I must have 15 table saw blades of various sizes and designs. Is it
practical for me to learn how to sharpen them or should I just keep buying
new ones???? Some are carbide tipped and some are not. What tools would be
required. How do you test for sharpness? I can feel the cutting difference
when I put a new blade in but when comparing two older blades, how can I
tell which is sharper.

TIA

Steve

"Steve" wrote in
:

I must have 15 table saw blades of various sizes and designs. Is it
practical for me to learn how to sharpen them or should I just keep
buying new ones???? Some are carbide tipped and some are not. What
tools would be required. How do you test for sharpness? I can feel the
cutting difference when I put a new blade in but when comparing two
older blades, how can I tell which is sharper.


This is something best done on a very expensive, computer controlled
machine, by someone who knows what to look for. If you can find a local
one, you're doubly lucky.

Considering that each blade will cost you an average of less than $20 each,
carry-in, it's a really good deal. And the counter person will look at
your blades, and tell you what you should take back unsharpened.

At least mine does.

There was a thread a couple of years ago on local recommended sharpening
services, wherein a lot of wReckers recommended good ones.

Consider that the tip speed of your 10" table saw blade is close to 100
mph, running at about 4000 rpm.

7" framing blades are generally disposable.

Patriarch

Forget about not carbide blades and send the rest to Forest Blade for
sharpenning if they are in good condition, this is what I would do,
they sharp them so good that it will be betther than new.
MaxEN

Steve wrote:
I must have 15 table saw blades of various sizes and designs. Is it
practical for me to learn how to sharpen them or should I just keep
buying
new ones???? Some are carbide tipped and some are not. What tools
would be
required. How do you test for sharpness? I can feel the cutting
difference
when I put a new blade in but when comparing two older blades, how
can I
tell which is sharper.

TIA

Steve

"Steve" wrote in message
...
I must have 15 table saw blades of various sizes and designs. Is it
practical for me to learn how to sharpen them or should I just keep buying
new ones???? Some are carbide tipped and some are not. What tools would be
required. How do you test for sharpness? I can feel the cutting difference
when I put a new blade in but when comparing two older blades, how can I
tell which is sharper.

The non carbide are usually throw aways. The carbide can be sharpened.
Check the prices at www.ridgecarbidetool.com for information. If t hey are
good blades, you will save a bundle having them resharpened.

This is not a DIY job as they use special equipment and the angles are very
precise.
--
Ed
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
"Steve" wrote in message
....
This is not a DIY job as they use special equipment and the angles
are very precise.

Actually, it can be a DIY job with carbide blades, and the results are as
good as the person doing the sharpening, as a rule. I forget the material,
but you put the blade in backwards and set a jig over it to slide a
sharpening tool up against it as it runs. Works well except for specialty
blades of course, 'cause it's going to give you flat-topped teeth, but since
that's what most cutoff/rip/plywood blades are ... . I've had some pretty
respectable results with it over the years.

Pop



--
---
No, I won't get dressed.
I'm retired!

Actually, it can be a DIY job with carbide blades, and the results are as
good as the person doing the sharpening, as a rule. I forget the
material, but you put the blade in backwards and set a jig over it to
slide a sharpening tool up against it as it runs. Works well except for
specialty blades of course, 'cause it's going to give you flat-topped
teeth, but since that's what most cutoff/rip/plywood blades are

Are you saying that you sharpen the blade as it's spinning with the motor
on?

Mon, Feb 14, 2005, 9:48pm (EST-3) (mp) says:
Are you saying that you sharpen the blade as it's spinning with the
motor on?

That's the way I read it too. But, that would only square the ends
of the carbide tips, it wouldn't sharpen the rest of the carbide tip. I
don't see it substituting for a "real" sharpening. I also don't see me
doing anything like that with a turning saw blade. I'd be willing to do
HSS myself - filing by hand, with the blade out of the saw, and in a
vise, no prob - but, any carbide tipped blades, I'd give over to a saw
sharpener to sharpen.



JOAT
Intellectual brilliance is no guarantee against being dead wrong.
- David Fasold

"Steve" wrote

I must have 15 table saw blades of various sizes and designs. Is it
practical for me to learn how to sharpen them or should I just keep buying
new ones???? Some are carbide tipped and some are not. What tools would be
required. How do you test for sharpness?

Visual inspection with a hand magnifier or loupe will soon reveal whether
the edges are rounded/chipped.

Jeff G

--
Jeff Gorman, West Yorkshire, UK
email : Username is amgron
ISP is clara.co.uk
www.amgron.clara.net

"Pop" wrote in message

Actually, it can be a DIY job with carbide blades, and the results are as
good as the person doing the sharpening, as a rule. I forget the
material, but you put the blade in backwards and set a jig over it to
slide a sharpening tool up against it as it runs. Works well except for
specialty blades of course, 'cause it's going to give you flat-topped
teeth, but since that's what most cutoff/rip/plywood blades are ... .
I've had some pretty respectable results with it over the years.

Pop

I hope you continue to get good results. If my interpretation is correct,
you run the blade on the saw backwards and then bring a sharpening jig in to
touch against it. Sounds rather scary to me. I'll pay the $15, but you can
do what you think is best.

