OCPS-036
4. BLADE MAINTENANCE
CAUTION!
DO NOT HANDLE BLADES WITHOUT GLOVES
AS THEY ARE SHARP AND CAN BECOME HOT AFTER
USE, POTENTIALLY CAUSING PERSONAL INJURY.
Blade Sharpening
1. To sharpen the pruner blade, hold the open pruner flat in one
hand and with the other hand place the diamond file at a
15 degree angle along the bevelled side of the blade.
Diamond
File
Screens & Hedges
• Light pruning is recommended for all screens and hedge
plants. Pruning on a regular basis promotes and maintains
dense growth.
• After flowers have had their full bloom it is then
recommended to prune to promote more flowers next
season. All dead flowers should be removed as they drain
the plant. This then prevents the plant possibly going to
seed.
Pruning to Encourage Flowering
• To minimise new growth on shrubs and plants cut flush with
the stem of the shrub/tree. This also assists if you want to
create a topiary look and train your plant or shrub.
Pruning to Decrease Rapid Growth
• If severe weather conditions have damaged your plants or
shrub, it is in the plants best interests to be pruned to help
reinstate its condition.
• If any insects have infected your plants/shrubs, prune back
the affected areas to assist with new growth.
Pruning to Repair Damage
MAINTENANCE
• After each use it is recommended you disinfect the blades
by using methylated spirits. This helps prevent the spread
of disease to other plants and shrubs the next time you are
pruning.
Bypass pruners will generally only have one blade, the lower
part being the counter blade which should never require
sharpening.
The cut of a bypass tool is achieved by the blade precisely
passing by the counter blade. It therefore follows that you
should never sharpen the flat side of the blade. If steel is
removed from here, the two parts will no longer meet precisely
and the tool will fail to cut. You must only sharpen on the
outside or bevelled side of the blade.
Note:
Be careful to not sharpen at too steep an angle as this
could damage the edge of the blade.
2. Move the diamond file in one direction only, with smooth
strokes from base to end 4 to 5 times.
CAUTION!
DO NOT OVER-SHARPEN. TEST THE BLADE
REPEATEDLY THROUGHOUT THE SHARPENING
PROCESS TO PREVENT OVER-SHARPENING.
3. Turn the pruner over so the flat side of the blade is facing up
and slide the sharpener flush along the unbeveled edge to
remove burrs created by sharpening the cutting blade.
WARNING!
ENSURE THAT THE SAFETY SWITCH AND ON/
OFF TRIGGER ARE NOT ACCIDENTALLY DEPRESSED
DURING CLEANING/MAINTENANCE.
