Router Forums banner

Blade sharpening

3632 Views 30 Replies 13 Participants Last post by  Herb Stoops
I have a question. I have several circular saw blades of various size that need sharpening.
I have one of those do it yourself sharpeners , but all I can do is one side of the tooth. They don't stay sharp very long that way.
I have searched in my area for a shop that will sharpen them.
Seems most places want you to bring them in and not mail them. I can see how mailing a 60 tooth carbide could be dangerous.
Where do you guys get your sharpened

David
1 - 20 of 31 Posts
Ask your local cabinet shop who sharpens their blades.
  • Like
Reactions: 4
Many woodworking stores offer sharpening, but I'd also ask the cabinet makers first for a more local source.
There are numerous saw sharpening companies online with free shipping
freud has places all over
https://www.freudtools.com/partners...MIodzHuI6y6AIVma_ICh074gwrEAAYAiAAEgL7jfD_BwE
  • Like
Reactions: 3
Most lumber yards collect and send them out to the shop that sharpens their blades. I takes about a week turnaround. I just take mine directly to the sharp shop. You will notice a whale of a difference in the performance, usually better than when they were new
Herb
  • Like
Reactions: 4
I have a Freud Industrial glue edge blade that needs resurecting. Didn't realize what I was cutting was actually concrete (don't ask), and the blade barely cuts butter now.
I have a Freud Industrial glue edge blade that needs resurecting. Didn't realize what I was cutting was actually concrete (don't ask), and the blade barely cuts butter now.
It may need a whole new set of Dentures ,Tom..............
Just saying.
Herb
  • Like
Reactions: 4
Most lumber yards collect and send them out to the shop that sharpens their blades. I takes about a week turnaround. I just take mine directly to the sharp shop. You will notice a whale of a difference in the performance, usually better than when they were new
Herb
I just got mine back from our local Windsor Plywood store. They sell cabinet grade ply plus exotic lumber. They collect them and send them out to a sharpening service in Penticton which is 3 hours from my place. They wait until they have enough to make sending by courier worthwhile.

The suggestion to go to a cabinet shop and either ask them where or ask them if you can send yours with theirs is good too. They'll know the best places to send them if they've been in business any length of time.
  • Like
Reactions: 3
I send mine to Franks once I have a few saved up, they are closest to me for shipping:
Franks Industrial Sharpening & Sales - Jacksonville Industrial Sharpening

Also here is another I have not used but also accepts blades by shipment:
https://www.burnstools.com/blade-sharpening
  • Like
Reactions: 1
Who I use

I use Quin Saw in St Louis. Easy mail in service, quick turnaround and quality work.
www.quinnsaw.com
  • Like
Reactions: 1
And just to add a point that sometimes gets overlooked, make sure the blade is clean before deciding it's dull. A clean blade can make a big difference. I clean mine anytime I see pitch gathering on the blade. I was told that good old Simple Green is good for this task. See this link fro more https://mytoolslab.com/how-to-clean-pitch-off-of-saw-blades/
  • Like
Reactions: 4
I have a question. I have several circular saw blades of various size that need sharpening.
I have one of those do it yourself sharpeners , but all I can do is one side of the tooth. They don't stay sharp very long that way.
I have searched in my area for a shop that will sharpen them.
Seems most places want you to bring them in and not mail them. I can see how mailing a 60 tooth carbide could be dangerous.
Where do you guys get your sharpened

David
I did. They send off for all their cabinets, Turns out they don't make anything here.
I didn't even get into , where do they order from.
  • Like
Reactions: 1
Not So Much...

And just to add a point that sometimes gets overlooked, make sure the blade is clean before deciding it's dull. A clean blade can make a big difference. I clean mine anytime I see pitch gathering on the blade. I was told that good old Simple Green is good for this task. See this link fro more https://mytoolslab.com/how-to-clean-pitch-off-of-saw-blades/
Steve; there was a discussion about this a couple of years back. I wrote the Simple Green manufacturer and they wrote back to say, "No" use their 'Precision Aircraft Cleaner' instead. Apparently Simple Green potentially causes some deterioration of the Carbide if you soak your blade in it...something to do with the Hydrogen atoms if I remember correctly.
(I think I posted the letter here somewhere.)
  • Like
Reactions: 2
Steve; there was a discussion about this a couple of years back. I wrote the Simple Green manufacturer and they wrote back to say, "No" use their 'Precision Aircraft Cleaner' instead. Apparently Simple Green potentially causes some deterioration of the Carbide if you soak your blade in it...something to do with the Hydrogen atoms if I remember correctly.
(I think I posted the letter here somewhere.)
we both did Dan...
and yet there are those that go that route because it's fast, easy and does a great job - side effects/affects be damned...
They will staunchly, some ferociously, defend the practice ''because somebody told them'' and ignore the professional's and manufacturer's word...
In the same token, perhaps it's that they didn't know what the professional's and manufacturer's word is on this...

