Meaning of Sharpening Tools

These are manually or electrically operated tools used to sharpen the cutting edge of metal farm tools and small farm machines for effective and efficient uses. Newly purchased small farm tools are usually blunt or dull and require whetting before use. 

Tools such as cutlasses, kitchen knives, sickles (short handle), go-to-hell (long handle sickle), shear, spade, tapping knives, budding knives, hoe, mattock and small farm machines such as chain saw require frequent sharpening for adequate cutting and digging on the farm.

Working with dull farm tools can be very irritating, reduce the rate of work done per time, destroy cutting or digging edges, destroy wooden handles, break hollow metal tools, cause injuries, and eventually break the blade of farm tools. On the other hand, using well-sharpening farm tools can increase the rate of work done, reduce drudgery, save time, and make work pleasurable.

Different types of sharpening tools are available in agriculture to sharpen blunts or dull edges of simple farm tools. Some are in the form of paper, stone, or metal rods. No specific type of sharpening tool is considered best for sharpening tools in the farmstead as different tools require different sharpening tools.

The type of sharpening tool for the cutlass differs from that of the tapping knife, and that of the tapping knife differs from that of the small chain saw machines.

The longevity of every sharpening tool depends on effective handling, poor handling of these tools can lead to quick wearing out but good handling can make these tools durable and effective.

Types of Sharpening Tools and Their Uses

Farm tools become dull due to frequent uses resulting in constant sharpening or whetting the cutting or digging edge for optimal uses. Different types of sharpening tools are available in agriculture for sharpening farm tools. These sharpening tools are classified into two. They are

1. Manual sharpening tools
2. Electrical power sharpening tools.

Manual Sharpening Tools

These are tools that do not require the use of electricity, they are hand-operated tools used for whetting or sharpening the cutting or digging edge of farm tools. The manually operated sharpening tools are:

Sharpening File

The sharpening file is made of carbon steel which could be circular, flat, square, or triangular. The tools consist of numerous small, slightly vertical lines with a single-cut fine tooth on both sides. Some files have their edges containing the cut fine tooth for sharpening farm tools while others have dual-purpose cut fine tooth.

Due to the different structures of farm tools, the sharpening file is designed in such a way that it can be used to sharpen all categories of farm tools with their special shape and size.

The handles of the sharpening file may be pointed or flat. The flat file handle contains a hole where red pieces of cloth or tag are tied for easy identification from a long distance, while the circular and triangular files have pointed edges.

The file can be used in agriculture and construction industries to sharpen and smoothen surfaces of metal or wood. Tools such as knives, chainsaws, cutlasses, hoes, shovels, and more require the use of files to whet the cutting edge.

Uses of the Sharpening File

The uses of the sharpening file include the following

1. It is an excellent tool for sharpening chainsaws, especially the small round file with the pointed tip.
2. It is appropriate for sharpening simple farm tools like the cutlass, kitchen knife, hoe, and spade.
3. It is used for sharpening tapping knives, especially the small flat file.
4. It is used to smooth the surface of metals in the farm or workshop.

How to Use the Sharpening File.

Sharpening the edge of farm tools requires constant whetting so that, they can be adequately used for operating on the farm. The following is the step-by-step process of using the sharpening file.

• Clean the tools to be sharpened with a clean rag
•  Tightly fix the tools with the bench vice, or hold them with a hand with the cutting edge pointing upward.  
• Rub oil on the surface of the sharpening garden tools
• Place the sharpening file at an angle of 45⁰C and start sharpening the cutting edge from the first side of the tools facing up with a sharpening file.
• Lose the vice, remove the burr, and adjust the tools to ensure thorough filing of the other side of the of the tools.
• Use a clean rag to remove the blur continually for effective sharpening.  
• Slide the file across the blade from the beginning to the end.
• Run the file along the sharpening edge of the blade to ensure thorough sharpening or filing.
• Loosen the vice again and remove the tool
• clean the tool with a cloth or wash to remove the blur, and then the filing is achieved.

Advantages of the Sharpening file

The advantages of the sharpening file are:

1. It is more efficient in sharpening some farm tools compared to sharpening stones.
2. It is a versatile sharpening tool(i.e. it has a special design to suit particular farm tools)
3. The user has firm control over the use of the tools
4. It does not require the use of strength except if the file has worn out.
5. Different types of files exist such as small, medium, and big to suit the user’s financial capacity.  

Disadvantages of the Sharpening file

Some notable disadvantages of this sharpening tool are

1. It can easily rust if not well handled.
2. It can easily be destroyed by water or rain.
3. It can easily get lost if not tied to a red piece or stored on the visible sheath
4. The user of the file can easily be injured if he/she is not careful, especially with the hand sharpening methods.

 Sharpen Stone or Whetstone

The sharpening stones or whetstones are rectangular abrasive stones designed for sharpening farm tools. The sharpening stone comes in various sizes, grits, and shapes which could be flat, thick, and wide.

Some are designed in such a way that all their edges can be used, while others have two sharpening surfaces.  The sharpening stones are constructed in a way that they can be kept on boxes for convenient uses while others are kept on flat objects or a table.

