Sharpening Woodworking Tools
I wish to give a resource for allowing someone to find the best way to sharpen their woodworking tools. Rather than focus on one tool, I will attempt to point you in the right direction for almost every tool.
The problem is there are many possibilities out there from tools for beginners to more advanced. If I have missed one you wish to see included contact me and I will expand this page.
Below is a list of blade types with the necessary resources to achieve sharpening. The methods described here are the ones I use most often. Note when they suggest to use oil for honing I always use water as the lubricant due to my choice of honing stones.
Sharpening Table Saw Blades
In order to sharpen blades for table saws you need some basic equipment. The link I just gave you will go into great details about how to achieve this and a video to help along the way.
In sharpening these kinds of saw blades there are jigs one can make to help the process. It can aid in providing speed and accuracy. This is something to consider especially if you wish to periodically maintain the edge.
Before you move forward with this process there is something to consider. I once knew an old time woodworker that once said most people just think their blade is dull when its just dirty.
You will need to clean your blade before sharpening anyway, so test it after cleaning to see if it is really dull. Unless it has seen considerable service the cleaning may be all it needs. There are pitch and resin removers on the market to help achieve this.
While many say never to do this, I have known of woodworkers to use oven cleaner. I agree, its not the best option at all. To each their own, yet I would prefer using a product made for blade cleaning.
One additional thing to consider. You can always send your blade out to someone to have it sharpened. Some companies offer this service.
What I have discovered with most quality table saw blades is that if you maintain them they rarely need serious sharpening. In other words keep them clean and give a little tune up on the edge periodically. This really helps keep them in good shape.
Of the many blades which you use in woodworking these are rather resilient and do a great job at holding an edge. What causes the most issues here is neglect or accidental damage.
Sharpening Cnc and Router Bits
The resource here will help you through the steps of sharpening router bits and also those used for a cnc mill. Know that this resource deals with bits used for wood only. Yet there are a few things to take note of here as well.
Just like saw blades, often in the early stages of service life the router bit may only need cleaning. Yet to keep a bit in good shape it helps to give a few strokes with a diamond paddle before and after use. Believe it or not this goes a long way to increasing its service life.
With the maintained edge you gain not only a cleaner cut but also it reduces the amount of heat generated to get the cut. This in turn aids the bits lifespan.
I have discovered that doing this helps from later needing to sharpen more intensely. It also lets you inspect the bit for issues such as overheating, chipped edges, or cracks. It only takes a moment to do and pays dividends.
On the flip side of this same coin is sending the bit out to be sharpened, or replacing. Much will depend on the cost of the router bit as to which you decide to do.
Sharpening Bandsaw Blades
Do people sharpen bandsaw blades? You bet they do. Why? It is a very thin piece of steel that does not take long to go from sharp with amazing cuts to dull. Before long your cut is looking like the Mississippi River.
I will give two resources for this as there are many different kinds of bandsaw blades out there. For smaller blades that the typical home wood shop would have, sharpening can be done with a dremel. It will take a little practice but is easy to do.
Yet as you read through the page I gave you above, keep in mind that your blade may be different than his. The goal is to get the teeth back to the profile of its design. This method works well with most bandsaws up to the 30ish inch range in blade size. The larger blades are more challenging.
For sharpening larger bandsaw blades an altogether different method will be needed. Here sanders will be used to get the blade back in shape.
It is often easy to throw on another blade and get back to work. Yet new blades are expensive when they need more frequent maintenance. After a few times of the diy sharpening you can always send it off to be done professionally if you like.
Again here what choice you make can often depend on the cost of the blade. The smaller bandsaw from the local hardware store is very different from larger more professional versions. Cost of the blade in these different versions matters as much as its size when deciding what to do.
Sharpening Circular Saw And Miter Saw Blades
A similar method can be applied to circular saw and miter saw blades as the above mention for table saws. For me this kind of blade really is considered more of a disposable item.
Most people use the branded in store blades for these tools and cost is not comparable to nicer table saw variants. Nevertheless they can be sharpened.
I would advise cleaning first just as I have said before. Often in the earlier stages of service life this will do the trick alone. In my personal use once cleaning no longer works I often get a new blade. These saws see less use in my shop by comparison to other tools.
Sharpening Wood Chisels (Western Versions)
In western versions of wood chisels there are many different kinds of steel which you can run into. What I will give you here is the best method I have found for sharpening them across that wide spectrum.
My advise is to not use dry grinding methods for sharpening. Aside from potentially messing up the heat treatment of the blade it is just bad across the lifespan of the chisel. I personally prefer water lubricating methods rather than oil on stones.
