Sharpening tracksaw blades

[porker]

I'd like to know whether people generally sharpen their tracksaw blades (or any other circular blades really) or treat them more as disposable?
I have a few blades (festool and key blades) from my tracksaw that are pretty blunt. Normally the blade lasts pretty well cutting MDF and ply but recently I have had to cut solid compact laminate and it really takes the edge of the blades after only a few cuts. I don't fancy trying to sharpen myself as generally my efforts are pretty poor. Apart from being blunt they seem to be in pretty good condition (no missing teeth etc.). I live in Bucks if anyone can recommend anyone that can do them.

 

[clogs]

porker,
North London Saw are very good, assuming they still are working...
they will replace a missing tooth etc.....
they are happy to post even to France....They did my 20" planer blades...
in France the standard price was €45 euros plus tax n shipping to sharpen a 30cm x 90tooth chop saw blade....when I lived there it was just easier to buy new a new blade from Blighty.....
Now in Crete just found a prof sharpening place...same blade €9, yes just 9 euros.....so will keep him busy for a while....
so that'll give u some idea.....
remember a lot of blades dont have a lot of meat on the teeth for resharpening....
looked out of interest at some blades from Lidil.....the tooth could have been only 30-50thou thick'ish....but the blade was less than 10euro's......!!!!!.
I just buy an average priced blade, pref made in Europe....
wont pay the extra for fancy makes....to me they are not worth it....

 

[robgul]

I think the blades have gone the way of handsaws - chuck them away, new is waaaay cheaper than sharpening. Sad but true.

 

[nickds1]

I think the blades have gone the way of handsaws - chuck them away, new is waaaay cheaper than sharpening. Sad but true.

With all due respect, if you have bought decent quality blades they are certainly worth sending off for repair and sharpening. Even missing or chipped TC teeth are quite cheap to repair.

I saved up a bunch of blades and sent them off - see P/T blade sharpening

About 12 quid a blade and they're like new.

 

[porker]

Thanks, I wondered that as well. I think that spending £30 on a blade that lasts a year or so seems OK to me but having payed more than that and using 3 blades in less than a month cutting laminate it adds up. I have some cheap blades too which I use for cutting floors etc where you are not sure what you will hit. I wouldn't expect to sharpen these economically but for a £30-45 blade it sounds like it is worth it

 

[nickds1]

Thanks, I wondered that as well. I think that spending £30 on a blade that lasts a year or so seems OK to me but having payed more than that and using 3 blades in less than a month cutting laminate it adds up. I have some cheap blades too which I use for cutting floors etc where you are not sure what you will hit. I wouldn't expect to sharpen these economically but for a £30-45 blade it sounds like it is worth it

Dooleys are still there (just checked) though their web site is down.

J.J. Dooley

13-14 Upper Brents, Faversham ME13 7DL
01795 591100 https://g.co/kgs/FtfegU

 

[porker]

Thanks @nickds1. So have you mailed your blades to them in the past? Interestingly a local'ish place I sent a mail to has just replied that they don't sharpen blades any more but told me that Tooltec in High Wycombe do. They are reasonably close to me and I drive through there quite often. Will give them a ring to see what the deal is.

 

[Noel]

If there's plenty of Carbide left a diamond file or jig with a Dremel/grinder etc will do an equally good job and take off less Carbide too than an industrial sharpening machine.
Plenty of examples on Youtube.

 

[porker]

Thanks @Noel - I've seen a few of these videos but wondered whether I would be doing more harm than good. 48 teeth as well! I'm all for doing most jobs myself but not 100% convinced a) I would actually make it sharper b) It would take me an hour to do. A couple of the blades are triple chip (whatever that means) and I don't know if that affects the way they are sharpened. (I sharpen my own chainsaw but there aren't that many teeth).

 

[Jacob]

I always give them to the man. They sharpen them equally so they are balanced, check for cracks and remove/replace loose or lost teeth. They come back working like new even if the actual carbide is shrinking away. Can't remember what I paid last time but it's always cheaper than new and you get a lot of sharpenings before they are past it.
PS and I'm a bit safety conscious - the only serious accident amongst woodworkers I've worked with was a TCT breaking off and bouncing straight into his eyeball at speed, in spite of having guards etc in place.
Missed the iris, was removed surgically and he didn't lose his sight luckily
I've been a bit cautious since and avoid looking at the spinning blade in line of fire, sideways glances only!

 

[nickds1]

Thanks @nickds1. So have you mailed your blades to them in the past? Interestingly a local'ish place I sent a mail to has just replied that they don't sharpen blades any more but told me that Tooltec in High Wycombe do. They are reasonably close to me and I drive through there quite often. Will give them a ring to see what the deal is.

Yep. See the post I linked to above. I sent off 6 blades and they came back a week later (in the same packaging) all protected by that funny waxy plastic (see the photos). There was a Festool, a Trend and several other good ones in there. They charge per tooth and repairs/replacement TC tips are a bit more. They'll advise on what's worth doing and what isn't.

Nice family firm.

https://www.yell.com/biz/j-j-dooley-faversham-4003518/

 

[TheTiddles]

I think the blades have gone the way of handsaws - chuck them away, new is waaaay cheaper than sharpening. Sad but true.

Costs me £12 to have a £60 blade sharpened, where have you been buying your blades from then?

 

[Mrs C]

Tewkesbury saw also do a postal service, very efficient.

 

[Distinterior]

In these times of solar panels, electric cars, recycling, upcycling as much as we can and generally trying to reduce our "Carbon Footprint", it seems crazy to me that some people will happily buy & use a saw blade until its blunt and then just throw it away and buy a new one coz it's cheaper than having the original blade sharpened.....we are either trying to help or just saying " Sod it, not if it is going to cost me more money!..."

I buy & use decent quality blades with a decent size of tips, then get them re-sharpened.....I've bought cheap blades in the past and it really isn't a saving coz they dont give as clean a cut...

 

[sammy.se]

Leitz in Essex

 

[pe2dave]

Bedford Saw and Tool. Good service.

 

[JobandKnock]

Leitz are also in Leeds and Manchester. They are the OEM for most Festool saw blades

One thing to mention about saw sharpening - when you sharpen blades the kerf reduces slightly (as a result of the teeth needing back clearance), so it is advisable to reposition and retrim the anti splinter strip. I get 4 to 6 "moves" out of my strips before they need to be replaced (Festool and Makita style guide rails) and for that reason I tend to resharpen my bkades in batches. With Bosch and Mafell saws I rhink yo need to replace the anti-splinter strips