A hedge trimmer needs sharpening after every 50 hours of usage.
It’s crucial if you need even and smooth cutting results.
So, sharpen the trimmer knives without waiting for them to show some torn branches.
Dull trimmer provides uneven cuts making the hedges a spoilsport for your garden.
Plus, a blunt trimmer can make your greens unhealthy. Hence, it is necessary to know how to sharpen a hedge trimmer.
Steps to Sharpen a Hedge Trimmer Blade
Clean the trimmer blades before you attempt to sharpen them.
The edges might be carrying a thin covering of sap, resin and similar materials that should not be present while you polish them.
You might damage the swords or sharpening files if the knives are not clean. If you are sharpening the blades at home, make sure the file does not contact the integrated cut protection.
Also read: How To Trim Hedges Into Shapes?
Step 1: Use a Flat File to Sharpen The Blades
You can use a hand file or flat file to sharpen the trimmer blades. Make sure the top and bottom blades are in sync before you start the sharpening process.
Files can sharpen the knives in their cutting angle, but they cannot promise a performance boost.
Blade sharpening is only possible when the trimmer is powered off. So, do not engage the file, moving it upwards. Otherwise, the blades will become useless.
Check the manufacturer’s manual to know the angle at which you should sharpen the blades.
Maintain the same angle while working on the edges. Be careful and do not remove significant amount of metal while sharpening the knives.
If you file too much, then the blades cannot perform as per their abilities. So, don’t lose your focus while polishing the edges. Also, maintain the same pressure on all the teeth so that all of them can work in sync.
Also read: Why Is My Hedge Trimmer Not Working?
Step 2: Remove Rough Edges
After sharpening the hedge trimmer blades, there are high chances that you might find burrs on their bottom. So, use a sharpening stone to remove them.
Burrs or rough edges are common after you use a sharpen a metal. Hence, clean them once you are done. Apart from burrs, you also have to clean the swarf. These little metal pieces are the generated during the sharpening process.
After removing the burrs and swarf, it’s better to use a spray to protect the swords. Such a spray is handy because it extends the life of your hedge trimmer.
You can find multiple sprays that can lubricate your trimmer blades and keep them safe from dirt or resin.
How Often Should You Sharpen the Hedge Trimmer?
Well, the answer depends upon how often you use the trimming device. There are no thumb rules to follow when it comes to sharpening the hedge trimmer.
When you notice that the cutting results are not even or the branches are torn instead of being trimmed, sharpen the trimmer.
Have you purchased a used trimmer? Then, sharpening the blades should be the first step. Some of the users sell the trimmer because they think it’s not performing well.
However, they don’t know that the hedge trimmer only needs a file to do better. But, such actions are helpful because you can get a good deal without paying a high price.
Sharpening the Blade Yourself vs Calling an Expert
You can contact professionals who can point the trimmer on your behalf. Blade sharpening is not a challenging process, but let the experts do it if you are a newcomer.
Do not invest in a new hedge trimming device if your existing tool is not cutting the hedges properly. After sharpening the blades, it will work like a new machine.
However, you cannot call an expert every month if you are using the trimmer frequently. In this situation, it’s better to follow the steps we mentioned above.
Also read: Can You Trim a Hedge With a Chainsaw?
Conclusion
We hope now you know how to sharpen a hedge trimmer. A sharp trimmer offers effective cutting results, which can maintain your hedges without taking much time.
However, some of the users might not be able to follow the sharpening process. You might not understand the steps, or you don’t have the time for such maintenance works.
In any of these cases, consult an expert who can do the task.