Why You Shouldn't Skip Sharpening Your Loppers, And How To Do It Right

Loppers, the long-handled shears that are so handy for cutting branches, can be easy to forget about when you aren't actively using them to trim back a tree or bush. But they, like all your garden tools, need care to work their best. Keeping your loppers sharp and clean ensures they cut easily and don't expose your plants to any diseases or unnecessary injuries.

A sharp cutting surface is essential for your loppers to cut through branches instead of tearing them. Whether you're trimming or pruning, when you crush or tear a branch instead of cutting it cleanly, you're causing more damage and setting your tree or bush up for a longer and more difficult healing process. In addition to choosing the right style of loppers and keeping them sharp, this also means you should use loppers only for appropriately sized branches. Branches that are larger than three inches in diameter tend to be difficult to cut cleanly with loppers, so you should instead opt for a pruning saw when working with them.

Sharpening your loppers can be a surprisingly easy process that should rarely take longer than 10 minutes or so as long as you are doing it regularly. It is very similar to the process of sharpening garden shears. Your loppers can be cleaned either disassembled or while together, but disassembling them first offers the advantage of giving you convenient access to all parts. Regardless of which method you use, be sure to wear gloves and goggles to protect your hands and eyes while sharpening your loppers or other tools. 

Start by using soapy water or a scouring pad to make sure all dirt and plant sap is removed. Then, pass a coarse and damp file over the cutting edge of the loppers, being sure to follow the natural shape and angle of the blade. Next, repeat the process with a fine grit file. Then, do a few passes with the file over the back side of the blade to remove any burrs that may have formed. Once your cutting edge is sharp, you can finish by coating it lightly with a silicone-based lubricant to help prevent rust. It's always better to prevent rust in the first place than to have to remove rust from your loppers and other garden tools later.