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How to sharpen Felco secateurs

Updated: 22 October 2026

A ragged cut or a stiff new pair is often sap, a dry spring, or a bevel that has been rounded, not a Felco that has failed. How to sharpen Felco secateurs is: sharpen the outside bevel, take the burr off the flat face without turning that face into a second edge, oil the pivot, and adjust the blades before you decide the tool is faulty. Model ranking sits on the [Felco secateurs](/hub/garden-tree-and-hedge-shears/felco-secateurs) comparison. Peter F. used Felco’s en-GB FAQ and Royal Horticultural Society guidance, not a workshop test, on 21 October 2026. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

A ragged cut or a stiff new pair is often sap, a dry spring, or a bevel that has been rounded, not a Felco that has failed.

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FELCO FELCO 2 large right hand

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FELCO FELCO 2 large right hand
9.1/10about £59.89
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FELCO FELCO 5 economy

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FELCO FELCO 5 economy
9.0/10about £36.50
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FELCO FELCO 12 rotating handle

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FELCO FELCO 12 rotating handle
8.4/10about £81.26
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On this page
  1. 1.Clean sap off before you sharpen
  2. 2.Sharpen the bevel and only clear the burr
  3. 3.Oil the pivot, then adjust the gap
  4. 4.Stop if the wood or the tree is too big

Clean sap off before you sharpen

Felco’s FAQ says to wipe the blade after pruning and to oil the spring. Dried sap makes the next cut drag, and a stone on that film polishes the gum. Wash it off first. The RHS says to use wire wool on stubborn sap. A FELCO 2 in this set stayed stiff on brambles until it was cleaned and oiled. If the catch sets itself, clean the lock before you blame the blade. After diseased wood, the RHS names a garden disinfectant for about 15–20 minutes, then a rinse and dry. A notch is for wire, not the cutting edge.

Sharpen the bevel and only clear the burr

Take the secateurs apart if the bolt lets you. Sharpen the angled side only, following the factory bevel. The RHS says to clear the burr on the flat side with a light pass, and not to grind that face into a second edge. Two knife-edges stop meeting, and the cut frays. Gardens Illustrated and other UK notes repeat about 23 degrees on the bevel and about 5 degrees to clear the burr. The RHS page does not print 23 degrees. Treat that as their guide, not a measurement from this project. Test on paper or a pencil-thick twig.
FELCO FELCO 2 large right hand

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FELCO FELCO 2 large right hand
9.1/10about £59.89
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Oil the pivot, then adjust the gap

Oil after you sharpen. A keen edge on a dry pivot still feels stiff. Felco says to oil the spring, and to oil the rotating shaft daily on models 7, 10, and 12. In this set that daily oil is the FELCO 12. One drop on the pivot and one on the spring is enough. Wipe the excess. If the cut is ragged, set the gap between blade and counter-blade. Tighten in small steps and test on a 5 mm green twig. A tear means the faces are not meeting. Handles that lock solid have been set too far. A stiff new FELCO 2 or FELCO 5 often eases after a clean and oil. That is not automatically a return.

Stop if the wood or the tree is too big

The stated cut here is 18 mm on the FELCO 14, 20 mm on the FELCO 12 and 16, and 25 mm on the FELCO 2, 5, and 8. Wood past that needs a lopper or a saw. Stop when the edge is chipped, the tip is missing, or you must grind past the hardened zone. Blades are consumables, outside the forged-aluminium lifetime line. The RHS says to use an arborist for a large limb, a ladder, or work near a line or a road. Size is the Felco secateurs buying guide.

Common questions

What angle is the bevel?
UK maintenance write-ups, including Gardens Illustrated, repeat about 23 degrees for the main bevel and about 5 degrees for the light pass that clears the burr. Those figures are not printed on the RHS sharpening page, and we did not measure a blade in a lab. Follow the slope already on your Felco. A steeper homemade angle leaves a weak edge.
Should I sharpen the flat side?
Only enough to lift the burr. The RHS is clear that the flat face is not a second bevel. If you grind it, the blade and the counter-blade stop meeting and the cut crushes the bark. One light pass, then a paper test, is the job on that side. Felco treats a worn counter-blade as a part you replace.
How often should I oil them?
Wipe the blade after a day’s pruning and oil the spring, which is Felco’s FAQ line for ordinary use. Oil the pivot if the action feels dry. On a FELCO 12, oil the rotating shaft daily when you are using it. A dry spring is a common reason a new pair feels stiff. A small drop and a wipe stops grit collecting in the joint.
Why are new Felco secateurs stiff?
Often the pivot and spring are dry, or packing oil has gummed the blades. A FELCO 2 in this set eased on brambles after a clean and oil, and a FELCO 5 drew the same note. Oil the spring before you return it. A cracked handle is a return. A Renewed FELCO 8 that arrives taped shut is a condition issue, not a blunt edge.
When do I replace the blade instead of sharpening?
Replace it when the edge is chipped, the tip has gone, or adjustment no longer brings the blade and counter-blade together on a small twig. Sharpening a nick from wire only moves the damage along the edge. Felco’s warranty excludes blades, springs, and shock absorbers from the lifetime aluminium cover. A £25 service figure in Gardens Illustrated was not on the warranty page used here.
When should I stop and call a tree surgeon?
Stop when the wood is over the stated cut, when you need a ladder, or when the branch is near a road, a building, or a line. The RHS sends that work to an arborist. Also stop if you might carry disease and you are not disinfecting between plants. A sharp Felco stays inside its millimetre limit, on wood you can reach from the ground.

Related pages

Best Felco secateurs

FELCO 2 or FELCO 8

Felco secateurs

Which Felco secateurs to buy for hand size and cut

Left-handed Felco secateurs and the medium FELCO 16

Sources

Public sources used for hand bands, shop prices, warranty wording, and care. Listing prices, stars, and review counts are the amazon.co.uk lines saved for this comparison.

  1. Felco secateurs collection, en-GB (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  2. Felco left-handed secateurs, en-GB (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  3. Felco — how to choose pruning shears (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  4. Felco — FELCO 2 vs FELCO 8 (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  5. Felco warranty and repairs (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  6. Felco FAQ, en-GB (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  7. RHS — sharpening tools (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  8. Consumer Rights Act 2015 (retrieved 22.10.2026)