I finally was able to buy my first set of bonsai tools and I would really like to keep my cutters sharp could someone here please tell me how to sharpen them? I don’t want to experiment and ruin them. Thanks for your help… : )
Let me try this one more timewhen you sharpen the concave cutters how do you get to both insides of the blades? I know this is a really stupid questiondo I need a special tool or is there a stone? Here is a pic off the netI just dont know how to get into that little groove? I just dont want to start fooling around and damage them. http://www.shbonsai.com/graphics/products/cutters/1169-8169_L.jpg Thanks again anyone : )
If you have never sharpened tools, I would take them to a professional sharpener. However, I regularly use my Dremel and a small limestone wheel to sharpen my other pruning tools - just go carefully in short strokes. If they're really tiny, you can sometimes get what are called sharpening papers at places like Lee Valley Veritas or other deluxe toolmakers - these are basically very high-grit metal sandpapers; if you can't find them then just go to Loew's and pick up the finest metal sandpaper (by this I mean a sandpaper for use in finishing metals; the materia is probably emery) you can get your hands on... Because they're flexible it's much easier to use them on small edges - wrap around and pull in one direction for the best sharpening, the same way you would use a normal whetstone. Takes a while to get a good edge this way, but you won't damage the tool any. I use this to sharpen my miniature boxmaker's planes.
Lorax, I believe I will follow your advice and look for a professional sharpener …I didn’t think about the dremel …hmm? Nah.. Its ok let someone with more experience do it for me. Thanks… : )
