the tool’s
effectiveness.
-
File each tool at an angle that matches the blade’s original bevel. Cutting and slicing tools generally have a shallow-angled bevel and a keen edge. Digging tools have a steeper bevel and a keen edge.
-
Digging tools have a steeper bevel to produce a thicker, longer-lasting edge.
-
Look closely
to find the bevel on well-worn tools. Most garden spades are bevelled
along the back edge.
-
When sharpening, press the file down hard and push it forward and across the tool’s edge at an angle, rather than straight into the blade. Use the full length of the file on each forward stroke, then lift the file up off the blade on the back stroke.
- Stop filing when
you can feel a burr, or slight ridge of metal, along the full width
of the blade’s underside. Finish the edge by drawing the file lightly
over the burr, flush with the unbevelled surface, to remove it.
Winter Maintenance
Very few of us
do very much work in the garden over the winter period. With this
in mind, towards the end of the season, any tools that you will not
be using for any length of time should be thoroughly cleaned and greased,
ready for putting away over the winter.
This should be
an easy task if you have kept you tools clean and oiled during the
rest of the year. Check that spades and hoes do not have any nicks
in their blades. If they do, use a small smooth file to remove any
burrs and, if needed put a cutting edge back on them. Remove all traces
of soil, using a stiff brush or, if needed a wire brush, and using
a cloth, apply a thin layer of grease to all the metal parts.
If any of your
tools have wooden handles, give them a good application of Linseed
Oil.
Apply oil to any
tools that have moving parts such as secateurs, ensuring that the
oil is worked into the moving bit by operating them several times.
This will ensure that they do not seize whilst in storage.
