Replies

1. 
   Bob_Van_Dyke | Dec 31, 2006 06:28pm | #1

   I would recommend sending out any carbide blade to a reputable sharpener. They are set up with very precise tooling to do the job accurately. Most woodworking stores and some lumber dealers have a company contracted to pick up weekly. When searching for a good sharpening service try to find out who other furniture makers or architecural millworks shops use. It is critical to their business to use someone good (I have had experience with good (and bad) sharpening companies.

   My experience with people using diamond hones on carbide blades for machines is that the blade is usually worse than when they started! I always send out any blade for a machine (it spins at 20,000 to 35,000 rpm- I want someone who knows what they are doing to sharpen it!) On the other hand- learn to sharpen your handtools- you will always do a better job than any service - never send them out.

   Hope that helps.

   Bob Van Dyke

     

2. 
   JohnWW | Jan 03, 2007 12:48am | #2

   Using a simple jig, I've sharpened the carbide blades from my 3 1/2 inch wide hand held power planer on diamond bench stones without a problem.  The diamond stones will cut carbide about as quickly as steel so the job didn't take very long.  So it is possible to sharpen carbide, if you can figure out how to keep the angles correct and the edge straight. 

   One thing I discovered is that the very coarsest diamond stones will cause the edges of the carbide to chip, so you need to start with a slightly finer stone even if you have a lot of material to remove.

   John White