I finally learned why my nippers kept chipping after 6 years

Been using the same brand of nippers for ages and they'd chip every few months. Last Tuesday I watched an old timer sharpen his and realized I was grinding at the wrong angle the whole time. Anybody else figure out they've been doing a basic thing wrong for years?

2 comments

2 Comments

mark_smith596d ago

You're not alone on that one. I was grinding my nippers at damn near 45 degrees for years wondering why they wouldn't hold an edge. Finally had a machinist buddy set me straight - should be closer to 25-30 degrees depending on the steel. Also found out I was pressing too hard when I sharpened, heating the metal up and ruining the temper. Once I backed off the pressure and got the angle right, my last pair lasted over 2 years without chipping.

dylanh976d ago

Man, you just described my exact same journey (though it took me way longer to figure out). I was guilty of the heavy pressure thing too, thinking more force meant a sharper edge. Turns out all I was doing was turning the metal blue and soft, then wondering why the edge rolled over on the first cut. The machinist buddy part really hits home - I finally asked a buddy who restores old tools and he showed me how to use a cheap angle guide. Now I take my time with light passes and dip the blade in water every few seconds to keep it cool. It's wild how such simple changes turned a 6-month tool into a 3-year tool.