HOW TO SHARPEN PRUNERS | The Impatient Gardener

Here’s how to do routine maintenance on hand pruners and a basic gardening knife. Pruners in really bad shape may need additional work including starting with a diamond file to work out nicks.
#GardenTools #PrunerSharpening #TheImpatientGardener
My favorite garden tools: • My favorite garden too...
Here are links to all the tools I mention.
Some affiliate links may appear below. I may make a small commission if you purchase through these links. Thanks for your support. You can see all my favorite products on my Amazon storefront: www.amazon.com/shop/impatient...
- RECOMMENDED BY COMMENTERS: Sandflex: amzn.to/2xtaLW7
- Speedy Sharp sharpener: amzn.to/2W3sqO7
- ARS VS-8XZ Pruner: amzn.to/2O0EFam
- Niwaki GR Pro Secateurs: www.niwaki.com/store/gr-pro-s...
- Niwaki Garden Snips: www.niwaki.com/store/niwaki-g...
- Niwaki Sharpening stones: www.niwaki.com/store/sharpeni...
- Niwaki Crean Mate: www.niwaki.com/store/crean-mate/
- Camelia oil: www.niwaki.com/store/camellia...
- Garden knife (similar): amzn.to/3aEYMmy
My name is Erin and I love sharing inspiration and information with real-life gardeners. I live and garden in southeastern Wisconsin, zone 5.
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🌿Blog: www.theimpatientgardener.com
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[@hollyssimplelife1634]

The impatient gardener showed great patients in cleaning her tools. Thank you those look like quality tools.

[@littlewagonfarmstead]

Thank you for this video, it was super helpful! I got the cleaning kit for my birthday but had no idea where to begin. This was exactly what I needed and now all my tools look and sound brand new!

[@mycelticstardust]

I've been sharpening the other side too, didn't know what I was doing, thanks for sharing!

[@Taylors_ridge_glamping_NC]

I sooooo need to do this. Didnt know what I needed, Thanks Erin

[@suzanneb5229]

Great tips, my pruners are overdue! I'm in Northern IL so my weather is close to yours. It's a good day to get all of our tools ready.

[@zeppypaige]

Heyyy, nice to see ya Erin! Great video and perfect timing. Happy growing!

[@j.m.7056]

The marker tip is wonderful. I will use this on my kitchen knives too!

[@daiseegray9110]

Perfect timing. Used my pruners Sunday and they were dull. Thanks for sharing!

[@sherrywalker4619]

Thank you so much! I have been needing to sharpen my pruners for months!

[@juliejay5436]

Absolutely excellent video! Thanks.

[@TheEnduringGardener]

All prepped ready for Spring . Good tip with the marker 😊

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Such a good video - you would be shocked if you saw my hand pruners but I am now inspired to re-watch and sort out my collection of long-suffering and slightly grubby looking tools.

[@unitytira4954]

Thank you so much for sharing this video. It is an encouragement.

[@guypaul]

Great video angles, important details, and such a pleasant speaking voice and personality. You are REALLY good at this. Thank you!

[@deananderson2143]

I used to work at Iowa beef so I know about edges you're doing a good job

[@carmenbailey8209]

I know my tools are definitely long over due for sharpening, thanks for the heads up. 👍❤️😊

[@deananderson2143]

You're just adorable I could listen to you all day great job

[@sueharki8280]

Thank You thank you thank you! Just what I needed to see today!

[@LisaDefazio]

This is therapy during my Melbourne lockdown in Oz.

[@lauramarti7548]

Thank you Erin! I have been wondering how to sharpen my pruners.

[@starlakelsey2782]

Very helpful video. Funny I just purchased a few things to do this and didn't know how to use them. Very timely for me.

[@lyla.aisle.of.blooms]

Ahhh thank you so much for this!!!

[@peggyjk]

Thank for the reminder! 😌

[@user-xl5vs8nj2n]

Thank you. Very helpful.

[@louisetetreault6119]

Thank you! Very helpful

[@barbll000]

Very helpful thanks

[@GardenDoodles]

This was useful. Thank you!

