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Sharpen Loppers - PEP BB tool.straw.loppers

BB tool care - straw badge
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This is a badge bit (BB) that is part of the PEP curriculum.  Completing this BB is part of getting the straw badge in tool care.

Here is a video on how to sharpen loppers.



From the video description:
'Gary Knowlton shows how easy it is to care for and sharpen regular loppers using a sharpening stone."

Requirements to complete:
- Disassemble loppers and sharpen the edge properly (depending on whether anvil or by-pass), including both primary and secondary edge if applicable.
- Remove excess sap and other residue. Some "staining" is to be expected.
- Oil sufficiently for smooth action. Oil can't be petroleum derived .

To get certified for this BB, post the following:

 - Pic of dull edge or poorly cut green stick.
 - Action pic with disassembled loppers showing method of sharpening.
 - Pic of reassembled, sharpened loppers possibly cutting green stick
 - Describe the sharpening method and oil used.
COMMENTS:
 
Posts: 72
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Submission flagged incomplete
- Pic of dull edge or poorly cut green stick.
- Action pic with disassembled loppers showing method of sharpening.
- Pic of reassembled, sharpened loppers possibly cutting green stick
- Describe the sharpening method and oil used.
lop.jpg
after oil before i wiped it.
after oil before i wiped it.
PXL_20210915_200523100.jpg
gross and dull
gross and dull
PXL_20210915_200944757.jpg
disassembled
disassembled
PXL_20210915_201531961.jpg
filing the blade
filing the blade
PXL_20210915_201814240.jpg
stick
stick
PXL_20210915_201847057.jpg
lopped stick
lopped stick
PXL_20210915_201944553.jpg
finished product
finished product
Staff note (gir bot) :

Someone flagged this submission as not complete.
BBV price: 1
Note: please describe the oil used

 
Posts: 114
Location: VIC, Australia
78
kids gear cooking building solar homestead
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Approved submission
The loppers proved harder than I thought... it was designed to be as difficult to disassemble as possible. But once it was it was full steam ahead with my industrial diamond file and I used the Grinder to get as much of the surface rust as possible because some of the kids had left it outside. Lucky I found it before pruning season. Oil used was rapeseed oil.
20210920_150433.jpg
All the things gathered
All the things gathered
20210920_151823.jpg
After much disassembly time I ended up really frustrated
After much disassembly time I ended up really frustrated
20210920_152052.jpg
Had to grind it off but now disassembled with the intent to get a different nut and bolt to make it easier later
Had to grind it off but now disassembled with the intent to get a different nut and bolt to make it easier later
20210920_152530.jpg
Dull and frayed edge
Dull and frayed edge
20210920_152726.jpg
Action shot of the sharpening
Action shot of the sharpening
20210920_153700.jpg
Pardon the blurry picture but here is the oiling
Pardon the blurry picture but here is the oiling
20210920_150415.jpg
Good old rapeseed oil
Good old rapeseed oil
20210920_154056.jpg
The sharpened edge
The sharpened edge
Staff note (gir bot) :

Someone approved this submission.
Note: Looks like that edge could be a bit sharper yet but I'd say it's good enough

 
Brandon Gladefield
Posts: 114
Location: VIC, Australia
78
kids gear cooking building solar homestead
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Sorry forgot one of the pictures
16323002349397424503936039953252.jpg
And assembled all ready to go!
And assembled all ready to go!
 
Posts: 21
Location: Joplin, MO
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homeschooling dog hunting
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Approved submission
I spent all last evening trimming branches in and around my fence, then remembered this BB and figured having sharp loppers would probably be a good thing.
F01EF51B-227D-4561-BEB1-606560CC9F1E.jpeg
Dull loppers
Dull loppers
5AA8E024-0508-4E3F-90FC-A6E5D24CC6B1.jpeg
Dirty loppers
Dirty loppers
005D1F0D-1A0F-4F2B-BE24-1A9F7C13D87C.png
Sharpening with a file
Sharpening with a file
10111324-23A0-478D-9177-256501A9969D.jpeg
Sharpened blade
Sharpened blade
C69C11C4-6303-450B-9A95-3E61FB0DEB50.jpeg
Using what a had on hand, gun oil from Breakthrough
Using what a had on hand, gun oil from Breakthrough
A1DEED78-9C50-472B-8482-B7FF77B0E770.jpeg
Cleaned, oiled, and sharpened loppers
Cleaned, oiled, and sharpened loppers
Staff note (gir bot) :

Mike Barkley approved this submission.

 
gardener
Posts: 1308
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Approved submission
Looking to help my girlfriend with some yard work trimming trees I discovered her loppers were quite dull.  So it was a bb opportunity!

