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How To Sharpen Yard Tools with a Bastard File

by Chris Carrero Leave a Comment

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Garden tools used for cutting work best when regularly sharpened.  Over time, regular use will dull yard tools and even put nicks in the cutting edge.  A bastard file can sharpen a yard tool in 5 minutes, improving the tool’s effectiveness and reducing the amount of effort required to use it. Read more to learn how to sharpen yard tools with a bastard file.
Sharpen your yard tools with a bastard file w/ cutter mattock, kukri on tree stump | rehabitathome.com

Why sharpen your yard tools?

Last week I was using a shovel and cutter mattock to remove a tree stump by digging around severing any surface roots I encountered.  About 5 minutes into the task I noticed that my shovel was NOT very good at cutting through even half-inch roots.  Growing up, I’d used a similar shovel to cut through roots closer to 2 inches in diameter.  So what was different?  Looking at each of my yard tools I noticed that they all had one thing in common: the working edge had become rounded over and was no longer sharp.

Why a Bastard File?

I regularly use grinding wheels, sharpening stones, knife sharpeners, and even leather strops to keep my knives in working order.  However, I rarely think about the cutting edge of the yard tools I rely on: shovels, hoes, mattocks, rakes, pitchforks, etc.  To sharpen these larger tools, a bastard file is very effective.  A bastard file falls between a coarse file and a fine file; it provides a finer, more-polished edge than a coarse file, but removes more material and hones an edge more quickly than a fine file.  By keeping the angle of the file constant and in-line with the edge being sharpened, I was able to sharpen my cutter mattock in under 10 minutes while shooting this video:

How to Sharpen Tools with a Bastard File
{Video Tutorial}

Having a bastard file on-hand provides a means to quickly remove nicks and sharpen my working edges while on the jobsite and even during water breaks! Just remember to keep the file’s cutting edges unclogged by using a file cleaner/brush.  Here is a picture of both sides of  the cutting edge after sharpening; see how they shine?
Working edges of cutter mattock after sharpening with bastard file | rehabitathome.com

Do you sharpen yard tools with a bastard file? How do you keep your working edges sharp?

Filed Under: Lawn & Garden Tagged With: Clearing Overgrown Property, diy, Landscaping, Recommended Tools, Yard Work

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