Mike's Backyard Nursery

The Most Fun You Can Have With Your Bibs On!

  • Home
  • Recommended Tools
  • Products
  • Categories
    • Business
      • Backyard Nursery
      • Bestselling Plants
      • Marketing
    • Gardening Tips
      • Compost
      • Containers
      • Diseases
      • Fertilize
      • General
      • Landscaping
      • Lawn
      • Pests
      • Protect
      • Pruning
      • Weeds
    • Nurseries
    • Plant Propagation
      • Cuttings
      • Division
      • Grafting
      • Seed
    • Rural Living
    • Tools
  • Contact
  • About Mike
You are here: Home / Tools / How to Sharpen Pruning Shears

How to Sharpen Pruning Shears

Updated : June 17, 2024

3 Comments

These Corona pruning shears are one of my favorite tools to use all year round, and I work the heck out of them!

After a while, the blades become gunked up with sap, and nicked from cutting hard branches so it’s very important that I regularly maintain the shears so they will perform properly.

I put a little WD40 on the blade to make sure they keep working right where they hinge.oiling pruning shears

Several times a year I will come in and dress up the edge of the shears a little bit.

This part of the shear is called the bypass, I’m not going to sharpen that side but I will check it for jagged edges and make sure that the surface is smooth.bypass pruning shearsThis side of the shears has a tapered edge and that is the side we are going to sharpen.pruningWhat I use is a piece of 1×2 wood on which I have attached some emery cloth.

I take the shears (the tapered side) and run them along the emery cloth (watch the video below) maintaining the same angle that is already on the blade. Run it across several times.pruning emory cloth

Then I flip it around to the flat side and run it smoothly across the emery cloth to remove any burrs, making sure to keep it flat against the board.pruning flatOnce I’ve done that I run my fingernail across to make sure I didn’t miss anything.

Now my shears are ready for more abuse from me!

 

Take a gander at these posts...

  • Wheelbarrow Tips & Tricks
  • Check Out My Billy Goat Outback Brush Cutter!
  • Mantis Tiller Review
  • Have You Ever Seen An Action Hoe?
  • I Love My Mantis Tiller!

Comments

  1. Danny Atherton says

    June 12, 2016 at 5:15 pm

    A very good site and simple to understand,,
    I look forward to learning more & more and more important point is it all makes retirement and my gardening so much more of a pleasure,
    thank you and keep the good work up.

    Reply
  2. Joyce Osborne says

    February 23, 2016 at 1:23 pm

    Thank you for all I have learned about flowers and plants and how to propagate them from your videos.

    Reply
    • Mike says

      February 23, 2016 at 1:36 pm

      You are welcome Joyce, glad you find what I do useful.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Young trees planted in organized rows, sunny landscape.

15 Fast-Growing Trees to Transform Your Yard Quickly

Posted On March 23, 2025 By Duston

The Donkey Bucket Challenge (Watch Video)

Posted On December 6, 2024 By Duston

How to Make Money Growing and Selling Mums (Chrysanthemums)

Posted On September 28, 2024 By Duston

Hydrangea cuttings stuck close together.

My Month-By-Month Plant Propagation Guide

Posted On August 24, 2024 By Duston

Mike’s Plant Farm Spring Ad

Posted On May 15, 2024 By Mike

Mike’s Big Perennial Bed by the Month.

Posted On April 27, 2023 By Mike

$180.00 per Square Foot? Is it really possible?

Posted On March 28, 2023 By Mike

Rooted cuttings of variegated weigela in bunches to harden off.

Over Wintering Rooted Cuttings.

Posted On January 8, 2023 By Mike

Mike's Big Perennial Bed.

Mike’s Big Perennial Garden

Posted On January 8, 2023 By Mike

A Profound Thank You from Mike.

Posted On September 1, 2022 By Mike

Recent Posts

Finnegan keeping the sun off his head.

An Old Guy, Two Donkeys, a Puppy and a Hammock. What could possibly go wrong?

… Read Full Article

This upside down donkey is a hoot!

An Upside Down Donkey and Cute Puppy.

You can see more of the donkeys here. And more silly donkey stuff here. Questions, comments, mean things to say? Post them below and I will respond. Until then, by any and all means stay inspired! … Read Full Article

'Rockin Raspberry' Bee Balm.

‘Rockin Raspberry’ Bee Balm.

Wow! I planted four of these 'Rockin Raspberry' Bee Balm in the perennial garden at the nursery last summer and look at them now. They are in bloom right now, end of June here in northern, Ohio and every person that sees them asks about them. This beauty … Read Full Article

'Bubblegum Blast' Bee Balm.

‘Bubblegum Blast’ Bee Balm

This beautiful Bee Balm is part of the 'Sugar Buzz' series. I planted these in my perennial bed last summer and this year they are beautiful and blooming like crazy! They grow from 16" to 24" tall, are hardy from zone 4 through zone 8. They love full sun … Read Full Article

Blue Angel Hosta.

‘Blue Angel’ Hosta.

'Blue Angel'hosta is by far one of my favorite blue hostas. A big hosta like this in a perennial bed covers a lot of area and that keeps a ton of weeds at bay! These giant heart shaped leaves are very slug resistant. We have this plant in full sun. With … Read Full Article

Copyright © 2025 · Hill Country Digital Media, LLC · Privacy Policy · Earnings Disclaimer · Terms of Service