Replies

1. 
   patternmaker | Oct 03, 2002 01:02pm | #1

   PJ:

   There are shops all across this great country of ours set up to sharpen knives. I think this is a job best left to them.The cost is relatively inexpensive compared to the cost of a messed up set of knives.

   I keep an extra set on hand so as to minimize down time on the equipment.

   FWIW ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬PAT¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬

2. 
   JeffKurtz | Oct 03, 2002 07:10pm | #2

   PJ,

   Pat is correct.  Trying to sharpen planer knives by hand is an invitation to disaster.  Send them out and save yourself a lot of frustration, to say the least.

   Jeff

3. 
   UncleDunc | Oct 03, 2002 09:12pm | #3

   >> Also what would be the best grinder to buy for sharpening these knives?

   The best would probably be a surface grinder. New ones go for $5000 and up. The cheapest used ones I've seen on eBay that appear to be in usable condition are about $1200 to $1500.

   It would also work real well for grinding chisels and plane irons.

1. 
   JeffKurtz | Oct 03, 2002 11:50pm | #5

   Uncle,

   A knife grinder would be preferable to a surface grinder.  A new one (decent) runs about $1000+  It would take a lot of trips to the saw shop to recoup that investment.  Aren't there conversion kits available for almost all planers so that one can use double sided disposable quick change knives?  I know Grizzly has them for their machines.  For a 20" planer the kit costs $325 including 4 new "blades" (sic), and the replacement disposable knives run another $55 a set.

   Seems what one would save on sharpening costs and the easy set-up would make it worth the price.

   Jeff

4. 
   nigelUsa | Oct 03, 2002 11:36pm | #4

   What planer machine do you have? Sharping runs about $9 per edge. its still cheaper to replace unless you have a Dewalt.

5. 
   mgsteve | Oct 04, 2002 10:43pm | #6

   In my opinion, because of the length of the blades, you would be best served if you took them to a professional grinding shop.  Just make sure they don't take too much off the blades.  It's definitely worth the money.