Used a sharpening service 1st time?

[James Williams 007]

I needed to get my planer and jointer knives sharpened so I searched all over the Atlanta area and I found two places to get it done one was through Woodcraft but the guy that does their service wanted a lot more to sharpen than I paid for the knives to begin with so I went to the next place and I will withhold the name until the thread develops and I know that it is right. I will say that the place I took them was not Highland in fact I didn't even check with them, didn't think about it at the time:confused:. The last time my knives were dull I bought a second set of T1 HSS knives and when they arrived they were extremely sharp so I expected the freshly sharpened knives I picked up today to be the same. Now I didn't expect to shave my arms with them like my chisels and planes but I thought they would be as sharp as the last set of knives with a uniform and smooth grind. I haven't installed the newly sharpened knives which I will do tomorrow night and post the results. My question is are these typical results for a sharpening service or is there a better service in the Atlanta area or anywhere for that matter. I don't want to slam this guy or the store that uses him before I know what you all think.

[Harlan Coverdale]

I'm no expert when it comes to jointer and planer knife sharpening, but it sure looks to me like the guy ran them across an 80 grit sanding belt a couple times and called it done. I'll be interested to see what others who know more about this type of thing have to say.

[Byron Trantham]

I sharpen mine (13" throw-aways) with a Tormek system. The first time I did it (it was a pain to learn) I checked them against a new set of blades from DeWalt, mine were significantly more sharp. In any case, I would expect them to be sharp when delivered. BTW, Tormek has you hone the blades as well and when you do, they look like chisel blades all shiny and sharp!

[Ed Griner]

I could be wrong,but aren't planer/jointer blades, professionally sharpened on a surface grinder? The ones I've seen done are put in an angle jig and sharpened all at the same time,keeping the blades the same size. Ed

[Robert Reece]

I had some planer and joiner blades done by Dynamic saw and they looked a lot better than that.

[David Helm]

My local saw shop, been in business for three generations, is the only way to go for me. Don't know anything about anywhere else though.

[Brad Patch]

Had good luck with these folks.

Todd and Williamson Services
3921 Covington Hwy
Decatur. GA

[Curt Taylor]

Hi James,
My father in law has run a sharpening business for over 30 years. He, or myself, using his equipment, have sharpened my planner and jointer knives for as long. Pictures can be alittle decieving but it looks to me like that was a hurried job. If you get in a hurry and try grinding too much off per pass, it will look as yours do. Also hard on an expensive grinding wheel. The knives are held in a jig that is moved back and forth against a diamond grinding wheel that is adjusted to the correct angle of grind. An adjustment knob advances the wheel into the knives a very small amounts at a time. .0001 or less if required. If the knives were not over heated they will probably be OK. If they are blued, they may be repairable but it would take more time/$$ than they are worth. Hope this makes sense and helps in your decision to use that sharpening souce again.

[Rob Cunningham]

They look pretty rough to me. With properly sharpened blades, you should be able to shave the hair from your arm. It's hard to tell from the pictures but it looks like they had too fast of a feed rate and used the side of the wheel or a cup wheel. I think I would look for another sharpener.

[Kyle Kaldor]

I've seen lawnmower blades that look better than that!

[James Williams 007]

For 3 15" planer knives and 4 8" jointer knives I paid a little over 30$ and I figured since ROCKLER was offering the service that it would be a tried and trusted service but I guess I was wrong! The "freshly sharpened" knives are in worse shape than when I dropped them off and I will be calling them tomorrow to voice my dissatisfaction.

[Rich Noterman]

My Jointer blades here in Denver they are sharpened on a surface grinder. All come out the same size and razor sharp

[Jim Foster]

If your in a pinch for a good service to compare against or get a quote, Forrest Blades sharpens planer and jointer blades. I've been happy with everything they've sharpened for me.

[Bruce Wrenn]

My first thought is to find a sharpening service that does industrial knives. They will have a wet grinder with a magnetic chuck to hold your knives. I second using Dynamic Saw in Buffalo NY (dynamicsaw. com). Even though there are two good sharpeners here locally, they are a two hour round trip away (on the outer side of the county.) I expect to pay $0.50 - $0.75 per inch of length for sharpening. You paid less, even after Rockler's mark up (usually 100%.)

[george wilson]

Those knives look very rough. They may have a WORN OUT machine to sharpen with,or tried to do it freehand. You can dress them with a stone.Looks like they already did that some. i'd do it some more!! Stay away from them.

I sent stuff to be reground for some time to the largest hardware store in Richmond,Va. All went well for some time. Then,they went with another sharpener. Blades came back with 1/8" removed. saws came back unsharpened,or jointed and never finished. I quit using those clowns.

Seems like the sharpening service is one of those things that any fool thinks he can get into. Really,it does seem that way.

[Salem Ganzhorn]

I've seen lawnmower blades that look better than that!

+1 these look like lawnmower blades to me too :)

[James Williams 007]

I put the knives in and sent a piece of smooth clean walnut through and it came out with tear out all over the face and the ends were blown out! This didn't happen when I had the knives on and they were dull because that smooth board was the last thing I ran through the machine and it only had a few spots of tear out nothing major. I am disgusted completely now and I don't see how or why a store like Rockler would allow this. I'm not usually one to go nuts on retailers when they burn me, I usually let my wife loose on them, but this is not acceptable. Should I call and say something or let it go and learn my lesson? Sorry for beating a dead horse but moneys tight and throwing it away is unacceptable.

[Karl Card]

In the beginning I had a heck of a time at woodcraft. But the recommendations I have been getting lately have been really good. I will take most all my sharpening needs to the store. They sharpened or I should say honed my new turning tools and no exaggeration at all, they will shave you.... any part of your body you feel comfortable putting out there... I was very impressed.

[Tom Esh]

I had pretty much the same dissappoining experience last year. No hint of honing. Plus the guy literally did not know (or is a good actor) what a micro-bevel was. Unbelievable! I think most sharpening services are little more than mower blade hacks. That was the last straw. I don't have the time, space, or inclination to do my own, or send them half way around the planet to someone with half a clue. Planes & chisels I do myself, but for machinery now it's stictly insert head, or disposable cutters for me. Professional sharpening is becoming a lost skill.

[George Sanders]

I took a set of 12" planer blades to a sharpener in my hometown. I figured I could have 1 set sharpened just to see how he does. He has good equipment and did a good job. I have since had 2 more sets sharpened.
I think finding a good sharpening service is a lot like looking for a good auto mechanic.