The whetting stone is the oldest type of sharpening tool used in agriculture. It is developed from the traditional ideal of using rock for sharpening farm tools. Apart from agriculture, the tool is also used in the construction industries for sharpening tools.

It is one of the most versatile tools used in the agriculture and other construction industries. It has been designed into various patterns and can be fixed to filing machines. The sharpening stone is used mostly to sharpen a chisel, tapping knives, kitchen knives, sickles, shears, and secateurs.

How to Use the Sharpening Stone or Whetstone

The sharpening stone is a multipurpose sharpening tool used in the agricultural industry for different purposes. How to use the tools depends purposely on the nature work done.  The following are the step-by-step processes of using the sharpening stone.

1. Add oil or water to the stone, ensure that it is thoroughly wet, and allow for a few minutes before using it.
2. Place the sharpening stone or whetstone on a table or flat object with the grinding surface facing up.
3. Hold the object to be sharpened at the required position with the right hand support it with the left hand side, and slide it front and back or across the stone.
4. Starting from the first side, gently slide the tools from the tip to the base close to the handle at 45⁰C degree.
5. Repeat all the sides until thorough filing or sharpening is achieved.
6. After repeating the filing of the two sides flip the tools over the stone.
7. Wash the tools with water or rinse with wet cloth before use. 

Advantages of the Sharpening Stone

The advantages of the sharpening stone are:

• It is more durable compared to the file
• It is a multifaceted sharpening tool, (i.e. it can be used for sharpening different types of farm tools)
• The users have firm control over the use of the tools
• It helps to minimize Injuries that may arise from tool filing.
• It is budget-friendly or cost-effective.

Disadvantages of the Sharpening Stone

Some disadvantages of the sharpening stone are highlighted below. They are:

• It is not as fast as other sharping tools like file
• a lot of effort and strength is required to sharpen an object.
• It requires little skill like the tapping knife sharpening stone. 

Sandpaper

This sharpening tool is rarely used in filing farm tools but it is an important tool in the workshop for smoothing farm tools and sharpening tools and other materials on the farmstead. The sandpaper is made of sturdy or tough paper with coated abrasive materials.

The sandpaper comes in different shapes and sizes can be rolled into shapes, and can be dispensed in small quantities to users. The color of the paper can be brown, yellow, or purple color. The tool is an indispensable tool used in the farmstead with multifaceted functions.

Farmers use the tool to sharpen minor farm tools such as kitchen knives, tapping knives, cutlasses, and smooth rough surfaces. Roofing of farm structures and buildings cannot be possible without the use of sandpaper. 

Uses of the sandpaper

The uses of the sandpaper are 

The tool is a versatile material used on the farm and in the workshop. It is an abrasive tool used for the following.

1. The tool is an excellent tool for smoothening metal and wooden surfaces in the farmstead
2. It helps to remove blur and other materials from the farm tools.
3. It is used for smoothing surfaces of farm buildings, and structures, before painting.
4. It is used for smoothing or filing the surface of farm implements, machines, and accessories before spraying and fixing.

Hand Operated Sharpening Machine.

The tool is also called a small manual grinding machine. The machine is made of a handle, circular metal cover, and grit part. It is made of steel and it is a manually operated tool for sharpening farm tools. The tool has two circular metal parts with a built-in bearing.

The two-cover metal part is held together with multiple nuts, on the top of the circular parts of the machine is a part that carries the abrasive or circular sharpening stone that helps to achieve sharpening.

The handle is like an L shape which is attached to the tools with the aid of nuts and bolts. The L part of the handle contains a small ergonomic wooden handle. The tool has internal bearings that control the grinding stone.

At the base of the farm tools is a big screw with a wide edge that helps to fix the tools to a table or an elevated platform for firm sharpening.

The hand-operated tool is constructed such that different types of sharpening stones of different edges can be attached for smoothening, sharpening, and cutting.

 

Uses of the Hand-Operated Sharpening Machine

The farm tools is an abrasive tool used on the farm for smoothening, sharpening, and cutting.

1. The tool is an excellent tool for sharpening all metal farm tools on the farm
2. It is very suitable for smoothening  wooden and plastic handles of farm tools
3. It is used for cutting metal, and plastic depending on the types of stone fixed
4. It is used for smoothing surfaces of nuts and bolts farm implements and machines, before fixing.

How to Use the Hand-Operated Sharpening Machine

To use this hand-operating sharpening tool follow the steps below

1. Fixed the machine to an elevated platform or table, with the aid of the wide adjustment screw under the machine.
2.  Lubricate moving parts of the machine
3. Hold the tools to be sharpened with the left-hand side, and use the right-hand side to operate or roll the handle.
4. Add oil or water to the stone, ensure that it is thoroughly wet, and allow for a few minutes before using it.
5. Gently slide the tools to be sharpened from the filing edge close to the handle usually at a 45⁰C degree.
6. Repeat all the sides until thorough filing or sharpening is achieved.
7. After repeating the filing of the two sides, just flip the tools over the stone.
8. Check to see whether the tool is sharp, if it is not sharp, repeat the process again
9. Wash the tools with water or rinse with wet cloth before use. 

