Hi folks. This is Lou Manfredini, Ace’s “Helpful Hardware Man” and I’m here today to give you some suggestions on how to take care of your gardening tools. I’ve always been a big advocate of buying good, quality tools. You’ll spend more upfront, but if you take care of them, quality tools can last a lifetime! Here are a couple of tips that I’ve come up with to help maintain your tools.

Pruning Tools

The most important thing with pruning tools, no matter if they are head shears, rose pruners or any type of grass shears, is to make sure they have a sharp blade. The sharper the blade, the better the results. Plus sharp blades are much easier to use. I recommend an annual sharpening, which you can do on your own with a file or, for a razor sharp edge, you can take them to most hardware stores for a professional job.

During the winter season, it’s a good idea to give your pruning tools a nice coating of lightweight oil, especially if you live in a part of the country where you don’t do a lot of gardening in the winter time and as a result typically store your tools. A little bit of lightweight oil will help to cut down on the rust and moisture that can get absorbed into the metal.

Shovels and Rakes

When it comes to shovels and rakes, the best tip is to clean them off before putting away after a day’s use. I use a metal brush to knock off all the residual dirt and dust after each use, which I’ve found really lengthens the life of these items. Also, make sure you store them somewhere where they aren’t exposed to the elements. Typically, most of us are used to our shovels and rakes only lasting a couple of years, but with the proper maintenance, they can last even longer.

Lawnmowers

For lawnmowers, the best advice I have is to take it in to get balanced and have the blade sharpened one a year. Doing this will ensure that the unit will cut better, especially during the winter months. If you live somewhere where you don’t use your lawnmower year round and will need to store it, make sure that you change the oil and lubricate all of the moveable parts with lightweight oil before putting it up. I would also add a gas stabilization product into the fuel so in the springtime the lawnmower can start easily.

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