Sharpening Secateurs

Hi there

I have invested in a sharpening stone and diamond file from Niwaki to keep my Niwaki secateurs in tip top condition however I am struggling to get the right angle.

I know it should be 23 degrees and am trying out on an old pair but can’t seem to get them as sharp as Niwaki pairs.

Any tips?

 

Japanese bypass secateurs have blades which are made from a tempered hardened steel which can hold an edge sharpened at that angle.

Does the trial pair have identical blades?

Also, apply pressure slow and evenly perpendicular to the blade edge and gradually slide accross.

Deburr the flat side of the blade on a plank of wood - similar to what you would do with a slit-throat razor blade on a leather strap.

 

I've never been able to sharpen any blade to the same sharpness as a new blade

 

Hi Darren i use Niwaki secateurs, I do not think any secateurs you buy in the uk will be as good or sharp as Niwaki they use a good grade carbon steel which is forged and hot laminated. I have paid a lot more for other brands which claim to be as good, i have never found any to match Niwaki which i have used for years.
regards Sandy

 

I know I've got the correct angle when I can feel resistance to the sharpening stone - use the stone and move the angle of the blade until you can feel resistance. This means that metal on the edge is being removed and the blade is sharpening. It takes some practice but once you've found the correct angle it's fairly straightforward.

If you've got a sharpening steel in the kitchen, try this approach first on your kitchen knives - to see how it works on a larger blade.

 

As a blacksmith and wood turner I´ve always used a sharpening stone, but since I started carving olive wood I have had to up my game. I have several blades, curved and straight and two hand axes to keep sharp enough to shave with. I use emery paper on a flat or round wooden stick, depending on the blade. Then a leather strop on a similar backing, with a good polishing compound. I´ll strop a blade several times before I need to use emery again.

I recommend you look at the many videos on YouTube regarding spoon carving where the whole business is revealed. That´s where I learned to blacken the edge with a felt tip pen, so I could see exactly where I was making contact, and many more useful hints.
Everyone finds sharpening difficult, but it´s a very satisfying feeling when the edge dulls, the wood begins to tear, and you know that with a bit of stropping you can get the blade slicing through the wood again.