Sharpening cutting tools

[Jland]

I have a few.. ( meaning A LOT) side cutters, nippers.. that are worn and just do not cut well anymore. Does anyone actually sharpen and reuse these or do you just toss them and buy new ones??

 

[Shiftless]

I sharpen knives and pruning tools but have never sharpened a diagonal cutter. I don’t use mine very often and they’re still sharp.
I‘m waiting for somebody to be specific on how he regrinds the cutting edges of similar tools.

 

[HenryAZ]

I sharpen all my knives and tools, and they turn out well except for diagonal cutters. Unless you get the angle perfect on each side so the two cutting edges meet in the middle exactly spot on, with no gap, they won't cut right. I've given up on them, just toss and buy new.

 

[RTM]

Ive tried to sharpen old diagonal cutters, and failed almost every time. Either the jaws don’t meet, don’t meet square, or no improvement in cutting. I’ve used Diamond stones, or files, I think once I got an improvement, out of maybe 6 tries. I quit buying old cutters hoping to salvage them.

like Henry, I can sharpen most anything else.

 

[Dave455]

I sharpen most things that can be sharpened, but I’ve never tried with cutters, for all the reasons given above. If you only cut the things that cutters are designed to cut, the lifespan is going to be considerable. I wouldn’t buy used cutters unless they were new condition - I consider them a consumable.

 

[ecotec]

I think this has already been answered really well. I have never really even tried to resharpen dykes. I stick with D-2000 Klein diagonals (the ones that can cut 1/4” hardware. They stay in usable condition for ages.

I think, that on this style jointed plier, that the less sharpening, the better.

If you take off too much material, the cutting surfaces do not meet. Once this happens, you might as well throw them away.

 

[steaks&anvils]

I also have had no luck sharpening diagonal cutters.

I now keep multiple pairs for specific uses. I just need to make sure I am not lazy and use the closest pair instead of getting the "designated" ones

precision cutting of small stuff (expensive flush cut)
general wire or metal (house hold type stuff)
garage general pair, for you know "stuff"
beat up pair for the "yeah that wire is too big, but I'll try anyway" stuff
nail puller pair

 

[mikebaker1129]

I have used the Diamond stones sold at HF to hone a pair of Klein dikes before.
They were in great shape , but had dulled some what and I matched the and a gave a couple passes with the finest DS.

 

[ChefRex]

I hand the worn out dykes to the guy on the tool truck and he gives me a new pair, easy.

 

[Zewnten]

Blunt side cutters I've touched up with a file but never fixed the profile. I did take a pair of decent side cutters and turned them into sharp side cutters. First I filed the inside cutting edges, then filed the back side until it was flat, then filed the front face until the jaws ended into a point. Only use it for small wires and zip ties but has held up fine. Probably took 30 minutes with a hand file.

 

[metaldad]

they're consumables. wear them out, throw them out, get new.

 

[Rabid Badger]

I managed to get a pair of Chinese Craftsman diagonal cutters that were ground incorrectly into working condition,then promptly gave them away. I used a belt sander to get the basic profile and then touched them up with a diamond file.

I totally reconditioned a beat-up pair of linesman pliers (re-cut the teeth, sharpened the cutter, relieved the flats so the cutters could meet) with a set of Harbor Freight needle diamond files.

I also use the same files to re-cut/sharpen bi-metal blades for my oscillating saw.

Needle File Set, 10 Piece

Amazing deals on this Needle File Set, 10Pc at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

 

[Kscardsfan]

If you don’t check to make sure the circuit isn’t shut off and notch your pliers, you don’t have to worry about sharpening them. I kept them as a trophy/reminder not to be a *******.

 

[RTM]

^^^^ My dads favorite pair of end cutters suffered that fate, he was working under the house at the time. Kept using them for a few more decades. I found a pair with a very similar notch a few years ago, grabbed them for the memories.

 

[neophyte]

If you look at this video showing the production of Channellock pliers/wrenches, at about 3:48, you can see one of the workers touching up the jaws on diagonal cutters.
The tool he’s using sort of looks like a file, but it may be a rectangular bar, presumably with abrasive paper or paste applied to it.
Presumably it is possible to touch up diagonal cutters that are just a bit worn, although it would require the right touch and patience and experience so in most cases it would just be easier to purchase new.
With Channellock, one other advantage is they use a Cutter and Anvil design, which may make it easier to match up the jaws.
I don’t know whether they’ve always used this design, or whether it was more recently introduced.