To help you get the most from your Sneeboer Tool Maintenance Kit—and keep your tools in tip-top condition—we’ve put together the following information...

Cleaning

The wire brush has been specially designed to remove even the most stubborn of soil deposits from the blades of your garden tools. Sneeboer have even specially selected the wire as it gives the best cleaning results when used on stainless steel. The brush is best used on dry soil—so when you’ve finished digging, pop in for a cup of tea whilst the mud dries!

Sharpening

The traditional whetstone has two sides—a rougher orange coloured surface and a much finer white face. Tools blades or faces must be clean and dry before sharpening, and the
whetstone must be damp—you can use the linseed oil contained in the kit for sharpening purposes but water is just as effective. The orange face of the stone is used for removing burrs and on tools where a very sharp edge is unnecessary, whilst the smoother white surface will give a sharp edge to blades and cutting implements.

Treating

Linseed oil can be used to dampen the whetstone prior to sharpening but it is far more effective in preserving the ash handles of Sneeboer tools. Use the cloth to wipe the oil over the shaft and hand grips of the handle and work it into the wood. Always store the linseed oil-soaked cloth in the tin;
materials used with this oil could spontaneously ignite. The heads of stainless steel tools do not require oiling, but if you have any carbon steel spades, forks, shovels etc., they will certainly benefit from a wipe-down with the oil.