# Sharpening Table Saw blades



## scottb (Jul 21, 2006)

I've recently traded out the saw blade on my table saw, (The new blade was a perfect indicator of how dull the old one had become!) and my father has done the same. With the cost of a new blade being what it is (and knowing that they can be sharpened a few times) What have you all done? Started a used blade collection? Have any sharpening tips, or where do you outsource this?

Thanks,


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## Karson (May 9, 2006)

Scott:

I found a guy in NJ that sharpened with what he called his furniture grade sharpening with 600 grit diamond instead of 400 grit.

I get zero chipout on plywood as long as it is sharp.

Checking around in Delaware everyone wants to sharpen to 400 grit.

See if you can get 600, it could be that the new ones that you get from Forrest etc might be originally sharpened to 600.

But sharpening is the way to go. 15-20 bucks and you've got the equivalent of a new blade. Providing it was not a dollar-store blade to begin with.

I've taken some skill saw blades to him and he will say not worth sharpening or for another Ya! Sharpen it. So he can see the difference in quality of the original blade.

Unfortunately he is 200 miles from me now. So I might have to ship. But a 16" blade weight 20 lbs or so. (It seems like a ton)

I just picked up 2 16" blades from the woodworkers group that I'm a member of. They were given to the club by Seally mattress. One is brand new and the other has been sharpened. But they are both 60 tooth so good rip blades.


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## Obi (Oct 19, 2006)

I wanna see the saw that takes a 16" blade


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## scottb (Jul 21, 2006)

One blade is the original that came with my Delta Saw, another is a Freud 60 (or perhaps 80) tooth… come to think of it, I inherited a few others with my shopsmith… so if I did have to mail them out, I'm sure I'd save on shipping, provided they all had some life left in them.

The only place I've come across thus far (was a Mail order service from DeWalt. Not sure if they're limiting to only their blades, but the cost is in line with what you found Karson.
You just did a google search initially or did he live nearby at one time?


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## thewoodwhisperer (Dec 11, 2006)

I ship all of my blades, including my jointer and planer blades, to Forrest in Jersey. I use a WWII so I like the idea of staying with the same company for sharpening. But I hear they do excellent work on other manufacturer's blades as well. Highly recommend them.

marc


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## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

Every so often I touch up my blades with my diamond hone, & they work like new again.


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## Dollarbill (Jan 26, 2007)

I agree with Marc and Dick. But many times when I thought my WWII was starting to get dull I found that it just needed a good solvent cleaning because of pitch build up.

Bill


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## Karson (May 9, 2006)

I stand corrected about the sharpening grit that my sharper used on his resharpening. When I talked to him today he said that normal sharpening is 180 grit and that his furniture grade sharpening is 400 grit.


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## dennis (Aug 3, 2006)

I keep a can of oven cleaner in my shop to clean my blades. Spray on wipe off.


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## Bwillie (Feb 27, 2007)

I use Ridge Carbide. They apparently use a 1200 grit diamond wheel for sharpening. I have some of their blades and literally can joint an edge with'em. I cut a lot of miters with very dense woods w/o chipout. I also have one on my Compound miter saw.

These are really scary sharp, and they can sharpen bades for 13 bucks.


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## Dusty (Jan 8, 2007)

I must be the exception and odd ball here.

I do clean the pitch off my blades and am very very careful not to hit nails etc. However, I feel very strong that its not a sharp blade that is the one that is dangerous. I firmly believe its the dull blade that can really cause all kind of safety issues not to mention all sorts of problems with the wood. To this day I haven't had a saw blade sharpened nor will . I am careful , keep them clean and when they get dull I change them.

Period.

I then either donate them to a new woodworker, habitat for humanity, or sell them for little or nothing at a garage sale or just give them away.

I have did this since I started woodworking. I think it goes back to the days when I operated heavy equipment and fought "sharpened" cutting edges all day on my scraper. The wear and tear on my machine not to mention addition fuel consumption simply wasn't worth it to me.


