I've noticed that bladed tools such as scythes, machetes, and axes sold at my local hardware store often come blunt. I was pretty annoyed to find this out after trying to chop some wood at home and realizing I needed to sharpen my new axe first. Is this a common practice in hardware stores, and if so, why? Or is my local store just being weird about it?
3 Answers
I think a lot of it boils down to cost-saving for manufacturers. It's cheaper to put a rough edge on with machines than to have skilled workers sharpen them finely. Plus, most people end up needing to sharpen their tools at home anyway, so what's a little extra work?
It really depends on where you are. In some places, like Finland, tools might come sharper. But in the USA, it's kind of normal for new axes and scythes to not be ready to use right out of the box. Plus, sharpening them at the store can be a hassle due to time and costs.
Totally, and for pros who know how to keep their tools sharp, it's usually not a big deal to touch them up right after buying.
Yeah, it's a common thing for hardware stores to sell these tools blunt. They want to avoid any potential lawsuits from customers hurting themselves with sharp blades in the store. A blunt tool minimizes that risk and keeps the store safer.
Exactly! It can be annoying to sharpen from scratch, but if you're buying tools, you should be prepared to maintain them.