Considering the cost of good gardening tools, it pays to take care of them. The best way to ensure that your tools will last a long time is to give them a thorough once-over before putting them away for the winter. Clean all metal surfaces to remove dirt, which can harbor moisture and cause the metal to rust. Small and large stiff wire brushes work best for this task. Once you've removed all the dirt, soak a towel in motor oil, WD-40 or vegetable oil, and coat the metal surfaces thoroughly. The oil coating will prevent rust from forming on the metal. Wooden tool handles should be treated to prevent drying and cracking that can cause splinters to form. Soak a rag in boiled linseed oil, and rub the handle, allowing it to absorb the oil. Check to see that screws or bolts that connect the tool to the handle are fastened securely. If you've noticed that some of your tools don't cut or dig as well as they once did, their cutting edge may have gotten dull from repeated use. A metal file works well for sharpening most tools. Follow the original angle or bevel of the edge, and file the edge smooth. When working with pruners and loppers, remove any sap that may have collected on the metal surfaces with soapy water or turpentine, then file the cutting edge. Oil pivot points with a light household oil or WD-40. If you'd like to try your hand at sharpening knives and other tools that require a really sharp edge, buy a honing stone, and spend some time sharpening your sharpening skills. Be patient, though, as the technique is difficult to master. Don't wait till the end of year to clean your tools: keep them clean throughout the growing season. Get a good-size barrel or bucket, fill it with sand, and add a quart of motor oil. Each time you use your tool, stab it in the sand a few times. The grit will knock the dirt off metal surfaces, and the oil will prevent the blades from rusting. Before putting power equipment away for the winter, drain the gas tank to prevent internal parts from gumming up. Pull the gas line, and drain the fuel into a receptacle, or just power up the tool, and let it run out of gas on its own. Winter is the ideal time to have your power equipment serviced so it'll be ready to run the following spring. Most service and repair shops are less busy during the winter. Have your mower blades or chainsaw sharpened even if your equipment doesn't need a complete tune-up. It's wise to drain water from your garden hoses before storing them for the winter. Leave at least one hose out, however, so you can continue to water evergreens during the winter. These plants never go completely dormant and need moisture throughout the year. Soak them every few weeks during the winter unless moisture is plentiful.
| 
)
)
)
)
)
