Sharpening Jointer Knives?

[tkarlmann]

The Woodcraft unit is really a low-cost knock-off of the Makita. I think I spent about $100 for the Woodcraft sharpener + the knife jig. Still kinda spendy unless you're paranoid (like me) about some sharpening service hosting-up your nearly impossible to replace Inca knives.

The sandpaper method was slow but gave me Popeye like biceps. Like I said above, not great for knives with nicks. But it did produce incredibly sharp knives.

The local (to Milwaukee) sharpening rates I've seen advertised for knives is about $.50/inch. So if you have a 6-inch three-knife unit, you'd be looking at $9 for each sharpening. I'd seriously consider that.

If I was starting over and insistent on doing it myself, I'd be inclined to make a jig that would work in conjunction w/ my Worksharp 3000.

Wow! When was the last time you used your sharpening service? I was just in Milwaukee last week Friday (Nov 13) -- I went to the Rockler on Hwy 100 and the Woodcraft now on ... Greenfield Ave. Here is my earlier post quote: "I just got quotes on sharpening from Woodcraft and Rockler a few stores in Chicago & Milwaukee. Pricing varied and included $0.62, $0.70, and $0.85 per inch. For a three-knife, 6 1/8" blade jointer this works out to $11.39, $12.87, and $14.70." The two higher prices were from the Milwaukee stores! Of course the stores will need to mark the prices up.

Worksharp only advertises their unit capable of blades 3" wide or less. Woodcraft does not sell the 3000 itself, but has the 3" fixture attachment for $69.95. I searched the Worksharp site, and nothing came up able to do longer blades.

I have started to build the fixture similar to yours. I'm considering adding a handle on the top to be able to add more downward force.

Thoughts?

Thom

[SARGE..g-47]

I'm getting lost in this issue. There must be a better answer for jointer knife sharpening out there!

Can you go into some more detail as to how well or how poorly your hand-made jig worked for you? I cannot spend $325 on something to sharpen jointer blades! Thanks.
__________________

I've have been watching this thread as it has developed, Thom. Cgallery has already told you if he had standard knives as your's.. he would simply send them out to be sharpened in lieu of the fuss of trying to keep them balanced doing it himself. Balancing is an "issue" when you do the sharpening. He has a non standard knife and the reason he is doing what he does.

So.. here is my answer to "is there a better answer" and I will explain it. On my jointer I can pass an average of 10,000-14,000 linear feet of edge on one set of blades. By adjusting the fence "to and fro" to allow you to rotate the position on a knife to get even wear all the way across the blade edge jointing you will extend the life of the blade.

When surface jointing I average between 2000-5000 linear feet of stock depending on species. I prep air dried stock for locals for hire so these figures are realistic taking shallow passes with the grain. I also build a piece for myself on average of every two months. I do hone my blades on the machine occassionally with a slip stone.

If you build less than 2 pieces a year as most hobbiest do... a set can last as long as 4-5 years depending. In lieu of purchasing a sharpening system.. sand-paper.. etc.... the cost is going to probably exceed $75 even if you build a jig that will not necessarily gaurantee balanced blades in the end.

You can purchase 5 sets of new blades for from Holbren's at the moment for $80 which includes free shipping over a $75 order. That will probably last the average hobbiest a life-time if they are over 40 years old. I have 8 sets for my 8" jointer at the moment which won't last a life-time for me.... but I also have a local sharpening shop who does them for $12 a set for 8".

So.. the issue is a simple... common sense decision for me with new and a sharpening service out-weighing wasting my time for around the same dollar spent.

Good luck what-ever you do...

[cgallery]

I think Sarge sums it up perfectly.

[icrazywood]

If your jointers knives are not working, then you need to sharpen it. For sharping this knives, you don't need to remove from the jointer. You can easily sharpen at their place.