12" planer blades--Sharpening??

[Tynyyn]

Does anyone on here sharpen their own 12" planer blades?  I hate like heck to go and throw down $45 to purchase a new set of blades, so I've been wondering how do you guys sharpen the blades.

There are a few YouTube vids on how to do it and some interesting vids on sharpening hand knives, so I'm thinking, is there a way to use a knife sharpener to get an edge on a planer blade? 

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[jteneyck]

I sharpen my planer blades.  Used to be 10", now 14".  I used waterstones and a homemade jig to hold the blades at 45° for years.  It worked really well, but took a long time if I got a nick in the knives.  About 15 years ago I bought a Grizzly knife grinder at an auction for cheap and found it works great for sharpening them.  It now takes only about 5 minutes to sharpen each knife, and in 30 minutes or so I'm running again.  Clearly the quality of the edge isn't as good (but they are still dead straight) as when using waterstones, but that doesn't seem to matter in quality of cut or length of time between sharpenings. 

There are lots of ways to sharpen jointer/planer knives by hand, and it doesn't have to cost much.  A home made jig and waterstones, oil stones, scary sharp, cup grinding wheel on your drill press, grinding stone on your RAS - they all work.  Pick what makes sense to you and go to it.                

John

[Splinter Puller]

When I had my dewalt 12" with resharpen-able blades I'd get about 5 sharpenings out of each set.  My sharpening shop charged by the inch for blades and per tooth for sawblades.  The 12" blades were about $6 to sharpen.

Now I have carbide inserts and would never go back.

[barryvabeach]

Dayle,  I hone my blades, not much work at all.  There are a number of jigs, usually they hold at the correct angle, and you just need abrasive sheets of the right grits and a flat surface.  It usually only takes a few minutes per blade,  and mine are 12 1/4 inch blades.  I have not had to deal with a serious knick, and if I had that problem, I would either buy a new set, or send them out to be sharpened.

[museumguy]

I have the 6" version of this      http://www.deulentools.com/BuySharpeners.html       It works very well. I can't remember where I bought it but I bought a factory blemished version for much less. They make a 12"  version also.

[Admiral]

Does anyone on here sharpen their own 12" planer blades?  I hate like heck to go and throw down $45 to purchase a new set of blades, so I've been wondering how do you guys sharpen the blades.

There are a few YouTube vids on how to do it and some interesting vids on sharpening hand knives, so I'm thinking, is there a way to use a knife sharpener to get an edge on a planer blade? 

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

If you want to go power, right now in the S&S below is the Makita knife sharpener; designed specifically for this task, useful for other sharpening duty as well.  Link:

https://www.forums.woodnet.net/showthrea...id=7328945

[kurt18947]

I have two sets. My sharpener charges $.50/inch so around $18.00 for 3 12" knives. It's not worth messing for that kind of money to me, especially as I only change them about once a year and move one a little if I get a nick.

[castguy2003]

I have a 12.5" Delta with two sided "Throw Away" blades. I find if they are not badly nicked I can run them through a surface grinder and remove .005 - .010 from the large flat side, hone off the burr and they work just fine.

[Guest]

I made my own sharpening jig.
A piece of 1x2 hardwood. I used a scrap piece to cut an angled slot in it, for the knife. Adjusted the blade angle until it was the same as the angle on the knife.
I then cut it in the hardwood 1x2. Tapped 4, holes for 1/4" bolts to hold the knife.
One corner of the 1x2 rests on the table saw top, and the knife rides on the sandpaper on the ts.
Works fine

[Tynyyn]

So what grits of sand paper do you guys run your blades over? I wonder if I should start at 60, then up to 100, then 150. Or is there a better alternative in grit selection?