Resharpening router bits

[Fred Voorhees]

First of all...I will admit to laziness on this end for the lack of even trying to find out the answer any other way besides just coming on here and asking the masses. Is getting router bits resharpened worth the cost? Specifically...I have one or two 1/4" up and/or downcut solid carbide spiral bits. They have seen better days at this point. I can buy new ones for around $20, but I have no idea how much the average charge for resharpening them is. Can anyone give me an idea how much I might expect to pay for such service per bit...if it is even worth the effort and where I might search for said service? Appreciate any info!!!

Fred

[Curt Harms]

Hi Fred

It looks like Dynamic Saw in Buffalo can resharpen spiral bits. $11 plus shipping may not be worthwhile though.

http://dynamicsaw.com/pricelist.html

[John Piwaron]

I've had it done to some. My experience is mixed. Some bits were trashed by an incompetent sharpener. But that was long, long ago. And they were HSS.

Much more recently I had one, just one, sharpened. I say it like that 'cause I did it to see what would happen. It's a carbide straight bit. 1 1/4 dia x 1 1/2 long cutting length.

I had it sharpened through my local Woodcraft. They have a guy that comes around once a week to pick up and drop off bits and blades.

I don't particularly like the results. Yes, it got sharpened. It works like new. I'll use it until it gets dull again then toss it in the circular file. What I don't like is that when they sharpened it they ground off about 1/2 of the carbide thickness. That bothers me. I don't think that's necessary.

The excessive amount of material removed for sharpening is the driving force behind why I bought the expensive planer and jointer knife sharpening jig for my Tormek. I found that my knives were coming back from the sharpening at least 0.030" narrower. I had kept a before and after log just to check. I think taking 0.030" is kind of much for my blades. And bits. I just want a sharp edge, I don't need them reshaped.

I can't do anything about my router bits, but I could do something about the knives. When I do it with the Tormek I lose only 0.010" to sharpening. And that seems about right. Enough to expose a sharp edge.

If there was a machine available for sharpening router bits to a hobby woodworker at a reasonable price, I'd consider it. Can't say I'd buy it, just consider it.

[glenn bradley]

Spirals I generally toss. The change in diameter after sharpening makes them more fussy than I have time for. I just watch for slaes and closeouts and pick up spirals whenever the opportunity comes by. For other bits, it will depend. If I paid $5 for a no-name bit during a sale at Rockler, Woodcraft, Woodline, MLCS, Peachtree and the like I just toss them. If I paid more I will judge the cost of sharpening against the original cost and factor in the cost of replacement.

If they are Whiteside bits, the maker will sharpen them for a very good price. The shipping could spoil the deal depending where you live but, sending multiples offsets this. Before I send bits out for sharpening, I will touch them up many, many times myself. Just dress the flat surface with a diamond stick or other reliable flat surface suitable for carbide.

[pat warner]

No re-grinder is ever going to hit all the surfaces and edges that the manufacturer did.
As such a regorund cutter will not last as long as a new one.
Moreover, if poorly indexed, the regrind may be tapered or mishapen as the case may be.
Many cutters waste on the edge and bottom of their flutes. Ain't nobody gonna hit the cutting surfaces on the end of the cutter. Have not found any grinder willing to put a spiral back in order.
There are many issues here about the regrind. Bottomline these days, with so much competition, if I had the resources, I'd scrap & buy new every time.
Caveat: Carbide, whilst much harder than steel, still wears out.
You might get ~300' of cutting before wear lines start to show on the work.
And at a rate of 15'/min; that is 20 minutes of constant routing!
Carbide does not last long in its precision state. So if close work is essential, use the cutters whose 1/2 lives has been reached and a new tool for the finish cuts. You'll get serious milage out of your fnish cutters if you apply this strategy.

[John Piwaron]

Caveat: Carbide, whilst much harder than steel, still wears out.
You might get ~300' of cutting before wear lines start to show on the work.
And at a rate of 15'/min; that is 20 minutes of constant routing!
Carbide does not last long in its precision state. So if close work is essential, use the cutters whose 1/2 lives has been reached and a new tool for the finish cuts. You'll get serious mileage out of your finish cutters if you apply this strategy.

Carbide - yup. It's obvious, isn't it? Yet sales pitches sell it as if carbide is neverwearoutum. It's the reason all those little carbide knives in spiral planer and jointer heads are rotate to a new edge, when all the edges are used, toss 'em and replace with new.


I like the rough cutter/finish cutter strategy. I'm going to have to think about how to incorporate that idea into my work.

[Fred Voorhees]

yeah...for twenty bucks..I just don't see the advantage of having them sharpened.