Felco #2 Pruners: Clean & Replace Blade
It's time to clean and repair my beloved Felco #2 hand pruners again. Depending on how much I'm using them, I do a thorough disassembly and cleaning about once a year.
I always give them a swipe of sterilizing solution and a pass with the sharpening stone between client jobs, between plants with potential diseases, and sometimes just for the hell of it.
This is only the third time I've replaced a worn-down blade on these snips. Replaceable blades are one of the many reasons I love my Felco snips.
Here are all the items I need for my annual clean-up and repair.
Felco hand pruners (snips)
Flat-head screwdriver
Pliers
Steel wool
3-in-1 oil
Lysol spray disinfectant
New Felco #2 blade
STEP 1: Take a photo of your snips, screw-side-up, before you disassemble them. Two reasons: First, for reference. Second, because it's cool to compare before-and-after photos.
STEP 2: Disassemble your snips. Set aside all of the little miscellaneous parts in a box because you will be royally irritated if you lose any. TRUST ME ON THIS.
Safety tip 1: Wrap the old blade in a bit of tape before you throw it out.
Safety tip 2: See that shiny, sexy new blade? Felco snips are the reason I have a 5-inch scar on my left arm. I almost cut off the tip of a finger, too. I love AND RESPECT my Felcos because they are an awesome tool and can cut through anything up to about 1.5 inches in diameter. When I say it's no fun to drive yourself to the hospital while trying not to bleed all over your car's upholstery, I speak from personal experience.
STEP 3: Use the steel wool and a few drops of oil to remove the rust and grime from every crevice and surface you can reach. It takes a while. It's kind of fun and relaxing. You won't clean it perfectly.
Look! It's all sparkly! Now give all the surfaces a swipe of disinfectant before you reassemble it.
POP QUIZ: What's wrong with this picture?*
My Felcos are 17+ years old. They still work and look pretty awesome. Buy quality tools and take care of them, and you might have them for life.
* The blade was installed backward. Doh.
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