By Willi Evans Galloway
1. Dip a soft cotton cloth in linseed oil and then coat the rusty sections of your shovel with a thin layer of the oil. Scrub off the rust with steel wool or a wire brush with stiff bristles. Apply firm pressure and use downward brushstrokes as you scrub. Be sure to wear gloves. Remove the rusty residue with a soft cloth. Then clean the blade in soapy water and dry it.
2. To sharpen the blade, use a flat metal file. This is easiest if you use a bench vise or C-clamps to hold the shovel steady while you file. Clamp the shovel to the workbench with its blade facing up. Position the file at a 45-degree angle to the blade, placing pressure on the outer edge of the blade. Begin filing at the bottom of the blade by drawing the file toward the handle using a firm, steady stroke. Draw the file in only one direction. Check the sharpness after each stroke with the file.
3. If your shovel has a wooden handle, sand it with a piece of fine sandpaper to smooth out splinters and rough sections. Clean off the sawdust with a cloth and then coat the handle with linseed oil to nourish the wood.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
YAY! YAY! YAY!
Wonderful people are getting more and more involved in the garden! Roger and Linda finished up revisions of the Fiskars and Nature Hills grants. Joe made the beautiful garden design below. The SHRA has a spiffy new website almost up and going and they are excited about the garden design. I learned how to hook up my hitch, rent a trailer, and haul things to the dump with Melanie and Joe's help. Random craigslist people are donating items! Brian is looking into getting Bob Evans involved, and Shannon is looking into Grainger's support. Sue is coming to the meeting this Sunday. Kate finished the logo, Jill sent me beautiful neighborhood photos, and Liz is turning documents into files I can post on the blog! Laurie figured out a way for me to post items on the blog as images through www.zamzar.com. YAAAAY! These are the fun times!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
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