# Sharpening hoof trimmers



## bessmiller (Jan 23, 2012)

My goaties are in desperate need of a good hoof trim. I pulled out all my supplies to do the deed last week and found, much to my chagrin, that both pairs of trimmers were quite dull. I have the little orange-handled kind. Do any of you know a good way to sharpen these suckers? I tried the Martha Stewart method of cutting sandpaper with them, but that only seemed to make things worse. I would rather not purchase a fancy sharpener unless I have to. I have the sharpening rod that came with my knife set that I could use. 

I want to get a in a good trim, wash all my buckets and feeding supplies, clean out all housing, and do a copper dosing within the next week or so, as I am fast approaching my due date and will be a bit incapacitated after that for a while!  Incapacitated in a good way, though.


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## GTAllen (Jul 22, 2012)

I take them apart and sharpen the cutting edge (not the flat) with a stone, until I raise a burr edge. Then I knock off the burr with a cloth buffing wheel on my dremel. Similar to how would sharpen a knife, but on only one side. If I am in a hurry, I hit them with a file or a stone wheel on my dremel. Mine cost about $20 and I can do 6 boer goats and then I need to touch them up.


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## xymenah (Jul 1, 2011)

I don't know I've used mine for two years on four goats and haven't had to sharpen them yet. I don't know how Martha Stewart cuts her sand paper but I agree it never worked for me either.


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## Stacykins (Mar 27, 2012)

bessmiller said:


> My goaties are in desperate need of a good hoof trim. I pulled out all my supplies to do the deed last week and found, much to my chagrin, that both pairs of trimmers were quite dull. I have the little orange-handled kind. Do any of you know a good way to sharpen these suckers? I tried the Martha Stewart method of cutting sandpaper with them, but that only seemed to make things worse. I would rather not purchase a fancy sharpener unless I have to. I have the sharpening rod that came with my knife set that I could use.
> 
> I want to get a in a good trim, wash all my buckets and feeding supplies, clean out all housing, and do a copper dosing within the next week or so, as I am fast approaching my due date and will be a bit incapacitated after that for a while!  Incapacitated in a good way, though.


The 'sharpening rod' that comes with knives actually does not sharpen a dull blade. It really should be describes as a 'honer' or straitener. A blade of a knife has microscopic little leaflets, if that is the best way to put it. When the knife is used, these come out of alignment over time, and the blade is 'dulled'. A honer arranges these leaflets back to where they should be, and the blade acts sharper. This does not remove any metal from the blade.

What you need to do is to put a brand new edge on the blade, by removing the worn out edge. Before the sandpaper, you likely could have just honed them with the rod. But the sandpaper just ground down the blade to nothing.

If you use a sharpener like this one, which is also very inexpensive, it is a very easy process. You merely draw the blade through the slots, and the sharpening stone puts a new edge. You use the coarse stone first, then the fine one second. Clean the blades, then coat the knife edge and/or stone with a bit of mineral oil when you sharpen. This helps lubricate the blade during the sharpening process, and can remove debris (the metal being taken off) and keep the blade cool.

To help keep your hoof trimmers in good shape, when you are done with them, clean them off and wipe a little bit of oil on the blades. Leftover dirt and moisture left on the trimmers, if they're not cleaned, will deteriorate the edges on them over time, which is why they seemed so dull after not being used.


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## 20kidsonhill (Feb 28, 2011)

We take ours apart and use the accusharp sharpener for tools. sharpens on one side and not both. Got mine from amazon. Love that sharpener and we use the knife sharpener all the time, also. Probably doesn't get as sharp as a stone, but very easy to use. My son has been using the knife sharpener safely to sharpen his pocket knives.


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## bessmiller (Jan 23, 2012)

Thank you all for the advice! Obviously I am clueless when it comes to knives and how they work.  Looks like I'll need to invest in a sharpening tool! Stacykins--thanks for the tip about rubbing oil on the blades after use. I have not been doing that, and I'm sure that has something to do with why mine have gotten dull so quickly.


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## Stacykins (Mar 27, 2012)

Glad I could help! Hopefully I didn't make it sound too complicated, hah. 

When I trim hooves I've been using a coarse brush to make sure their hooves are as clean as possible before trimming. The less dirt the trimmers have to cut through, the longer they stay sharp.


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## bessmiller (Jan 23, 2012)

I like to brush as much dirt off as possible as well. Makes things easier all around!


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