This was a style of lopper that could be easily disassembled for sharpening.  I clamped it in a vise and used a file to rework the cutting edge.  It took a bit of filing as the edge was pretty beat up.  I forgot about the oiling part until I went to submit this bb so I had to go back and do that with some coconut oil that was on hand.
20221105_142909.jpg
This is a shot of the loppers as they were.
This is a shot of the loppers as they were.
20221105_142942.jpg
Here is a close up shot of the dull, ragged cutting edge.
Here is a close up shot of the dull, ragged cutting edge.
20221105_143048.jpg
When trimming a small branch it would as often as not just mash it as see in this shot rather than cutting it.
When trimming a small branch it would as often as not just mash it as see in this shot rather than cutting it.
20221105_143558.jpg
First I disassemble the loppers.
First I disassemble the loppers.
20221105_145941.jpg
Pic after I started filing the edge in the vise. Sorry it's blurry, hopefully you can see the irregular bright spots where the file is hitting high points of the ragged edge.
Pic after I started filing the edge in the vise. Sorry it's blurry, hopefully you can see the irregular bright spots where the file is hitting high points of the ragged edge.
20221105_150653.jpg
Pic of the newly filed edge in the vise. I had to file back a ways to get it all clean, sharp, and free of notches.
Pic of the newly filed edge in the vise. I had to file back a ways to get it all clean, sharp, and free of notches.
20221105_150750.jpg
The back, flat side needed a bit of careful filing to remove the edge burs.
The back, flat side needed a bit of careful filing to remove the edge burs.
20221105_151013.jpg
Reassembled and ready to go.
Reassembled and ready to go.
20221105_151211.jpg
The loppers now neatly cut the same branch just below where it mangled it previously.
The loppers now neatly cut the same branch just below where it mangled it previously.
20221115_111943.jpg
Forgot the oiling part until I was submitting this bb. Went back and oiled it with some coconut oil, though it had now been used to do a lot of tree trimming!
Forgot the oiling part until I was submitting this bb. Went back and oiled it with some coconut oil, though it had now been used to do a lot of tree trimming!
Staff note (gir bot) :

L. Johnson approved this submission.
Note: I hereby certify this badge bit complete.

 
master gardener
Posts: 3922
Location: Upstate NY, Zone 5, 43 inch Avg. Rainfall
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Approved submission
To get certified for this BB, post the following:

- Pic of dull edge or poorly cut green stick.
- Action pic with disassembled loppers showing method of sharpening.
- Pic of reassembled, sharpened loppers possibly cutting green stick
- Describe the sharpening method and oil used.

These loppers come from my grandfather who gave them to my mother and then to me. They have been beaten for years and put away wet. I found some time on Christmas to break out a file and get to work sharpening it up. I was surprised how well it took a blade! Knocked it out in no time. I am using beeswax as a lubricant as I find it to work really well with my simple actioned hand tools. If it hits a friction point, it can melt into it and keep the actions smooth. So far so good.
Lopper1.jpg
Old loppers that have been around forever
Old loppers that have been around forever
Lopper2.jpg
Dissasembly
Dissasembly
Lopper3.jpg
Dissasembled
Dissasembled
Lopper8.jpg
Flat File
Flat File
Lopper4.jpg
Beeswax will be my lubricant of choice
Beeswax will be my lubricant of choice
Lopper5.jpg
Before Blade
Before Blade
Lopper6.jpg
After Blade
After Blade
Lopper7.jpg
Reassembled
Reassembled
Staff note (gir bot) :

David Huang approved this submission.
Note: I hearby certify this complete.

 
pollinator
Posts: 755
Location: 4a, high mountain dessert
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Approved submission
My loppers are struggling to slice. I used a two sided whetstone on them. Then honed the blade side. Afterwards, I scrubved off some rust with a wire brish amd oiled it with walnut oil.
20240708_150511.jpg
Dull rusty loppers
Dull rusty loppers
20240708_153857.jpg
Taken apart, using a whetstone
Taken apart, using a whetstone
20240708_154732.jpg
A clean cut greenstick, with reassembled loppers
A clean cut greenstick, with reassembled loppers
Staff note (gir bot) :

Jeremy VanGelder approved this submission.

 
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