[@mck1070]

A Woman who love tools, I just fell in love🤩

[@8cupsCoffee]

Really like you and your videos. Very clear and helpful, with just enough humor, and everything you say is relevant. A lot of channels aren’t as organized and there’s a lot of filler chatter. Great job looking forward to more this spring

[@kimeeegngarden4887]

LOL - when you said, "I love that sound" as you were opening and closing the newly oiled pruners...I thought to myself ERIN SCISSORHANDS ;o)

[@deezahm9143]

🌸Thank you for this demonstration! I, too, have a love affair with my tools and taking good care of them saved me much time and money in the long run 🐯👋

[@lisawalters5482]

Dang I need to do this so bad. I tried to prune the other day and had a hard time. Ok. I’m on a mission. Thanks so much! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@adkmtns5726]

Crean mate is great! It is rubber impregnated with sandstone I believe. Niwaki pruners and loppers rock! Nice video!!!

[@greenthumbelina7331]

I'm guilty of not sharpening my garden pruning tools as regularly as I should. Erin, this is a very timely video, thank you for the reminder! It's a pleasure to use tools that are well maintained. I love watching your videos, and I can't wait until spring finally arrives!

[@terrijohnson2191]

Thanks Erin, I have the small sharpener you showed. I have not used it yet - the concept of how to hold the sharpener always seems to be a bit of a mystery to me. I like the tip you shared with the marker - I will try that.

[@TheImpatientGardener]

Terri Johnson Yes, that works with any blade. It’s a good way to just keep track of what you’ve hit.

[@leonasilka7349]

Always learning something from your awesome tutorials and I thankyou so much! Happy gardening.

[@lcostantino7931]

Nice job thanks

[@leslienichols5268]

Watching this again in spring 2022!

[@1970Mrscott]

Great info

[@Msbananaprice]

Thank you!!

[@paulinee7636]

Only yesterday I was just wondering how to sharpen my pruners, Now I know. Thank you so much. I will do that tomorrow

[@paulsmith8289]

I hadn't heard of Niwaki... I thought you were saying Milwaukee! Great video. I'm going to buy the three-set now.

[@alexgunner1882]

LOL me too. Thanks for clearing it up

[@j.esgardens5405]

I would use water with the green mate instead of oil it works better, oils only applied after sharpening. Also when sharpening curved tool with those stone use the rounded part of the stone its for curved blades, using the concave side on flat blades destroys the concave after a while making less efficient on convexed edges like pruners.

[@_wormlet]

On the packet it says "Concave edge is for secateurs and curved blades. Flat side for shears and other straight blades." Is that what you are saying?

[@cjafg5881]

You're spot on. This is the second video I've seen with incorrect 'advice'.

[@MrPeanutUK]

It’s interesting you say this as the video on niwaki’s website (product page for the stones) shows him using the flat side on secateurs like the video above shows. So I’m confused.

[@dc0145a]

Thank you so much for this vid. My tools are in desperate need of sharpening. Of topic, what video camera do you use for vlogging? edit software?

[@Snipnhair]

I got one of those from the The Lodge cast iron store. It take the rust out of the pans.

[@TheImpatientGardener]

Ooh, I will try that!

[@anneperlmutter3775]

Anne Perlmutter - thanks for the great how-to info, my pruners need an overhaul! btw, admiring your watch, could you say what it is?

[@MamtaSharma-ly1nh]

nice

[@navneetvishvakarma869]

Good

[@dipalisarkar6652]

Like this video

[@gaillam9574]

SandFlex available on Amazon. I like the medium

[@TheImpatientGardener]

Thanks for this suggestion ... I'm going to add that to the description so other people can look for it.

[@HowsItGrowing]

Super helpful! I just pulled over in a parking lot just to watch this. 😂

[@LetsDoNature6263]

👍👍👍

[@barbarawalker9403]

I’m trying to locate these sharpening tools you used. Can you add the link for the Green Mate (I think that’s what you called it) and the wet stones, please? Enjoy your videos. Love your name for your husband. Ha. Keep up the good work. Thank you from Texas.

