Sharpening your cordless hedge trimmers: 5 tips for sharp blades
Cordless hedge trimmers from Einhell are the best tool for cutting your garden and your hedges into shape. To ensure that your hedge trimmer continues to cut as precisely and cleanly as when you bought it, even after long periods of use, regular maintenance is important. And above all, the blades are a crucial focus. They ensure you get the perfect cut – but only when they are nice and sharp. With our 5 tips on the Einhell blog, we help you decide if and how to sharpen your hedge trimmer's blades. Let's get started!
For the perfect cut: 5 tips for sharp hedge trimmer blades
Tip 1: Finding out if your cordless hedge trimmers are blunt yet
Before you start thinking about sharpening your cordless hedge trimmers, you should first check whether or not the blades actually need sharpening. At Einhell we use high-quality materials to make the blades of your hedge trimmer extra durable. So how do you find out whether you need to sharpen your hedge trimmers yet?
Blunt blades usually only occur with garden shears after about 50 working hours. You can recognise them quickly and easily by the cut pattern of branches and twigs. If the cutting edge is clean, the blades of your shears are still nice and sharp. But if the cuts are frayed, you should sharpen your hedge trimmers.
Besides blunt blades, there may be another problem when it comes to cutting your hedge: twigs and branches that get caught in the sword between the individual teeth and are not cut. If this is the case, the distance between the upper and lower blades of your shears is usually too large. The blades themselves may then be sharp, but still not manage to cut thicker branches or twigs. In this case, you should take your device to a specialist who can adjust the sword properly.
Here's how to find out if your cordless hedge trimmers are blunt
Tip 2: Sharpening hedge trimmers – You need this tool to re-sharpen the blades
To be able to sharpen your cordless hedge trimmer yourself, you will need some tools and of course suitable protective equipment, such as gloves and goggles.
Make sure you have the following materials at the ready:
- Thick cloth
- Brake cleaner
- Flat file
- Whetstone
- Corrosion protection
Tools to sharpen your hedge trimmer blades
Tip 3: Should you sharpen your hedge trimmers yourself or get a specialist to do it?
As dedicated DIYers and amateur gardeners, of course we love doing everything ourselves. Generally this also applies to maintaining our tools and devices. But what about when it comes to garden shears? Can you re-sharpen the blades yourself? Or would it be better to leave it to a professional instead?
As with most blades and knives around the house, you can also sharpen hedge trimmers yourself quite simply. To do this, you just need a few simple tools, a bit of patience and a steady hand. But if you would rather save yourself some time, of course you could also leave it to a professional to sharpen your cordless hedge trimmers. Simply ask your Einhell dealer which service partner they would recommend.
Tip: Only file off as much as you need for a sharp result. You should also sharpen all blades to exactly the same degree so that they are the same length again at the end.
Tip 4: Five simple steps – Here's how to properly sharpen your hedge trimmers
It's not that difficult to sharpen your hedge trimmers. With the right preparation and care, the blades will be as good as new again in no time. You should follow these 5 steps when sharpening:
Step 1: Fix the hedge trimmers and put on protective clothing
Secure your garden shears well against slipping and tilting before you start work. This makes it easier and safer to apply the correct pressure to the blades when grinding. Sturdy gloves and protective goggles are a must at this point!
Step 2: Cleaning your hedge trimmers
Before you start sharpening the blades, you should thoroughly clean the sword and the cutting edge. It is best to use some brake cleaner and a clean cloth for this. Use them to remove plant residue, resin and oil until the metal of the blade starts to shine again.
Step 3: Sharpening hedge trimmers with a flat file
This is where the flat file comes into use. Always file in the direction of the cutting edge – never against the cutting edge or against the line of the file. To do this, place the file at an angle and press it gently towards the cutting edge. Then lift the file and place it on the edge further back.
It is important that you work really slowly and methodically. Only file off as much as you need for a sharp result. You should also sharpen all blades to exactly the same degree so that they are the same length again at the end.
Step 4: Deburring with the whetstone
When the blades are well sharpened again, you need to remove any burrs with a whetstone. Ideally, you should turn the shears upside down to do this. Then move the whetstone carefully along the blade towards the tip. This makes the roughened steel nice and smooth again.
Step 5: The right care after regrinding
Your cordless hedge trimmers are almost ready to use again. So that you can enjoy them for a long time, it is now time to restore the corrosion protection. A resin solvent or special oils from the DIY store are suitable for this. Apply this sparingly to the cutting edge of your device.
Tip 5: The best cordless hedge trimmers from Einhell
Have you sharpened the cutting edge of your hedge trimmers too often? Want to finally get a hedge trimmer you can use wirelessly throughout your entire garden? Then we have the perfect tip for you: Buy one of the powerful Power X-Change cordless hedge trimmers from Einhell. They offer maximum flexibility, a universal battery system, and enough power to cut every hedge in your garden. Here we show you the best models:
Summary
Sharpening a hedge trimmer may not be easy, but you can easily save the cost of going to an expert with some skill and the right tools. It is best to take your time, file very carefully and follow our instructions step by step. Then the blades of your Einhell hedge trimmer will soon shine like new – to get your garden looking really sharp!
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Published on 06.08.2020
Monika Aigner is a Project Manager for Media & PR at Einhell. Through regular internal product training, she possesses extensive knowledge of the functionality and application of various Einhell tools and garden equipment. Combined with clear instructions, she imparts this knowledge in her blog posts.