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## bbrooks (Jan 3, 2007)

I would agree that the dull saw blades are more dangerous than the sharp ones. When the blade is dull, you have to apply more pressure to get the wood through, which can cause all kinds of problems. I did not notice this until my dad recently changed the blade on his saw. Wow, what a difference a sharp blade made. It was almost like a different animal. Now, things are a pleasure to cut, they flow smoothly, and much less tendency for binding, etc.


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## Max (Sep 13, 2006)

I have never had any problems with re-sharpened table saw blades. All of the blades that I use are carbide tipped, as I believe most of all of everybody's is. I take them to a local sharpening business that I use for my planer blades as well. They check all of the tips under a microscope and replace any that are nicked or cracked and sharpen and balance them. Have had great success with them…


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## Bwillie (Feb 27, 2007)

The new issue of WoodWorkers Journal has an article on blade sharpening. To my surprise the owner of Ridge Carbide who I use, was interviewd on the topic.


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## hammbone (Jan 25, 2012)

I HAVE A SMALL SHARPENING BUSINESS HERE IN OHIO FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN HAVING CARBIDE TOOLS AND PLANER AND JOINTER BLADES SHARPENED. [email protected] 
A SHARP BLADE OR ROUTER BIT DOES A LOT BETTER JOB. I STARTED OUT JUST DOING FRIENDS STUFF BUT HAVE BOUGHT SOME MORE EQUIPMENT.


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## Grandpa (Jan 28, 2011)

Obi, there has been an Oliver saw for sale all fall that takes a 16 inch blade. I sent the link to Bertha once because he always wants the largest of everything. If a 7 1/4 skil saw works he wants a 10"...you know the type. Anyway, I couldn't find it but they are out there. It was on Craig's list….I think in Houston.


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

I'd only have a blade sharpened if it was good quality to start with. Paying to have a cheap blade sharpened usually gives you a good edge on soft carbide that's sloppily brazed to a lower quality steel with poorer tensioning and questionable anti-vibration slots, if any…end result isn't usually worth the cost.

If sending them out, I'd pick between Scotting Whiting in Glendale AZ, Ridge Carbide, and Forrest. Sending more than one maximizes shipping costs.

(oops….just realized this thread was over 4 YO)


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

I am lucky to have a very good sharpening service near where i live. They are also will willing to make special shaper blade profiles. This company works mainly for prof. woodworkers and they are real well equipped. I always get a well sharpened and well balanced blade back from them.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

When you guys get your blades sharpened do they grind the sides? When I get my blades back the sides have been sanded a bit, I assume it's part of their cleaning/truing process. Any printing on the side is gone and I'm a little paranoid about making sure I get the same blades back although I have no reason to suspect I don't. Just wondering if that was normal.


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## vrice (Jan 12, 2011)

I've been watching some videos by Alan Little (the Woodman) that are excellent. In one of these vids (don't remember which one) Alan suggests buying expensive table saw blades, and then getting them sharpened multiple times is of dubious value. His suggestion is buy cheaper blades and just replace them regularly, frequency depending on your use. 
Here in Houston a sharpening service will charge around $20 a blade. A new, cheap one can be had for about the same price.
Any comments on this approach?


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## newwoodbutcher (Aug 6, 2010)

Forrest is who I use, allways


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

For building a swing set, a cheap blade is fine, but fine woodworking….not me, not now. There are some decent inexpensive blades if you keep your eyes peeled and know what to look for, but the less you spend, the more likely that you'll end up with a cheap poorly made blade that doesn't perform well. Even if a new inexpensive blade is sharp (that's not a given), it still isn't likely to have the cut quality, precision, tensioning, balance, runout, quality of carbide, or anti-noise technology of a premium blade. IMO you're better off buying good blades that are designed with quality from the ground up, and having them resharpened by a competent sharpener. A good blade makes or breaks the performance of any saw.


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