Restoring Old Tools | Mr Fix It | Gardening Australia

Guest presenter Luke shows some nifty techniques for restoring neglected rusty garden tools.

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Luke sees a lot of old rusty garden tools in his job managing the Bower’s repair workshop. He’s got a collection of neglected rusty garden tools all queuing up for some TLC.

What makes a good tool?
A good tool is one that has components that you can separate for cleaning and repair. Not that long ago that most tools were made to be repaired, and there are many good old second-hand tools out there that can be revived. You’ve probably got a few of your own hiding out in the shed! This is a cheap, easy and fun way to get a good quality tool that will last. Anyone can do it by following some simple instructions. Remember, a garden tool is for life, not just for Springtime!

It’s easy to end up with tools in this rusty state – Just leave them outside in the weather, with dirt on, never clean them and stand back and watch the decay. The first step to assessing if the tool is good to restore is to clean off the rust. It may seem very difficult but it’s easy to remove rust from old tools.

Luke soaks old tools in a vinegar bath. You can use cheap cleaning vinegar for this purpose and reuse it. You can use this bath for shovel heads, forks, tree loppers, secateurs and saws.

One of the most common tools to come into Luke’s workshop for repair are saws and they are very easy to restore. The instructions are relevant to most gardening tools.

First separate the metal parts from the timber or plastic parts of the saw by unscrewing. Vinegar will darken timber, plus rust will be removed more easily from separated metal components.

“For really rusty tools I generally leave them in the vinegar bath for a week. That’s enough time to remove most – if not all – of the rust and with very little elbow grease required. You can always check the metal components to see how they’re going; if there is still rust, leave them in a bit longer.”

Steel wool or even a rag is often enough to clean off the rust after a vinegar bath, and if it’s very rusted, then a wire brush can be used.

Wash the tool in soapy warm water to remove the residue. Dry with an old towel and put the saw and handle back together.

Sharpen the Saw:
Of course, there’s no point on having a shiny-like-new saw if it’s blunt! It can seem a daunting prospect to sharpen a saw, but’s it’s an easy thing to do. Anyone can do it.

Clamp the saw on a bench or in a vice with the serrated edge facing up.

Pruning saws are cross-cut saws, designed to cut across the grain, such as when cutting a branch. It also cuts on the pull action. There are lots of different saws – some have teeth in one direction, others in both directions. They are sharpened using different techniques.

To sharpen a pruning saw, use a feather edge file. First step is to run the flat side of the file across the top of all the teeth in one ‘swoosh’ motion. This is to level the teeth.

Second, sharpen every tooth along the bevel edge, one tooth at a time. Sharpen the teeth on one side and move around and do the other side.

Position your file at the same angle of the tooth. Always move the file forward, not back and forth.

Advice on maintenance:
Rusty tools are neglected tools. Prevention is better than cure. Luke’s advice is “clean your tools after use, store in a dry place away from the rain and chuck a bit of oil on once a year.”

Prime the blade and handle (if it’s wood) with a hardening oil such as tung or linseed oil. “These are the same oils I would use to protect the timber components. As it dries it hardens and creates a protective coating.” Soak up excess with a rag.

A saw this this won’t last forever but they should outlast you if not your children. Eventually they need to be replaced, but you can prolong their life and usefulness by sharpening your saw every regularly. Sadly, some newer saws can’t be sharpened.

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