A little oil (light machine oil, a water displacing penetrant, coconut, rapaseed, olive, jojoba, camellia whatever comes to hand) applied at the end of each day will loosen gunk. Soak for half an hour in soda crystals if you are going to lubricate. It's moderately alkakine, shouldn't corrode parts but will dissolve lubrication. Acids will risk corrosion and pitting which will enable the blades to hold onto more gunk. I'll only use abrasives once a year to polish the outside face of the blades -when servicing as over time stock removal adds up, gets in the joints and grease resulting in excess wear at the joints. Even then that's just a non-scratching scourer pad.
Don’t clean mine either, or wash pots. I’m as sluttish as @Hostafan1 I run them over a stone if they’re blunt and spray WD40 on the spring and joint if they get stiff.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
I have to admit that, although I said I wipe and oil mine, that actually doesn't happen every time..... Tomato sauce makes me gag. I didn't use to feel that way, so I'm not sure why that should be. Just as well I don't have a dog @josusa47. Or any skunks....
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I let OH use my Felco 7’s.....which I’ve had for 40 years are were in good nick despite never having been washed, covered in tomato sauce or any other foodstuff. He wrecked them in an instant! Forced them and broke the pins that hold the blade.
Ordered some new pins, that cost about 50p, but couldn’t get one of the broken pins out. Tried to claim on lifetime guarantee, no takers. Eventually gave up and sent them for servicing (to Burton McCall if I’m allowed to say that) Cost £25, but what came back was a brand new pair of felco 7’s that are otherwise about £50. I miss my old ones, but happy to have a solution. OH is never, ever touching my secateurs again.
So in extremis do be aware there is a repair service available.
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makes you wonder what it does to your insides 😱
Soak for half an hour in soda crystals if you are going to lubricate. It's moderately alkakine, shouldn't corrode parts but will dissolve lubrication.
Acids will risk corrosion and pitting which will enable the blades to hold onto more gunk. I'll only use abrasives once a year to polish the outside face of the blades -when servicing as over time stock removal adds up, gets in the joints and grease resulting in excess wear at the joints. Even then that's just a non-scratching scourer pad.
I run them over a stone if they’re blunt and spray WD40 on the spring and joint if they get stiff.
I have to admit that, although I said I wipe and oil mine, that actually doesn't happen every time.....
Tomato sauce makes me gag. I didn't use to feel that way, so I'm not sure why that should be.
Just as well I don't have a dog @josusa47. Or any skunks....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Ordered some new pins, that cost about 50p, but couldn’t get one of the broken pins out. Tried to claim on lifetime guarantee, no takers. Eventually gave up and sent them for servicing (to Burton McCall if I’m allowed to say that) Cost £25, but what came back was a brand new pair of felco 7’s that are otherwise about £50. I miss my old ones, but happy to have a solution. OH is never, ever touching my secateurs again.
So in extremis do be aware there is a repair service available.