SG posted a warning on their website not to clean blades with it, as it can weaken the bond (brazing) between the carbide and the metal (blade body)....
for that matter - Don’t Use Oven Cleaner or ANY Other Caustics/Lye-Based Cleaners either...

TAKE THIS AS A WARNING!!!.....

There are lots of folks who still use oven spray cleaner, and tout it.
Then there are lots of folks who say don’t use it, but don’t/never had any proof or studies to back up their reasoning.

Then there’s Freud’s “Charles McCracken.”
He says that you never use oven cleaner or any that are lye based(especially on carbide tipped blades):
“These attack the binder in the carbide and, on Freud blades, they also deteriorate the special tri-metal brazing we use. This can cause carbide or brazing failure and could lead to injury.”
SG said pretty much the same about their Simple Green...
“We do not recommend long-term soaking of Carbide blades in Simple Green. Long-term exposure like this can possibly cause cobalt leaching that will, in turn, affect the integrity or carbide.

There’s a big thread over at Sawmill Creek on this...

JUST DON’T DO IT!!!
See less See more
  • Like
Reactions: 2
Caustics like oven cleaner (lye) not only are bad for blades, they are extremely dangerous. A cousin was cleaning her oven and dropped the open bottle and when it hit the floor the recoil shot liquid into her eye. The eye is discolored , her vision has been permanently affected, and she has had several eye operations to try and improve usage. It just isn't worth the risk.

I've been using Trend Bit and Blade Cleaner and CMT makes one similar. It takes a bit of work with a toothbrush to get a blade clean but it's safe to use. The last time I tried it it left a sticky residue on my blade so I tried some WD40 to get rid of the residue and it did a great job. In fact, I'm finding that WD40 does a great job of getting rid of various sticky residues. Next time I need to clean a blade I'm going to see if just using the WD works. A corrosion prevention test I saw a while back found that WD40 is pretty good at that too and is one of the cheapest solutions.
  • Like
Reactions: 2
I called a local door company and they are allowing me to bring my blades to their shop for wens pickup and the next wens drop off.
They have a guy that comes by every week.
I have to place my blades on a board and mark them so I get mine back.
I am sending 4 blades to test the system.
This may turn out to a steady thing.
I might even get them to let me see their operation while there.
I would enjoy that.
Thanks for the comments and advice.
I'll post later on how it all turns out.
  • Like
Reactions: 5
Caustics like oven cleaner (lye) not only are bad for blades, they are extremely dangerous. A cousin was cleaning her oven and dropped the open bottle and when it hit the floor the recoil shot liquid into her eye. The eye is discolored , her vision has been permanently affected, and she has had several eye operations to try and improve usage. It just isn't worth the risk.

I've been using Trend Bit and Blade Cleaner and CMT makes one similar. It takes a bit of work with a toothbrush to get a blade clean but it's safe to use. The last time I tried it it left a sticky residue on my blade so I tried some WD40 to get rid of the residue and it did a great job. In fact, I'm finding that WD40 does a great job of getting rid of various sticky residues. Next time I need to clean a blade I'm going to see if just using the WD works. A corrosion prevention test I saw a while back found that WD40 is pretty good at that too and is one of the cheapest solutions.
sorry to hear about your cousin...

I use the Trend also...

follow up that WD w/ dish soap solution...
Wasn't aware of problems with Simple Green but do now. Personally I don't have it or use it. I do have the CMT cleaner which I have used and still have a full gallon plus most of that which came in a pint sized sprayer. or is that quart. Haven't looked in a while and probably time to clean them again.

Thanks for the correction and clarification.
  • Like
Reactions: 2
Wasn't aware of problems with Simple Green but do now. Personally I don't have it or use it. I do have the CMT cleaner which I have used and still have a full gallon plus most of that which came in a pint sized sprayer. or is that quart. Haven't looked in a while and probably time to clean them again.

Thanks for the correction and clarification.
Steve; not completely off base...their Aircraft Cleaner is supposed to be a really good product! Just fine for soaking carbide tools in.
https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cspages/09-00809.php
Another thing that came up in our conversations was that if you want to have rust inhibitors you need to find and add them.

Added text: this whole thing for me came about because I wanted to use a cleaning solution with my engine cleaning wand (compressor+siphoned solution)
1 - 20 of 31 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top