Do new jointer knives come sharp?

[Dan Friedrichs]

Ok, REALLY dumb question, here: When you buy new jointer knives, do them come sharp (ie - ready to put right into the jointer)?

I just bought some new T1 6" knives from Global Tooling and Supply, and they don't seem sharp. Holding a sheet of computer paper taught, I can't even slice through the paper with them. I'd say they're about as sharp as a utility knive blade that's been drug across some concrete a few times.

I have a few "finishing" stones, and wouldn't object to honing them a little, but how sharp should they be? I assume being used in a jointer, a very sharp edge would quickly dull, making a lot of wasted effort to get them as sharp as, say, a chisel.

[Chris Allen]

Yes, they come sharpened. They aren't going to have an edge like a razor blade. That thin of an edge would chip/bend to easily.

[Dan Friedrichs]

Thanks, Chris - that's what I wanted to know!

[Chris Tsutsui]

Hey they do not come sharpened with back bevels correct? I keep hearing raves about back beveling the blades... I'm no expert sharpener so I'd have to ask a professional to do that to my blades when the time comes for sharpening.

Maybe some pro on here can elaborate more on the improvements of backbeveling jointer blades. :)

[george wilson]

I think of back beveling more for use in the thickness planer.Back beveling produces more of a scrapeing cut . It actually will plane figured woods with less tearout than regular blades,because it scrapes. This requires more power,but if you don't take as heavy a cut,it should be fine. i used a new Northfield thickness planer that had steeply angled carbide segmented blades. They actually scraped too,and I was able to plane figured wood better than with a traditional planer blade.

I know a guy who was good with a 20" disc sander. He used to back bevel his own blades,but you have to be good at accurate freehand grinding to pull it off.

I met a guy who sharpened his planer blades in the table saw. He put a narrow wheel on the arbor,and ran the blades sideways across the wheel by using a long miter gauge fence. I don't want to do this on my saw for fear of getting grit on the trunnions,etc. However,you could back bevel blades by turning them bevel side up,and making a smaller bevel on the other side. This,if you don't mind getting grit in your saw,or maybe you have an extra old junker saw so you don't use your good one.

I only mention this possibility because I can't think offhand of a way for the average wood shop to do the grind without special equipment. Maybe use a Makita type blade grinder?

[Rick Fisher]

George..

"new Northfield thickness planer"... :rolleyes:

[Pete Shermet]

I don't think honing hurts just don't try to "scary sharp" them, I will typically hone mine in place, it extends the time between sharpenings.
Best Regards
Pete

[george wilson]

The New northfield planer was in the Millwork Shop in Williamsburg,Rick. My own is a 15" Bridgewood. I bought it used for a few months. The owner decided to get a 20". It planes smoother than any other planer I have used.It is like new.

I've bought a $300.00 + set of Dispoz-a-blades for it,though they haven't yet been installed.I have wanted to move to a 20" planer,but space is a bit tight where it's located.Plus,my little woodworking "mess making" machinery area is the original 16'X22' single car garage. It's sitting on 6" cinder blocks on a downhill slope. I have a lot of weight in that room,and am worried about overloading it too much.There is a long lumber rack the whole length of the wall which weighed 800# empty. Now full,plus all the wood machinery.

I built a 30'X40' building,2 story,and added it onto the small garage. The main room is my machine shop,workbench,and forge area. I've got it rigged so all of the dust in the small room is pulled away from the big room,which I don't wish to clean!