Do Tillers Need Sharpening?

The 411 on Tillers

• Tillers exist in a variety of sizes and types to help with different needs around your yard. Most use gas-powered engines, although some small versions have electric motors. Rear-tine tillers serve as workhorses, digging powerfully into dirt to loosen it or to help you turn fertilizer or other amendments into the soil. Front-tine tillers can't dig as powerfully as the rear-tine versions, and they work best in soil that's already been turned at some point, such as reworking last year's garden for a new planting. Cultivators are smaller versions of the front-tine tillers, enabling you to squeeze between existing plants to till around them without damage. All three types have tines similar in shape, although the size and durability varies.

Sharp as a Tack

• When your tiller isn't digging and moving soil as efficiently as it should, it's likely time to sharpen the tines, recommends the Tractor Supply Company. Pull the spark plug boot from the spark plug to prevent accidental starts before cleaning and inspection. Clean your blades with water first; clods of dirt might be keeping the tiller from working properly. Look for other obstacles that could be reducing the tines' efficiency, such as rocks lodged in the tines or vines and roots wrapped around them. Try tilling again after clearing the tines. If it still isn't performing up to par, sharpening them should get your tiller back up to speed.

Do It Yourself, or Not

• Sharpening tiller tines doesn't require fancy tools. Turn off the tiller and disconnect the spark plug for safety. Turn smaller models on their sides or upside down for easy access, and then use a mill bastard file to sharpen the tine edges. Tines need to be thick to work correctly, so don't go for a razor-sharp edge; leave some thickness for durability. With larger tillers, remove the tines to sharpen them if it's not safe to turn over the tillers.

Replacing Instead

• When the tines become too worn to sharpen, it's best to replace them. New tines tend to have a similar thickness on all edges. Inspect them after every 30 hours of use, recommends Troy-Bilt, and look for worn edges and tines that are pointed and significantly shorter than the originals. Sharpening contributes to the wear of the tines, but it helps extend the duration between necessary tine replacements. When you notice the tines are too short or thin, replace them before they break so you can have a tool that works when you need it.