Maintaining shears

[Merlin5]

I've just rinsed my shears under water and dried them off. They've been abused a bit trying to cut branches slightly thicker than they're intended for, but seem quite sharp still and have done a good job of cutting down all sorts of thorny branches. Do I need to do anything to them, like, rubbing them with something abrasive to get rid of the staining, and do they need to be coated in vegetable oil?
I wouldn't know how to sharpen them though.

 

[Mark A]

I just wipe my tools over with 3-in-1 oil or WD-40 and it seems to do a good job of keeping rust at bay. Alternatively furniture wax polish also works.

 

[Merlin5]

I just wipe my tools over with 3-in-1 oil or WD-40 and it seems to do a good job of keeping rust at bay. Alternatively furniture wax polish also works.

Right, I just got my 3 in 1 oil out so will wipe some on. Have you ever sharpened yours?

 

[Steampunk]

WD40 (especially before putting them away for winter). I sharpen mine with one of those little rod sharpeners that looks like a pen just because it's small and you can easily get it inside shears or loppers to keep the blade edge. I can't usually be bothered to take them apart to run them through a wheel sharpener.

 

[Blackjack Davy]

Same as above wipe over with WD40 before you put away and oil the hinge and you can get a small rod sharpener should be good enough you shouldn't need to take it to a wheel unless its really blunt/neglected.

 

[jpaul]

often get sap and residue on the inner blade faces, so scrape that with a razor blade.
and a carb stone w/lube oil, for occassionaly sharpening outer face (that's all you ever sharpen yes?)

 

[Mark A]

Right, I just got my 3 in 1 oil out so will wipe some on. Have you ever sharpened yours?

I have a diamond grit file on my multitool, so just run that along the bevel of the blade every once in a while to keep it sharp. They don't really need sharpening very often, although i guess it depends how much you use it.