Sharpening router cutters and saw blades

Kiran

When people sharpen router cutters and saw blades what do they use to remove the glaze/varnish that builds up on the teeth and cutters?

cyclonebri1

Very few router or saw blades are actually re-sharpened to day.
Gone are the days when you filed and re-set a handsaw,
Today they are virtually all just point hardened, in effect they are throw aways when blunt.

Spear&jackson decent quality handsaws were 2 for £10 at B&Q recently, it just isn't worth it.

Router cutters?, same again.

I know 2 joiners'kitchen fitters, when they do a routed joint on a laminate worktop you buy a set of 3 cutters in a box, made exactly to suit that task.

They do a max of 2 joints and then bin them. The router bits cost about £10 per set.

I think you probably mean the burnt wood resin that glues itself to cutting tools?
To be honest I've never bothered when I sharpen chisels, the oil on the stone stop it sticking and fouling so why bother.

Kiran

Hmm, you do have a point. Its just seems a bit ridiculous to be chucking them away so often. I understand when your doing worktops but for working with soft wood it seems like a bit of a sharpen is all they need.

In terms of saws, I should have said circular saw blades, not handsaw

smashingyour...

Have a look on axministers site they usually have decent cleaner.

Router cutters can be honed rather than sharpened, the trick is not to let the edge get too worn.

smashingyour...

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

Very few router or saw blades are actually re-sharpened to day.
Gone are the days when you filed and re-set a handsaw,
Today they are virtually all just point hardened, in effect they are throw aways when blunt.

Spear&jackson decent quality handsaws were 2 for £10 at B&Q recently, it just isn't worth it.

Router cutters?, same again.

I know 2 joiners'kitchen fitters, when they do a routed joint on a laminate worktop you buy a set of 3 cutters in a box, made exactly to suit that task.

They do a max of 2 joints and then bin them. The router bits cost about £10 per set.

I think you probably mean the burnt wood resin that glues itself to cutting tools?
To be honest I've never bothered when I sharpen chisels, the oil on the stone stop it sticking and fouling so why bother.

That's because they're using cheap bits at £10 a set I'm surprised they even cut.

longtimelurkersam

I use a diamond pocket stone for my router bits and don’t bother with sharpening the table saw blades as I have some good quality ones which have lasted quite some time.

Trend have some good knowledge pages and the such like.

http://www.trend-uk.com/en/UK/productgroup/56/diamond_sharpening.html
http://www.trend-uk.com/en/UK/trend/content/content_handler.php?record_type=Knowledge&id=88

vaio

higher quality blades & cutters have TCT tips which can be sharpened or even replaced but it's the old problem......new blades & cutters are made by machine in china, repairs & sharpening is done by a skilled brit down the road.

On the blades we use (300mm?) the cutoff is (from memory) 4 tips, anything more and it's cheaper to buy a new blade rather than repairing & sharpening the old one .

cyclonebri1

Kiran wrote: »

Hmm, you do have a point. Its just seems a bit ridiculous to be chucking them away so often. I understand when your doing worktops but for working with soft wood it seems like a bit of a sharpen is all they need.

In terms of saws, I should have said circular saw blades, not handsaw

That's the point of TCT cutters, they don't need sharpening when used on softwood.

Circular saw blades, same applies to be honest except if you have TCT blades again, it's pretty simple to hit the cutting face with a diamond impregnated disc mounted in a drill or dremel type of thing

I use an die grinder, high revs, it's like a dentists drill, but doesn't hurt as much.;)

If you want a solvent, cheapest option is meths, every worshop usually has that on the shelf as it's so useful.

The best and cheapest general purpose solvent I know of is one that is sold by most plastic window supplies outfits. A solvent for removing residue and marks from upvc, it £5 for a litre bottle near us.

cyclonebri1

smashingyour... wrote: »

That's because they're using cheap bits at £10 a set I'm surprised they even cut.

well if that bothers you buy the ones at £30 a set and chuck those away after 2 cuts.

The issue isn't with the cutters, it's the abrasive mix of adhesives and additives in the chipboard make up.

smashingyour...

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

well if that bothers you buy the ones at £30 a set and chuck those away after 2 cuts.

They last longer than two cuts.;);););)

smashingyour...

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

That's the point of TCT cutters, they don't need sharpening when used on softwood.

Circular saw blades, same applies to be honest except if you have TCT blades again, it's pretty simple to hit the cutting face with a diamond impregnated disc mounted in a drill or dremel type of thing

I use an die grinder, high revs, it's like a dentists drill, but doesn't hurt as much.;)

If you want a solvent, cheapest option is meths, every worshop usually has that on the shelf as it's so useful.

The best and cheapest general purpose solvent I know of is one that is sold by most plastic window supplies outfits. A solvent for removing residue and marks from upvc, it £5 for a litre bottle near us.

And you claim to be an expert diyer.

You haven't got a clue have you?