How to sharpen your own Band saw Blades

[Arlin Eastman]

I confess that I only skimmed through the videos and didn't listen to the dialog. So, maybe I've got something wrong.
I have done this with a chainsaw stone a couple of times and it, of course, did sharpen the blade. What I did not do was grind the top of the teeth. This grind, if I'm seeing correctly, has a side slope to it that, like a crosscut handsaw, should be at a certain angle. The videos seemed to ignore this. I did not touch the top as I didn't feel that it was necessary and I didn't want to try to find the angle and make a jig to keep it correct. I think my sharpening was pretty good without it. Also, by grinding the top you are apt to change the height of the tooth more than just grinding the under side.

I used to use them also but they wore out pretty quickly so that is why I use the diamond bits and they are cheaper then the stone bits.

[Dennis Puskar]

Does all this resharpening  take away from the set in the teeth ?

[Willyou]

The short answer is yes. However, each sharpening should remove such a small amount of material that the effect can usually be ignored. This assumes the teeth are properly set to start with. After multiple sharpenings, it may become a factor.

Looking at several blogs and videos on the subject, I have not found anyone yet who agrees with me. However, I have written before that I subscribe to using a cylindrical stone on a dremel to sharpen only the underside of the tooth point and gullet. This avoids grinding down the top of the tooth and lowering the height of it. This will also minimize any effect on reducing the tooth set. Unless the top of the tooth is damaged, I see no reason to grind it down.

[Arlin Eastman]

Dennis

What Will said.

It all depends on how aggressive you are in sharpening then.  To me if I only sharpen them three times it is still better then throwing them away the first time.  So try it out and learn from your mistakes.

[Timberwolf]

Dennis

What Will said.

It all depends on how aggressive you are in sharpening then.  To me if I only sharpen them three times it is still better then throwing them away the first time.  So try it out and learn from your mistakes.

...........
AFAIK I was the first person to start sharpening BS blades this way more than 12yrs ago. and I described my method right here on this forum..At first I used a cylinder stone but discover a diamond burr works better and lasts longer.{the diamond doesn't wear like the stone does}.I run the burr into the gullet and quickly "sweep" the burr down the top of each tooth. I do not "Dwell" on the high point of the tooth at all...just sweep down the top and into the next gullet below, give the gullet a couple passes and repeat the process...One fellow did a Youtube video sharpening that way and devised a test..He used a weighted system that he attached to a sled and timed a cut through a hard wood using gravity and a brand new Timberwolf blade..He then sharpened the same blade and ran the test again timing the cut..The re-sharpened blade cut the wood faster by more than 25%.
I sharpened one of my blade at least four times before the "set" was lost and performance was reduced noticeably ..The fact is a honed blade is sharper than a stamped blade.

[mike4244]

...........
AFAIK I was the first person to start sharpening BS blades this way more than 12yrs ago. and I described my method right here on this forum..At first I used a cylinder stone but discover a diamond burr works better and lasts longer.{the diamond doesn't wear like the stone does}.I run the burr into the gullet and quickly "sweep" the burr down the top of each tooth. I do not "Dwell" on the high point of the tooth at all...just sweep down the top and into the next gullet below, give the gullet a couple passes and repeat the process...One fellow did a Youtube video sharpening that way and devised a test..He used a weighted system that he attached to a sled and timed a cut through a hard wood using gravity and a brand new Timberwolf blade..He then sharpened the same blade and ran the test again timing the cut..The re-sharpened blade cut the wood faster by more than 25%.
 I sharpened one of my blade at least four times before the "set" was lost and performance was reduced noticeably ..The fact is a honed blade is sharper than a stamped blade.

You must have been the second person to have started sharpening band saw blades. I sharpened band saw blades in the late 70's when I bought my first band saw. Used a round chain saw file then, Dremel tool for about 25+ years. Actually I wasn't the first, I was taught how by an uncle who ran a mill.

mike

[Timberwolf]

OK then, not that it matters but AFAIK I was the first person to post how I did it on this forum without removing the blade...I got the idea from sharpening chainsaw blades on the saw using my Dremel since 1965 when I built my first fireplace and hydraulic log splitter.

[alanealane]

I leave the blade in the bandsaw, get it up to full speed, and then jab down really fast with the Dremel to hit the back of each tooth. You gotta be quick!


Derek

I saw this and for a split second I thoight you meant to sharpen with the saw running! "Boy do I feel like a clone!" - Mork 

[Arlin Eastman]

bumped to help others out there who have not read it yet