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Thread: Another Just Curious . . . .

  1. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Ontko View Post
    I have a Forrest WWII that's due for its first sharpening. I just need to clean it up a bit and then package it for mailing.

    I'm going with the factory sharpening while its still available and will see how that works out--quality versus cost and time.
    Don't bother cleaning. The sharpening service should be taking care of that.

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
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    Austin Texas
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    1,957
    It should have either come with a box for mailing it in or Forrest will send it back in a box that can be reused for that purpose from now on.
    David

  3. #18
    Join Date
    May 2005
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    I'll probably take some static for this, but I recently bought a HF blade sharpener for under $50 after having a lot of success with their chain saw sharpener. Came with a diamond blade for the front tooth face and an emery stone for the top. I had some old inexpensive blades (4.5" skill floor saw and 12" slider as well as 7.25" circ saw blade) that were in pretty bad shape from cutting new aluminum oxide coated flooring and hardiboard so I thought I would give it a shot after watching a couple of YouTube HF sharpener videos. I didn't want to try the emery wheel, so I limited my sharpening to the front of the tooth. Certainly not the sharpness you get from a CNC shop, but I wasn't disappointed, blades were much sharper when I got done than when I started and nothing was ruined. I even cleaned and sharpened my 60 tooth Freud crosscut blade and it still kept a smooth cut. I will still continue to send my good blades out.
    NOW you tell me...

  4. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Doug Garson View Post
    If only it was always that obvious. My suspicion is that the blade becomes dull very gradually and it could be overdue for sharpening well before I notice it's time. That's why I was hoping for some tips on how to determine when.
    I get another blade when the tearout/blowout gets bad enough.

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    Ole, the one thing that you can't attend to with "home sharpening" is blade balance. That's an advantage that goes to the pro shops or manufacturer sharpening services in that their equipment, often automated, is designed to be consistent with the grinding of all the teeth and deal with balance. They also do close inspection and will replace teeth that are damaged and/or unsafe. Note this is not a criticism of sharpening your own...I'm just pointing out that there are things very difficult to do "at home" with these blades.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Thompsons Station, Tn.
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    Mr. Holmes, you might go to a local cabinet shop and ask who they use as I did. The owner told me the service he uses does pick up and delivery for pro shops. He gave me their schedule and told me to drop off my blades and he would see they were picked up and call me when they were delivered. All I had to due was call the service and set up an account.
    I don't know why they wouldn't come over and mount them for me.
    Rollie

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Duvall, WA
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    Quote Originally Posted by Martin Wasner View Post
    Don't bother cleaning. The sharpening service should be taking care of that.
    Martin, thanks for this tip! But cleaning the blade beforehand is a little like brushing and flossing your teeth before a dentist visit I was caught red-faced once already here on the Creek when I'd posted a picture of that same blade, wondering about its performance, and had several responses (earnest and polite, of course) point out that I wasn't taking proper care of it--removing the pitch buildup following a recent project. The shame!
    Last edited by Mike Ontko; 11-13-2018 at 10:45 AM.

  8. #23
    It's more like vacuuming out your car before you have it detailed.

  9. #24
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    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    Mike, cleaning the blade regularly to remove pitch, etc., is a good idea to help it cut better, but I've never done it specifically when I'm going to send it in for sharpening. They are going to clean it anyway, but I do understand your point that if it's really gunky and you clean it first, you might avoid a major hairy-eyeball when they open the package.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  10. #25
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Toronto Ontario
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    11,236
    I drop mine off at FS Tools, pick them up a few days later............Rod.

  11. #26
    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker View Post
    Mike, cleaning the blade regularly to remove pitch, etc., is a good idea to help it cut better, but I've never done it specifically when I'm going to send it in for sharpening. They are going to clean it anyway, but I do understand your point that if it's really gunky and you clean it first, you might avoid a major hairy-eyeball when they open the package.
    I've never cleaned a blade.

    If a blade is gummed up, it just gets sent out for sharpening. I can't afford to clean it myself for what it costs to clean it and have it ground.

  12. #27
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
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    San Benito, TX
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    Quote Originally Posted by Doug Garson View Post
    If only it was always that obvious. My suspicion is that the blade becomes dull very gradually and it could be overdue for sharpening well before I notice it's time. That's why I was hoping for some tips on how to determine when.
    I have dedicated hardwood and plywood blades as well as misc junk and mdf blades, and am religious about switching out TS blades. The hardwood will seem harder to push through as the blade dulls, and the plywood will chip out more on the bottom side. Some of it comes down to feel and sound. It's easier to tell blades need sharpening when you spend 6 days a week turning big boards into little boards

  13. #28
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    Quote Originally Posted by Martin Wasner View Post
    I've never cleaned a blade.

    If a blade is gummed up, it just gets sent out for sharpening. I can't afford to clean it myself for what it costs to clean it and have it ground.
    As a commercial operation, that makes absolute sense.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  14. #29
    I sharpened mine about 1.5 or 2 years ago. Local place does it for $10. It had bogged down on some 8/4 cherry and tripped the breaker. I recently just cleaned the pitch and resin off it with some water and laundry detergent. Looks brand new and is cutting much better again.

  15. #30
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    New Westminster BC
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    Martin and Jim, what are you cutting that your blade needs sharpening before it needs cleaning? Takes about 5 min (not counting soaking time when you could be doing something else) to clean a blade. Wouldn't it take that long to pack it up ready for shipping to have it sharpened?

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