Advantages of the Hand-Operated Sharpening Machine

The advantages of this sharpening tool are:

1. It is the best tool for sharpening farm tools
2. It is the first tool for sharpening farm tools before following up with the sharpening file, stone, and sandpaper
3. The tools sharpen with this farm tools  last longer compared to other farm tools
4. It is a multifaceted sharpening tool,(i.e. it can be used for sharpening different types of farm tools)
5. The users have firm control over the use of the tools
6. It helps to minimize Injuries that may arise from tool filling.
7. It is budget-friendly or cost-effective compared to the electrical filling machine.

Disadvantages of the Hand-Operated Sharpening Machine

The disadvantages of the hand-operated sharpening tool are

• It is more expensive compared to file and sharpening stone
• It cannot be used to sharpen chainsaws and tapping knives
• It cannot be easily carried from one place to another like the file and sharpening stone
• The continued usage will easily lead to worn-out farm tools because they file too deep

 

Power Tools or Electrical Power Sharpener.

These are sharpening tools that require the use of electricity or a battery. They are tools that are operated with electrical power and are used to whetting or sharpening the cutting or digging edge of farm tools.

These sharpening tools have abrasive material or stone systematically designed to be fixed into the tools such that when they are powered or operated, the sharpening blade can be used to sharpen tools automatically. Examples of the power machines or power sharpeners are:

1. Electrics grinder
2. Filling machine.

Electrics Grinder

These are sharpening tools that require the use of electricity. They are an improvement over the hand-operated sharpening machine.

They are very portable and can be carried from one place to another. They have built-in electrical features such that when they are powered, they function to rotate the sharpening edge.  They are made of three components, the power cable, the engine casing, and the sharpening edge.  The power cable consists of a life and neutral cable used to connect the machine to existing power sources.

The engine casing contains the chargeable battery and all the necessary materials required to turn the sharpening edge, while the sharpening edge contains a round rotating stone with coarse grits and other special designs for effective sharpening. They come in different designs, specifications, and sizes.

Advantage of the Electrics Grinder

Some of the advantages of the electric grinder in agriculture

1. They are ideal for sharpening different types of cutters and digging tools in the farmstead.
2. They are electrical or battery operated which depends less on human effort like the sharpening stone and file.
3. It has battery or rechargeable batteries that depend less on electricity.
4. Some are designed with precision sharpening ability
5. They can easily be carried from one place to another.
6. They are safe and easy to use compared to the filling machine
7. Some have  catch-tray for metal shavings unlike the filing machine
8. They have a well-built guide that helps to hold tools at a perfect angle.

Disadvantages of the Electrics Grinder

Some of the disadvantages of the electric grinder in agriculture

1. They can be effectively used in areas with less electricity
2. The chargeable battery may be exhausted which limits its uses
3. It is quite expensive compared to the hand-operated sharpening tools

Filling Machine.

These are sharpening tools that depend solely on the use of electricity for filing farm tools.  There are different types of filing machines, but the popular ones are the baby angular grinder and the shoe-making filing machine.

1. Baby Angular Grinder: the baby angular grinder just as the name sounds is designed and can be carried like a small baby.  The tool has a small handle by the side and small toward the posterior end for ease of handling. The posterior end contains a port where the power cable is fixed. The head is wide and contains a portion where the filling blade is attached.
2. Bench Grinder or the Shoe Filing Machine: this is a small filing machine used mostly for filing or smoothing the sole of shoes during shoe making in the factory. It is popularly used in the agricultural sector to sharpen farm tools. The tool is very portable and can be carried from one place to another, and specially designed with two sharpening blades.

The filing machines whatever type have built-in electric features such that when they are powered they function to rotate the sharpening blade.  The sharpening blade could be flat or thick depending on the type of filing machine.

Advantages of the filing machine

Some of the advantages of the filing machine are

• They are the best electric sharpening machine
• They are very suitable for sharpening different types of farm tools
• They are electrically powered which reduces the use of human effort like sharpening stones and files.
• They can easily be carried from one place to another.
• They are convenient and easy to use.

Disadvantages of the filing machine

Some of the disadvantages of the filing machine are;

• They require special skills for effective usage, especially the filing machine.
• The use of the filing machine leads to excessive consumption of metal parts.
• They cannot be effectively used in areas without electricity
• They are costly compared to other sharpening tools.

Maintenance of Sharpening Tools

Tools used in performing various work on the farm require constant maintenance. A poorly maintained tool whether on the farm or in the kitchen can be very strenuous and this can easily lead to a waste of time. The following measures will help to prevent frequent breakdown of farm tools.

1. Clean parts of farm tools before use,
2. Apply light oil on the surface of the tools to reduce friction.
3. Don’t leave sharpening tools such as the file, or sandpaper on the outside
4. Keep small sharpening tools like files in their respective sheath.
5. Check the metal parts especially the electric sharpening tools before use
6. Oil movable metal part of the sharping edge before use.
7. Worn-out sharpening grits or stones should be replaced.
8. Replace damaged or worn-out sharpening tools
9. Ensure that you hold the farm tools on the handle while sharpening them to prevent injuries.