Replies

1. 
   TonyCz | Nov 25, 2007 06:15am | #1

   Send them out it is not that expensive.  Your blades should be ground to exactly the same size. Dressing the knife is a hole other story, which is ok to do your self.

   I use Andersen Saw in Gardena Calif.  they are the best in the business here in so Cal.

2. 
   flairwoodworks | Nov 25, 2007 07:54am | #2

   Sharpening is possible to do yourself.  You can buy a jig for some sharpening systems to do jointer blades.  Often, blades only need to be honed, which is easily done with a little wet/dry paper on plate glass.  Veritas makes a jig to hold blades at the correct angle if you're not confident.

   Chris @ flairwoodworks

3. 
   terryb | Dec 01, 2007 12:50am | #3

   i sharpen my own jointer (8") and planer (15") knives. I build an adjustable holder for each and use psa backed silicon carbide paper mounted on a sheet of thick glass as the abrasive.

4. 
   frenchy | Dec 01, 2007 08:11am | #4

   wiskeytango,

     I bought a Tormex sharpener in part because I need to sharpen jointer and planner blades so much.. I go thru tens of thousands of bd.ft every year..  I start from roughsawn lumber and make the wood finish grade stuff.

      I thought I could save not only the cost of sharpening (about $15 for four   8 inch jointer blades)  but also the time it took to drive there and back..

     I have as many as 50 sets of blades so we're talking serious money here plus the sharpening service is 2 hours round trip away..

    I found out even with a Tormex set up for the blades I couldn't do as good a job as the pros could..

     I kept track and I would replace the blades with only around 1500 bd.ft when I sharpened them and I could get at least 3000 bd.ft. when the service did them.. plus no matter how carefully I did them I took off more material than they did..

       Now there's a real trick involved with sharpening services.   The first trick is don't use the guy who sharpens saw blades.   I've got a great one with Eide saw, but they send their planer/jointer blades out to be sharpened..

    Find a printers service company..   you see they use blades which look exactly like planner blades to scrape ink off and they need them just as sharp  (actually sharper) it's a major deal with printers dull blades and they get smeary printing..

    the cool thing is they are used to fast turn arounds  and they are extremely modest priced.. If you use the saw company they mark up the blades when they come from the printers service company.. so it's more expensive! 

    

    

1. 
   WillGeorge | Dec 01, 2007 06:13pm | #5

   printers service companyI agree.. Well, I serviced printing machines of all types all my life. From Electronic controls to the iron and every sort of machine you will find.Ever see a 60 or 120 inch paper cutter blade. They come back so sharp the protective steel blade guards gave a sleigh of relief when I took them off for the install!