On Mon, 14 Feb 2005 16:21:17 -0500, "Steve" wrote:

How do you test for sharpness? I can feel the cutting difference
when I put a new blade in but when comparing two older blades, how can I
tell which is sharper.

TIA

Steve

To test for sharpness, try carving your thumbnail with the edge of the
blade's teeth. If you're unable to carve your thumbnail, have the
blade sharpened. Try this with a new, sharp blade and
compare. You'll note the difference.

Thunder

I recommend having a professional sharpen your blades - at least the carbide ones for sure. There is probably a shop in your town that sharpens saw blades (I used to live in a town of 3500 and we even had one).

Regarding high speed steel saw blades, it can be worth it to have them sharpened - especially for dado sets. I have a dado set that I inherited from my Granddad that is close to 60 years old - my local saw shop keeps it sharp for me and it works great.

These places can also sharpen carbide router bits - I think that my local place charges $5 or $7 for a bit with two cutting edges.

On a somewhat unrelated note, when changing saw blades on your table saw don't use a block of wood to wedge the blade in place when removing the nut - you can warp your saw blade...instead, to loosen the nut hit the wrench with a block of wood or wooden mallet while holding the sawblade with your hand and a rag. It takes a little practice, but it's worth it to avoid damaging an expensive blade.

Regards,

Scott

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
"Pop" wrote in message

Actually, it can be a DIY job with carbide blades, and the results are as
good as the person doing the sharpening, as a rule. I forget the
material, but you put the blade in backwards and set a jig over it to
slide a sharpening tool up against it as it runs. Works well except for
specialty blades of course, 'cause it's going to give you flat-topped
teeth, but since that's what most cutoff/rip/plywood blades are ... .
I've had some pretty respectable results with it over the years.

Pop


I hope you continue to get good results. If my interpretation is correct,
you run the blade on the saw backwards and then bring a sharpening jig in to
touch against it. Sounds rather scary to me. I'll pay the $15, but you can
do what you think is best.



I think what the op is talking about is commonly
called jointing a saw. All that does is make sure
the saw teeth are at the same level so the bottom
of a saw cut will be flat. Not real important
unless you are using it to make dadoes. It might
make the saw a bit sharper but I don't think you
can sharpen the saw that way.

On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 00:31:44 GMT, "George E. Cawthon"
wrote:


I think what the op is talking about is commonly
called jointing a saw. All that does is make sure
the saw teeth are at the same level so the bottom
of a saw cut will be flat. Not real important
unless you are using it to make dadoes. It might
make the saw a bit sharper but I don't think you
can sharpen the saw that way.

Check out Tage Frid Teaches Woodworking under
Circular-Saw Blades, page 21. The purpose of
the stone use while the saw is running is to
make a true circle of the blade points.

He shows a steel blade sharpening process but
recommends sending a carbide blade to a professional.

Thunder

Rolling Thunder wrote:
On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 00:31:44 GMT, "George E. Cawthon"
wrote:



I think what the op is talking about is commonly
called jointing a saw. All that does is make sure
the saw teeth are at the same level so the bottom
of a saw cut will be flat. Not real important
unless you are using it to make dadoes. It might
make the saw a bit sharper but I don't think you
can sharpen the saw that way.


Check out Tage Frid Teaches Woodworking under
Circular-Saw Blades, page 21. The purpose of
the stone use while the saw is running is to
make a true circle of the blade points.

He shows a steel blade sharpening process but
recommends sending a carbide blade to a professional.

Thunder

Yep, that's called truing the blade or jointing
the teeth. I don't see how that sharpens the
teeth other than taking small nicks out. But then
I don't have the book. I would just let my
sharpener guy handle all the angle cuts on the teeth.

A dull carbide saw is easy to spot. Look at the tooth with your naked eye,
if you see shiny corners, it is dull. The process discribed earlier is
jointing and will not make any saw sharp. It sole purpose is to make sure
that every tooth is the same length thus all cutting the same amount of
wood. If only 10 teeth in your saw are actually doing the cutting why buy a
60 teeth saw, buy a 10 teeth saw and save yourself some money. Carbide saws
can be sharpen with non computerized saw grinders. Very few small shops
would have such expensive machine and yet many of them do an excellent job.
Just because the shop has a fancy expensive ginder does not mean that they
are doing a good job. The machine is only as good as the operator and
sharpening a saw is only a fraction of the work that goes in making a saw a
real saw. Tensioning and leveling are two very important steps missed by
many shops. Years ago popular mechanic had an article on making a saw
sharpener using your radial arm saw and I know a guy that was cutting
lobster laths that used a radial arm saw with very good results but he was
using plain rip saws. Those were the days that popular mechanic magazine
actually showed you how to make something, once a good magazine gone down
the drain.

wrote in message news:nhwNe.143793$wr.112892@clgrps12...


Those were the days that popular mechanic magazine actually showed you
how to make something, once a good magazine gone down the drain.


You've got it. I used to spend a small fortune on magazines, popular
mechanics, mechanics illustrated. popular science, radio & electronics and
so on. Don't waste my money on any of them any more. RM~