I do suggest investing in a little jig which can help you set the angle of the bevel. I know everyone wants to be the expert at doing everything by eye and feel yet seriously these jigs help a lot.
It would be wise to investigate water sharpening stones. Western chisels can benefit in the same ways that they are used with their Japanese counterparts.
Cheaper bench chisels I do not worry as much about as they cost less. For those which I consider disposable and call beater blades, I admit that I do not put as much care into them. Yet for the nicer ones with better steel I treat them more like the Japanese versions.
Sharpening Japanese Wood Chisels
This guide for sharpening Japanese Wood Chisels is excellent. Jay actually walks you through every step of set up and break in for a new Japanese Chisel. So with this you do not miss any part of the process.
For sharpening and maintaining the edge after a chisel is broken in he also describes. The method is rather simple. You hone before and after its use on your finish stone a few times to keep it healthy. This should really be a habit for many tools within your shop.
There are a few critical differences to note from Western made chisels. Know that the steel used in Japanese chisels is very different. They are laminated carbon steel and using a dry grinder will ruin them. These must be honed on water stones.
General care of these are also a bit different. Due to carbon content in the steel keep them dry. It is a different world than the stainless steel beaters from the hardware store.
Note that I have found that using the same system in sharpening and care for hand plane blades is beneficial. Just note the difference in steel.
Sharpening A Gouge Chisel
This guide is great for sharpening a gouge chisel. Note that I have found, and many I know agree with me, that wet sandpaper is better than dry if you choose a sandpaper method. I always avoid dry grinding for sharpening.
Additionally I always use water as the lubricant rather than oil. In this way since I use water stones my process is consistent across the whole spectrum. Also I have come to be a believer in water being better for the process and the blade.
There are other tools and kits which one can acquire to aid in sharpening these specialty tools. No matter the process you select always avoid anything which introduces heat.
The trick will be creating a burr in these chisels and then getting the bevel consistent. You will be more reliant upon eye and touch of the hand with these tools. As a Gouge chisel comes with different shapes and sizes no jig is a one size fits all application.
Take your time to get it right and with a little practice you will have it down. Just take the time before using the gouge to tune it and after its use to help maintain it. This will go a long way to keeping the edge sharp and ready for consistent use.
Disposable Saw Blades Or Other Blade Cutting Tools
I rarely sharpen anything I consider disposable. What you determine to be disposable is up to you.
For me if a new blade runs anywhere between 20 to 30 dollars I do not put a lot of care into it. An example of this can be hand saws such as the Dozuki.
This is not to say that I never sharpen them. I like to always have something in reserve. When I get a replacement blade the older one is sharpened then put in a drawer or hung on the wall. It is there if and when needed.
Yet with disposable blades, such as with coping saws, once dull I toss them. There realistically is not a way to maintain these. This is just how I do things.
Beater tools are for that purpose… taking a beating. When something needs to be done where damage could happen to the tool from the process I pull out the beater tool. If it breaks or a blade is ruined then it has little impact.
Why Maintain Your Saw Blades And Chisels?
Saw blades are your life line to the woodworking world. Without a sharp edge you will forever be producing sub par results. Rough edges, crooked lines, and blowout is all too easy to see.
A sharp table saw blade that is tuned well to the table can produce edges ready for joining. A sharp router bit can produce a clean cut that is smooth rather than a rough pitted surface. It is essential.
Additionally keeping the blade clean and sharp extends its lifespan. How? It reduces the amount of heat generated when cutting. The more heat it creates the more it messes with the temper of the blade and its edge across time.
With wood chisels it is absolutely necessary to keep them sharp. I really do not see another option on this one. Some beater chisels may not be perfectly honed all the time, yet they stay sharp to the expected project.
In a similar comparison a dull bandsaw blade will chew up your wood while you wonder why it drifts so much. In the end dull blades cause more frustration than any help. Not to mention the issue that comes up from safety within your wood shop.
A sharp blade is always safer than a dull one.
Safety With Sharpening Blades
First and foremost use common sense. Follow safety instructions. Keep hands and fingers covered with protection. Safety glasses are needed especially when that one moment comes when something gets into your eye.
Keep in mind it only takes one time for something to go wrong. Until that moment following safety seems like a chore and for us manly men almost useless. Yet it is anything but useless.
We really enjoy our eyes and fingers on a daily basis. Do everything you can to make sure that you can continue enjoying them.
With some processes in cleaning or sharpening keep in mind that fumes may also be a potential hazard. What we breathe is just as important as what we could inadvertently touch. Take precautions for this as well.