Is my sawblade still sharp?

[woodshopdemos]

There is a person at DMT, the diamond sharpener people, that has given me quite a bit of input...and I take it as gospel. 1) do not use oven cleaners (i haven't for years). I do use CMT Blade Cleaner 2) clean the blade after using - letting the burnt resin set is not good on brazings...that I would never have thought of and 3) you can "fine tune" a blade between sharpening. Use a small DMT "fine" file on the side of each and every tooth. Mark the first tooth and use two strokes on each. work around the blade. It takes a while and I use very little pressure on the file. I have not done this on the Festool blades...but do it quite often on the 80 tooth CMT fine cabinetmaking blade. 

 

[Llap Goch]

John

I have been using CMT Formula 2050 for years on my router bits, planer blades and saw blades. It shifts resin with ease and I just tickle it along with an old tooth brush to get rid of the stubborn bits. It is excellent stuff but sprays everywhere so I spray it onto a sponge and dab it on which keeps it well away from router bit bearings. It is also good at cleaning the sole plates and irons of hand planes.

 

[Wim]

I now can answer the question in the title with YES.
I mounted a new blade, a W28 and used it today. The wood is turned into warm butter. I am in business again.
Now I have to find a grinder for the other blade but I am not in a hurry now.
Thanks everybody for the good advise, I have learnt a great deal about sawblade maintenance.

 

[Dave Ronyak]

John,

What is the theory/explanation behind the "tuning" that you describe?  It sounds like you are renewing the hair's [actually less] edge by abrading away a very small amount of the carbide of each cutting surface of each tooth.  Or at least removing any fine layer remaining of the gum.  I have not tried that with my saw blades, but I have long used a variation of your technique to keep my router bits and molding head cutters tuned.  Just a few licks each time I use them seems to keep them going indefinitely.  But as a hobbyist, I am a light user.

Dave R.

 

[woodshopdemos]

Dave,
  My error in not being clearer. I use that "tuning" to remove the little bit of black burnt resins and to crispen the edge.

 

[Dave Ronyak]

Dave,
   My error in not being clearer. I use that "tuning" to remove the little bit of black burnt resins and to crispen the edge.

Thanks, John.  I have done the same without thinking about it as you did.  As you know, some of those deposits are stubborn and well resist various blade cleaning techniques.  One of my past errors [out of ignorance] was not cleaning bits and blades shortly after use.  Thanks to this forum, I have learned and changed my ways.

Dave R.