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Sod Lifters |
Edge Angle
Sharpening this tool with the same angle on the top as the bottom helps ensure the tool does not drive up or down when pushing it "horizontally" under the sod.
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A flower is an educated weed. Luther Burbank |
A 6" smooth cut machinist’s hand file is useful to carry in your gardening tools box. Use it to resharpen the shovel as needed throughout the tool's usage for the day.
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General Guidelines |
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| α | βTop | βBottom |
Notes |
| 45° | 22.5° | 22.5° | |
These tools are typically stamped ouf of metals which are not terribly hard. Consider this when selecting sharpening tools: if too much heat is generated in the sharpening activity, this can easily remove whatever temper was added to the metal.
Shaping the edge: New shovels I have purchased have an angle (α) of 90°. Therefore, initial shaping of the edge is to be expected.
A machinist’s hand file such as a 12-14" bastard file is often sufficient for this task.
If you use an angle grinder, consider using a 120 grit flap disc. A metal grinding wheel may be needed for large-scale shaping. In either case, be sure to not overheat the metal too much: it weakens the metal.
Use a machinist’s hand file.