[@TheImpatientGardener]

Links to all of it in the description (hit "show more" if you're on a desktop/laptop or the little arrow if you're on a phone or tablet).

[@jisa39]

What do you think of using WD-40 to lubricate the pruners?

[@gaillam9574]

SandFlex makes a good eraser for sticky rose blades

[@TheImpatientGardener]

Great to know. Thank you!

[@turtlelilysgarden5258]

Helpful. I hear your dog drinking in the background😊

[@TheImpatientGardener]

T CB Ack, I missed that. They are short on manners! 😀

[@turtlelilysgarden5258]

@@TheImpatientGardener I love it. Music to my ears. I have a big black Goldendoodle puppy. Just turned one. Talk about no manners!!

[@f9qo]

There is no need to use the coarse stone to remove the burr that gets raised up, a fine grit stone easily does that and doesn't impart coarse scratches on the flat side.

[@karinhuber-levy5425]

What is the little square cleaner thing called? Green Mate? I can't find it anywhere... Could you post a link please? Many thanks - your video is so useful!

[@TheImpatientGardener]

Niwaki Crean mate. Link in the description.

[@sallieluna]

Sand flex ! I don’t use oil.

[@babochon]

This is great info. Could you also share how to sterilize pruners? Milk actually works?

[@TheImpatientGardener]

This is a GREAT question! I can’t say I’ve ever heard of milk and I’m not sure how that would work, but maybe someone will chime in on that. I use Lysol. I think dipping in a bucket with the recommended dilution is the typical recommendation but I often use the spray bottle and just carry it around with me. You are also supposed to let them air dry and not wipe it off. I am not great about doing this, but I am vigilant when dealing with a clearly diseased plant or something like boxwood that is highly susceptible to something like boxwood blight.

[@babochon]

@@TheImpatientGardener Thank you so much!! This is great. I think that is a prevalent problem online. Somebody claims it is true and "some" people follows without knowing whether it is true or not. :(

[@KZizFISHIN]

That eraser is a lansky rust eraser

[@lorid.8145]

The ARS are no longer available.. do you have a different link or source?

[@TheImpatientGardener]

Oh shoot! AM Leonard usually has them as well. I see that they are out of the 8-inch (that’s the length I have) right now, but they do have the 7-inch. Maybe they’d be able to tell you when they’ll get more in. Here’s a link: www.amleo.com/new-ars-v-series-heavy-duty-pruners/p/VP-VSXXZ/

[@SGspecial84]

Hi, you're not using those sharpening stones properly. You go back and fourth along the edge like you would with a pruning saw. Very lightly back and fourth, its a wet sanding process. Jake actually demonstrates in a video on the Niwaki site. When sharpening the bypass side, you can use the top curve of the sharpening stone to go along the bevel. Hope this helps.

[@candiwallace6605]

Heyyyyyy beautiful hru? 🌱💕💨☕

[@HowsItGrowing]

220, 221. Whatever it takes. 😉

[@jazinzlaty4823]

Hi Can you take them apart?

[@TheImpatientGardener]

jarin zlamal Yes you can, which is goo I’d they are really a mess. I don’t find it necessary for regular sharpening though.

[@johnlorts8226]

DO NOT sharpen the flat of the blades....only the bevel edges

[@AndyGenova-jr9ol]

Mygod you totally neglected your husband to sharppen a lopper nstead of a whopper??????????

[@galehess6676]

Tobisho are quite noticeably smoother than felco/corona, similar cut quality but far sharper and easier to use. I also regularly add water, dribble it on the stone, holding the stone under the blade, or just flipping it back over.. Niwaki England sells the dobber/and camelia conditioning oil and a special rubbing stone to keep the entire unit shiny clean. They also have a lot of finer things for gardeners.. just found them and order is on the way :) Google japanese pruning shears if you want cheaper options. One is $20 but only cuts 1/4" stuff, various makers, much better