Twenty to 30 strokes should give you a fairly sharp blade. To sharpen a lawn mower blade and other straight edges such as rototiller attachments secure the blade in a vise and follow the same side-to-side, back-to-front stroking motion you used on the hoe.

Are hoes supposed to be sharp?

A sharp hoe will work so much better than a dull one. No matter if you are slicing weeds off at the roots, or chopping into the soil to till it up, having a good sharp edge on your garden hoe will make the job easier.

Should you sharpen shovels?

Make an easier job of it with a sharp shovel. Many people have never even thought about sharpening a shovel, but we guarantee a sharp edge will cut through dirt and plant matter faster than a dull one. You’ll not only expend less energy, but you will also save time with a sharp shovel or spade.