Anyone here good with antique tools? My long arm lopper[? I want to call it a billhook] is in dire need of a sharpen, but I’m hesitant to undo the bolt without knowing how to properly retension it.

old garden tool old garden tool mechanism

  • dumblederp@aussie.zoneEnglish
    2·
    2 months ago

    Got a pic of the blade? Is it hidden in the hook or on one side like secateurs? I’d look to sharpen it in place. Rasp, then file, then diamond file or whatever increasing grit options you have available. I’d avoid powered sharpening like an angle grinder or dremel, I seem to get a lot of chatter when doing that myself.

    If the blade has a chisel edge you may need to disassemble it to restore the flatness of the flat side. If it’s sharpened from both sides, sharpening in place might be fine.

    If you do replace the bolt, you can also use two nuts to create a locknut situation instead of threadlock or bolt peening.

    • Catfish@aussie.zoneOPEnglish
      2·
      2 months ago

      It’s inside the hook, and double sided with a curved profile. I can’t envisage in place being physically accessible. Being told I’m massively overthinking this…

      • dumblederp@aussie.zoneEnglish
        2·
        2 months ago

        Oh, so it’s a little snub blade that chops whatever is in the “hook” of the thing. Yeah, I’d remove it’s bolt, sharpen it and if the bolt can’t be put back replace it with another blot with some threadlocker, double-nut or peened end to set the spacing right so it doesn’t pinch the mechanism.

        My long reach lopers are pretty new by comparison. This kind of thing: https://www.bunnings.com.au/trojan-2-4m-telescopic-tree-pruner_p0242118 They still work a treat for having spend ten years living outside with the tools leaning on the back of the shed.