Caring for Garden Tools
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Posted by Robert Dailey Jan 6, 2007 |
Tools were invented to make your work easier, and the better job they do, the less work you’ll have to do. Most gardening tools, when taken care of properly, can last forever. I still have (and use) the shovel that my father gardened with. It’s at least 75 years old, and still in great working order.
Taking care of garden tools is easy and quick, once you’ve put together the proper materials. If you do it now, they’ll be ready for you to start gardening when the spring comes. Caring for them now will also protect them during winter storage.
You’ll need to clean, sharpen and oil cutting and digging tools.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Some newspaper or a drop cloth.
- Gloves and safety goggles
- A wire brush A light oil (3-in-1 light machine oil works well)
- A file
- A honer or whetstone for your pruning shears
- Some rags
You can get fancier and get a vise or heavy clamps, some linseed oil, and all sorts of other paraphernalia, but for the basics, stick to the four listed above.
In subsequent articles, we'll cover how to sharpen shovels, hoes and pruning shears.
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