Over time, all blades eventually become dull and need to be sharpened or replaced for better performance. We see this often with lawn mowers, and your hedge trimmers are no different. Whether you use your machine often or sparingly throughout the year, you will need to sharpen them. You have two options for this maintenance. One, bring your hedge trimmer to our store for one of our expert service technicians to sharpen for you. Two, DIY. With the right tools and some guidance from our experts, you can sharpen hedge trimmer blades yourself.
When to Sharpen Hedge Trimmer Blades
Knowing when to sharpen your hedge trimmer blades is important for the blades and motor to function properly. As with all equipment, always consult your owner’s manual before you sharpen the blades or perform any other maintenance.
Frequent use of your machine dulls the cutter blades. Additionally, if branches are not cut cleanly or if branches keep getting jammed in the trimmer, getting stuck between the teeth during trimming, it’s time to sharpen the blades.
We recommend sharpening blades after every 50 hours of use to ensure consistent cutting performance. You can find important information about sharpening your hedge trimmer in the operating instructions.
Tools You Need to Sharpen Hedge Trimmer Blades:
- Flat file
- Whetstone
- Soft cloth
- Resin solvent
- Work gloves
- Safety glasses or face protection
Note: Before you begin sharpening, make sure you are well protected. Wear safety glasses and gloves made from robust material to prevent injury. Also, make sure your machine cannot accidentally start up or slip during sharpening.
Clean the trimmer blades. During use, plant sap and other sticky substances accumulate on the blade. Remove this with a cloth, as well as any dirt or leaves jammed between the blades.
Sharpen blades with a flat file. Hedge trimmer blades can be sharpened by hand using a flat file, a whetstone and some careful attention. Guide the file along the blade level at the prescribed angle.
Important notes: Only sharpen the cutting edge of each tooth, and always file towards the cutting edge. File using forward strokes only and raise the file when pulling back. You can find a few additional tips for sharpening with a flat file here.
Care after sharpening. After sharpening, there are usually burrs at the bottom of the blade that can dull your blades faster. Burrs should be removed using a whetstone.
Turn your hedge trimmer over so you can work on the back of the blades and smooth the backside of the cutting teeth with the tool. Carefully move the whetstone along each blade, using a swiping motion in the direction of the tip and smoothing the roughened surface as you go.
After sharpening, remove any grinding dust and spray the cutting blade with resin solvent to prevent rusting.
Should I sharpen my hedge trimmer at home or take it to a professional?
We know not everyone is comfortable with sharpening tools themselves. Again, our certified technicians will be pleased to help and can professionally sharpen the blades for you.
Ideally, sharpening the blades on your hedge trimmer should be done before the blades show visible signs of wear. The lifespan of your hedge trimmer is dependent on regular maintenance.
You May Also Enjoy These Articles:
How to Maintain the Perfect Lawn
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Why Weingartz?
Weingartz, family owned and operated, began in 1945 as a farm supply store for local Michigan families. In the 1970s, we began to focus exclusively on outdoor power equipment. Over time, we morphed into the “power equipment superstore” that now defines all of our locations. The staff and experts at Weingartz work diligently to provide the best service possible and give honest and helpful advice to each and every customer.
Weingartz also sells parts for all outdoor power equipment at https://weingartz.com/parts-lookup.
Weingartz
46061 Van Dyke Ave.
Utica, MI 48317
(586) 731-7240
info@weingartz.com
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