DIY blade sharpening?

[Ole Anderson]

I ran across a YouTube (actually several) of folks using the HF saw blade sharpener on carbide blades. http://www.harborfreight.com/120-volt-circular-saw-blade-sharpener-96687.html Has anyone here have any experience with it? Looks like it just grinds the face and couldn't be used for any triple chip grinds. Probably wouldn't want to use it on your $100 blades either. Interesting it comes with a diamond blade for the rough cut and an emery blade for the polish. For under $50 it would pay for itself on 2 or 3 blade sharpenings. Cutting a lot of aluminum oxide finished flooring really dulls them fast and they are not real critical cuts nor something I use my good blades on. I have a number of older blades laying around that I wouldn't pay to resharpen, but might get some use if they were sharp.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYCzv7jHz7A This one has some good closeups of the tooth getting sharpened.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hanAzC2SRAI This one has some tricks for pimping the rig to make it more stable.

[Paul K. Johnson]

I've seen some reviews on that blade sharpener. Based on what I saw I decided it's not something I would buy. I have a diamond rim blade and saw some good shop-made designs for sharpening blades with it. Haven't gotten around to building anything yet. I'll send my most expensive blades to pros and maybe try sharpening cheaper blades myself to see if it's something I can pull off effectively and the time spent offsets the money spent on professional sharpening.

[scott spencer]

Some folks might get some use out of it, but I don't see any value in it for me. There's no way I'm sharpening my good blades on that thing, and crappy cheap blades aren't worth messing with IMO. The money spent on the sharpener could be spent on a decent new blade.

[Chris Schoenthal]

I've never used one and it doesn't have any reviews, but I would say go for it. As you said, you aren't going to using it on your expensive ones.
Since you are using cheap blades to cut material that dulls them quickly, the sharpener could pay for itself by sharpening only a couple of blades.

[Ole Anderson]

Some folks might get some use out of it, but I don't see any value in it for me. There's no way I'm sharpening my good blades on that thing, and crappy cheap blades aren't worth messing with IMO. The money spent on the sharpener could be spent on a decent new blade. Where can you get a decent new blade for under $50?

My other issue, besides I can count 5 of my non-critical blades that could use sharpening, is that my local shop only does a pickup once a week on Mondays. So if I decide I need a blade sharpened on Monday evening, it will be 2 weeks before I get it back, plus it is an hour round trip to the store. I can always sub my good combo blade for my good rip or crosscut blade, but that is not always the best solution. I don't keep a spare prime set of blades, "just in case".

[Van Huskey]

Some folks might get some use out of it, but I don't see any value in it for me. There's no way I'm sharpening my good blades on that thing, and crappy cheap blades aren't worth messing with IMO. The money spent on the sharpener could be spent on a decent new blade.


+100


These are what sharpen blades correctly:

356555

356556

356557

[Garth Almgren]

I've heard a lot of good things about the Oshlun blades. It's no Forrest WWII, but they do have a 10" 50 tooth combo blade for $35 on Amazon.

[scott spencer]

Where can you get a decent new blade for under $50?

...

LOL... I could make a list! :D

[Lee Schierer]

Where can you get a decent new blade for under $50?

There are a number of Freud blades that sell for less than $50 on amazon including the LU82M010 which is an excellent crosscut blade.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Where can you get a decent new blade for under $50?

My other issue, besides I can count 5 of my non-critical blades that could use sharpening, is that my local shop only does a pickup once a week on Mondays. So if I decide I need a blade sharpened on Monday evening, it will be 2 weeks before I get it back, plus it is an hour round trip to the store. I can always sub my good combo blade for my good rip or crosscut blade, but that is not always the best solution. I don't keep a spare prime set of blades, "just in case".Put them in a flat rate box and ship them to Dynamic Saw. I can't see spending a couple hours driving to get blades sharpened. The blade Scott shows is what resides on my TS, unless I'm cutting sheet goods. Own more than one. Check with Cripe Distributing for the Delta 7657. About $20 plus shipping, and two ship for almost the same as one.

[Van Huskey]

Put them in a flat rate box and ship them to Dynamic Saw.

I cut a piece of scrap ply/MDF to fit a medium flat rate box and bolt my blades to it to avoid damage in shipping.

[Bruce Wrenn]

I saw one of these sharpeners in a pawn shop in Savannah last week. It was in NEW condition, as in NEVER used. I don't remember the price as I wasn't interested. I send out my $20 blades, (7657 - $18 when I bought them,) because when it comes back it cuts as good as my WWII. For your needs, will a 7 1/4 blade do what you need. If so try the Freud demo blade. We use it to cut Hardie Plank siding.

[John Lankers]

I can't comment on the HF blade sharpener but I have a warning concerning DIY sharpening of carbide tipped blades, router bits, shaper cutters ..., this stuff (the microscopically fine dust) is nasty and can mess up your lungs in a hurry.

[Chris Hachet]

I get excellent results out of a local sharpening service, $13 for an average 10 inch blade. Not worth my time or the risk of messing up a blade to try sharpening them myself.

You might try making sure that your blades are clean before you re sharpen them, but use chemicals designed for carbide tipped blades.

[Van Huskey]

I can't comment on the HF blade sharpener but I have a warning concerning DIY sharpening of carbide tipped blades, router bits, shaper cutters ..., this stuff (the microscopically fine dust) is nasty and can mess up your lungs in a hurry.

That is a good point, I will touch up the faces of router/shaper cutters with a diamond stone but do it outside, preferably when there is a decent breeze and rinse the diamond stone off outside the shop as well. While I doubt the level of carbide dust I produce would be harmful it is easy to be safe(r).

[William Shelley]

I could easily see the utility of being able to sharpen your own blades if you utilize a lot of reclaimed or "dirty" lumber. Also, I didn't see if it could, but being able to sharpen 7-1/4" circular saw blades would give that tool a bit more utility. Doing remodeling work, you could easily burn through $50 worth of 7-1/4" blades doing demolition work. Stuff like cutting asphalt roofing, or just hitting nails, rocks and grit can ruin even a brand new blade. Assuming you don't actually knock teeth off your blade with what you hit, it could be used to restore it back to service a few times.

I have a couple dulled Avanti Pro 10" 60T crosscut blades sitting around, I bought them at home depot on a sale, it was two blades for $24.99 or $29.99 or something. Doesn't quite make sense to have them sharpened (because of the teeth count) but I didn't really want to just toss them either.

[Ole Anderson]

When the big boys sharpen a blade, do they take something off all sides of the carbide or do they just clean the teeth and only grind the front? If they hit the sides the saw kerf would get narrower with each sharpening.

I have trouble tossing a blade that has plenty of carbide just because it doesn't seem worthwhile paying to have an inexpensive blade sharpened. At least 10 and 12" blades, not so attached to under $10 7-1/4" blades.

I just looked at the Forest Factory Carbide sharpening service. With return shipping, a 10" 60 tooth blade with no issues will cost $24 for sharpening plus $12 return shipping, totaling $36. Add your shipping cost to them and you are looking at close to $50. What color Kool Aide is that? And it looks like they charge extra to grind the sides of the teeth, so I guess that answers my first question.