Replies

1. 
   hammer1 | Jun 18, 2010 12:11am | #1

   For the few dollars it costs to have a professional sharpening service do your cutters, it's hardly worth attempting sharpening yourself. The equipment needed in addition to the experience is expensive. CMT makes quality cutters, it doesn't make sense that they would be dull when brand new. You weren't running the cutters in reverse were you? There should be several sharpening services in the Nashville area.

1. 
   weathergeek | Jun 20, 2010 11:27am | #3

   The carbide cutter face always turns into the wood that its going to cut. Or at least its worked that way for the last 35 years. Close inspection of the carbide edge show a rusty tinge. I'm thinking I can glue some 8000 grit paper to a piece of glass and take that rusty tinge off. 

   Also...I don't think I indicated that the CMT cutters were new. I did purchase the machine recently...but it is definitely used as were the cutters. I may look for a sharpening service in the area and just pay someone to do this. Although you have to be careful and get somebody who has experience at doing this kind of thing. The local chainsaw/lawn mower place doesn't have the required equipment.

   Jim

1. 
   JohnWW | Jun 22, 2010 03:56pm | #5

   The rusty tinge is from resins and other gunk built up on the cutter and they can cause burning.  The better way to clean off the cutter is to first soak it overnight in a concentrated cleaner, Simple Green brand is very effective.  After soaking it should clean up by scrubbing it with a toothbrush or a brass bush.

2. 
   ring | Jun 18, 2010 08:49am | #2

   sharpening cutters

   The very simplest, manual-operated sharpener that Weinig makes starts at about $12,000.    

1. 
   flairwoodworks | Jun 20, 2010 12:12pm | #4

   Yes. Meaning "no".

   "The very simplest, manual-operated sharpener that Weinig makes starts at about $12,000." 

   David,

   That was the best answer I've heard in days.

    

3. 
   weathergeek | Jun 22, 2010 11:37pm | #6

   Well I used one of the glass wheels from my work sharp 3000 sharpening machine and just laid it on the edge of the work bench. The glass had some 2000 grit paper affixed to it. I held the glass wheel down with one hand and took the cutter and  placed the face of the carbide cutter blade flat on the abrasive and simply moved it around in an oval type motion. That removed the reddish/rusty tinge and made it shine brightly. 

   Mounted it back in the shaper and it cuts like a champ now. These cutters were not very old and like john said probably just had some crud/resin from previous use that needed to be cleaned off.  Using simple green probably would have worked also.

   Had the cutters been more heavily used...I probably would have sent them out to be "professionally" sharpened.

   Jim