A circular saw blade is most under pressure when the tool is in action. Undoubtedly, the blade sustains more pressure and becomes blunt. In such situations, you may wonder if it is worth sharpening the circular saw blades.
When the blade is dull and blunt, it can be worth sharpening them, on condition that the blade is in good condition, and has not been sharpened too many times. Sharping a blade can enhance the cutting performance and increase the lifespan.
If you are confused about whether to sharpen the blade or replace it, this article is for you.
Is It Worth Sharpening Circular Saw Blades?
Whether a circular saw blade is worth sharpening or not is subject to a few pre-conditions. You can certainly sharpen the blades but sometimes it may bring more problems than solutions. It is worth sharpening the circular saw blades when they are in good condition and not sharpened too often.
When those pre-conditions are satisfied, sharpening the blades is very much worth it. There are many advantages to sharpen the blades. Let’s explore a few of them.
1. Better Cutting Performance
With repeated and continuous use, the teeth of a circular saw blade endure extreme pressure and tension. This pressure makes the tip of the teeth blunt and dull. Sharpening them can make them sharper and stronger again, elevating their cutting performance.
2. Increases The Life Span
A blade suffers tons of chips and wears out when it is used against a dense material. Such chips and nicks can be a reason for premature wear. This can lead to permanent damage to the blade. Sharpening a blade can prevent such premature wear and extend its lifespan.
3. Cheaper and Inexpensive
Replacing the circular saw blade frequently can take a heavy toll on your pocket. Whereas, resharpening them can cost next to nothing compared to the price of a circular saw blade. This is certainly not a long-term plan as you have to replace them eventually. However, reshaping them can hold the fort a little longer and be cheaper.
4. Environmentally Friendly
Reusing and recycling are the future of mankind. Instead of throwing it away and replacing it, you can make the blade reusable again. This way, you can contribute to helping reduce the pile of waste that is threatening our environment and livelihood.
When Should You Sharpen Circular Saw Blades?
Sharpening the Circular saw might be worth it with certain conditions applied. You must understand your circular saw blade well and then jump to the conclusion of whether you should sharpen it or not. If you are oblivious to the fact that your blade requires sharpening or not, let me show you how you can diagnose it.
1. The Blade Is In Good Condition
You must diagnose the overall condition of the blade. Well, you can’t expect top-notch conditions because you wouldn’t consider resharpening if it were. But you have to look for the basic conditions such as the teeth’s quality and state of the material. If the blade is in such poor and dilapidated condition that it is beyond repair, you should bid farewell.
2. Blade Was Sharpened Too Many Times
The sharpening process is not a hard idea to grasp. The sharpening tool takes a little material for the teeth to give them more sharpness and edge. Just as we sharpen our pencils. But when the blade has been under this procedure too many times, the tip of the blade has barely any material coat left on them. So, a blade that has been sharpened a lot should be spared.
3. You have The Specialized Tool
Sharpening a blade is quite critical for you and for the blade too. A wrong move can prove fatal for the blade. So, you must have a specialized tool for sharpening the blade. This tool grinds the teeth of the circular saw to the correct angle and position.
4. Skill
Having a specialized tool won’t suffice.You must also be very skilled and proficient in sharpening them. The sharpening procedure is very complicated. Different blades will require different kinds of grinding techniques and wheels. If you are not familiar with the sharpening tool, it is better to rely on professionals.
5. Cost
You must ask yourself at this point which one is costlier. Replacing the blades or sharpening them. If you already have a sharpening tool and you are skilled enough, it would certainly be inexpensive to resharpen them, subject to the condition of the blade. However, if you need to buy a separate tool and need to learn the process, I will say go for the replacement route.
How To Know Whether The Blade Has Been Sharpened Too Many Times?
Unless you are keeping track by yourself, it is very difficult to assess how many times the blade has been under the sharpening tool. However, I am not here to disappoint you but rather to show you tricks to determine the blade’s sharpening history.
1. Conspicuously Shorter Teeth
When the teeth look too short compared to the original blade, it is a grave indication that the blade has been sharpened too many times. As the sharpening tool brushes off the bluntness of the tip of the blade every time it is sharpened, it becomes much shorter at the end.
2. Wider Gullets
The gullet of a circular saw denotes the gap or space between the teeth of the blade. When you notice that the gullets seem wider and the root of each tooth is more distant than usual, you will comprehend that the blade has been sharpened too many times. This is correlated to the teeth’s shortening as the gullet becomes wider when the teeth curtail.
3. Thinner And Slender Body
As the coating on the blade surface is gradually removed by the sharpening tool, it is no wonder the blade will look and feel thinner. The blade might also be too wobbly due to the effect of the bore size on the blade. When the body seems thinner than the original blade, it indicates that the blade has been under the sharpening tool many times.
4. Warped And Bent
As mentioned earlier, the technique of sharpening is really sensitive and is prone to many mistakes and improper techniques. Due to such mistakes and techniques, the heat might build up when the blade is under the tool. This may lead to warping on the blade, or it can bend as well. This is a clear indication that the blade has been sharpened too many times.
Some Tips To Remember
- When sharpening the circular saw blade, always use the right tool. A good quality sharpening tool, a round and flat file should be used for this purpose.
- The tools should be the right size and shape according to the blade you want to sharpen. Learn about the blade before you purchase the sharpening tool.
- Don’t put a dirty brush under the sharpening tool. The blade should be cleaned out and out with a cloth or wire brush.
- The angle of the blade should be in a symmetrical position with the angle of the tool. Circular saws generally range tooth angles from 10 to 30 degrees.
People Also Ask
How often should You sharpen The circular saw blade?
It depends on your frequency of usage and the material you are cutting. In general, the blade should be sharpened for every 10 hours of service. When the blades seem blunt and dull and the cuts are not precise enough, you can resharpen them too.
What tools should you use to sharpen the blade?
You will need a sharpening tool, a flat file, and a round file for sharpening the tool. You should know whether the blade is compatible with the sharpening tool. You have to learn about the model of the blade by going through the manual to purchase a compatible tool.
Can a sharpening tool sharpen a carbide-tipped blade?
A sharpening tool can sharpen a carbide-tipped blade. But the tool must be a special carbide blade sharpening tool. Any random tool can’t work on a carbide-tipped blade. If you are not a pro with this special tool, you should leave the task in a professional’s hands.
Final Words
A blade is the motherboard of a circular saw and when the blade fails to deliver its service, the whole point of a circular saw becomes obsolete. This raises the question of whetherit is worth sharpening the circular saw blades. When the blade is in good condition and hasn’t been sharpened too many times, it is certainly worth it.
