as per the title, my shears/ clippers are sharp, they just don't cut. kinda just "bend" or "catch" most of the grass or whatever, between the blades (see photo). Is there an adjustment I can make- tighten? loosen?
Help?: garden shears are sharp, still
- Thread starter jargey3000
- Start date
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2014
- Messages
- 11,484
- Reaction score
- 5,590
- Location
- La Porte Texas
- Hardiness Zone
- 8b
- Country
If the nut cannot tighten anymore it means that the blades are sprung. You might be able to bend the blades back into shape but probably not.
thanks. so, I should tighten the blades - not loosen...?
What causes them to get spring? They've had very little use.
What causes them to get spring? They've had very little use.
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2014
- Messages
- 11,484
- Reaction score
- 5,590
- Location
- La Porte Texas
- Hardiness Zone
- 8b
- Country
They might be sprung. It is caused by trying to cut something too big and forcing it. It is also possible that the nut is too tight. Loosen it a fraction and see if it helps. But normally nuts loosen with use, not tighten.
Ok. I just want to use them to cut a small patch of tall grass that I cant reach with the mower. They should be able to cut grass, no?
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2014
- Messages
- 11,484
- Reaction score
- 5,590
- Location
- La Porte Texas
- Hardiness Zone
- 8b
- Country
Not if the blades are too far apart. The grass will just bend between the blades.
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2018
- Messages
- 3,374
- Reaction score
- 3,789
- Location
- The Tropic of Trafford
- Hardiness Zone
- Keir Hardy
- Country
Have you a vice of know someone with one?
I don't mean "wicked or immoral behavior," I mean one of these like I have in my garage .
It would be possible to take the shears apart and place each blade in turn in the vice and apply pressure to straighten it.
In the past I've put each blade of a pair of shears on this block of York stone in front of my shed door and hit it with a lump hammer.
It did the trick.
I don't mean "wicked or immoral behavior," I mean one of these like I have in my garage .
It would be possible to take the shears apart and place each blade in turn in the vice and apply pressure to straighten it.
In the past I've put each blade of a pair of shears on this block of York stone in front of my shed door and hit it with a lump hammer.
It did the trick.
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2021
- Messages
- 3,433
- Reaction score
- 2,146
- Country
I wondered if they had been sharpened on the wrong side? hard to be certain from the pictures. Basically they are like scissors and are sharpened down the sloping, outside edge. The inside edges that meet should stay flat to shear off what you are cutting.
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2018
- Messages
- 3,374
- Reaction score
- 3,789
- Location
- The Tropic of Trafford
- Hardiness Zone
- Keir Hardy
- Country
This is true. It's the same with the blades on my Flymo. Omce a year I take them off put them in my vice and sharpen them with a file on the "right" side. For my shears I use a belt sander, it's not so fierce.
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2021
- Messages
- 3,433
- Reaction score
- 2,146
- Country
I have a sickle stone
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2020
- Messages
- 535
- Reaction score
- 329
- Location
- Western Michigan
- Hardiness Zone
- 6B
- Country
@Sean Regan is a nice Scotch considered a vice still?
@jargey3000 when the sheers are closed with nothing in them do you see a slight gap between the center of the blades but the tip and the hinge end are tight together. If so this is the geometry you want and it should cause the blades to be in contact for the whole stroke open / closed. If you look closely at office scissors you'll see this. If you don't have this the blades are "sprung" as @Chuck was talking about.
Are there any nicks or rolled edges that grab and bend the first twig or blade of grass between the sheers? If so that is the point where the problem starts and the rest of the grass will follow and bend into the blade gap. You may also feel this as a catch or stopping point as you open and close the sheers.
Putting an edge back on these is well within most DIY work. But, if you have a local farmer's market with a knife sharpening stall / vendor they'll be able to sharpen them. I think I paid $5 or $8 for sharpening my serrated bread knives.
@jargey3000 when the sheers are closed with nothing in them do you see a slight gap between the center of the blades but the tip and the hinge end are tight together. If so this is the geometry you want and it should cause the blades to be in contact for the whole stroke open / closed. If you look closely at office scissors you'll see this. If you don't have this the blades are "sprung" as @Chuck was talking about.
Are there any nicks or rolled edges that grab and bend the first twig or blade of grass between the sheers? If so that is the point where the problem starts and the rest of the grass will follow and bend into the blade gap. You may also feel this as a catch or stopping point as you open and close the sheers.
Putting an edge back on these is well within most DIY work. But, if you have a local farmer's market with a knife sharpening stall / vendor they'll be able to sharpen them. I think I paid $5 or $8 for sharpening my serrated bread knives.