How to Sharpen Hedge Trimmers

Hedge trimmers, as the name suggests, are gardening tools used for trimming hedges. How to trim a hedge? Well, hedge trimmers prove to be faster and more efficient than pruning shears and knives that are used for trimming hedges. Hedge trimmers tend to become blunt after repeated use, therefore sharpening them becomes necessary over a period of time. Sharpening hedge trimmers is not at all a difficult job. Once you learn to hold the blades properly and utilize the sharpening instrument in the correct manner, it just becomes a matter of minutes. You can sharpen hedge trimmers in a professional manner at your home itself. The only thing required is proper knowledge of the procedure and skills to handle the instruments properly.

How to Sharpen Hedge Trimmer Blades
Blades are the most important part in the hedge trimmer, as they are the ones which actually do the work of trimming the hedges. It therefore becomes necessary to have sharpened blades, before you begin with the hedge trimming.

Tools Required
Sharpening hedge trimmers requires a pair of pliers to detach the blades, metal filer for the actual sharpening and safety goggles.

Steps in Sharpening Hedge Trimmers
Removing the Trimming Blades
For this, find a plain surface and place your hedge trimmer on that surface. Take care that the blades of the hedge trimmer are not facing towards you and are placed at a safe distance from your body. Now tightly hold the screw of your hedge trimmer between the pliers. Remove the screw by rotating it in an anti-clockwise direction. Once the screw is removed, separate all the blades.

Sharpening the Blades
Hold the handle of the blade. Position the blade away from your body so that it is convenient for sharpening. Now take the metal filer and move it on the blade till the tip of the blade. Continue with the sharpening process for a few minutes.

Testing the Sharpness
You can test the sharpness of the blades on a piece of paper. Hold the paper in the air with your fingers and cut it with the blades. Do not cut the paper forcefully. The blades must be able to cut the paper easily. If the blades slice through the paper easily, then it indicates that the blades are properly sharpened. Otherwise, you need to sharpen the blades for some more time and once again test their sharpness on the paper.

Once you understand the procedure of sharpening hedge trimmers, you need not depend on professionals for your sharpening work. But before starting it, as a safety measure, always wear protective goggles. This will keep your eyes safe from the spraying of metal fragments produced by the friction between the metal filer and the blade.

Generally, you can sharpen all kinds of hedge trimmers by yourself, but some power hedge trimmers do not contain screws or bolts to hold their blades. In such cases it is suggested to purchase a new trimmer as these types of trimmers are not meant for any kind of servicing. You can properly sharpen your hedge trimmer, if you follow the above said procedure and take all the necessary precautions. Properly sharpened hedge trimmers will help you in trimming the hedge properly and you could therefore get a word of appreciation from visitors for the excellent work done.