Sharpen or replace Jointer/Planer blades?

[Brian Penning]

I've been buying replacements.

[keith ouellette]

I have bought new jointer blades but my planer is 20" and when those blades are ready I think I will try to have them sharpened.

[phil harold]

replacement blades cost $49 for my 8" Jointer
12 bucks to sharpen
Bought 1 set of spare blades so I can still joint while the blades are resharpened...

[Mike Black Milford, MI]

Ditto on what Phil said. I probably could get by with just one set but I like the comfort of having that second set, just in case.

[Carl Beckett]

The only place I know near me has been a well known woodworking supplies store, and the price is $1 per inch. So for my 15" planer times three blades this would be $45, and for the 8" jointer it would be $24. Plus tax.

Cheaper than buying a new set of blades, but not by a lot. I still havent figured out a way to sharpen myself (and right now every blade in my shop is nicked.... two sets of jointer blades, and two sets of planer blades - time to by a metal wand!! but that is another story).

If anyone has an economical resharpening service please let me know!! (I am looking at about $150 to get these all back in shape).

[Glen Butler]

Resharpening gets the blades like new, and it is more economical. Totally worth it as long as your sharpener is reputable.

[Rod Sheridan]

Mine are disposable so I dispose of them,,,,,,,,,,Rod.

[Dick Mahany]

I resharpen them myself with a Tormek and planer blade fixture. Works beautifully. I buy a second set of blades up front so that I exchange knives immediately, and resharpen when time permits to minimize down time on the tools.

[Pete Hay]

+1 for Phil's response.
Just measure the blades each time before sharpening to insure you don't sharpen a blade that then will be too narrow. We did that on our Mikata 2040; $22 for sharpening but couldn't use the very sharp but too narrow blades.

[george wilson]

Look into getting Dispoz-a Blades,sold by Grizzly,or by the company mentioned. It costs a bit to get the holders and first blades. After that,the blades being double sided,it costs less to buy new blades than sharpening costs per edge. and,blade changing is extremely quick and easy.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Originally Posted by Carl Beckett

If anyone has an economical resharpening service please let me know!! (I am looking at about $150 to get these all back in shape).

Use a "flat rate box from the post office, and mail them to Dynamic Saw (dynamicsaw.com)in Buffalo NY. Box is less than ten bucks, and their price is $0.50 an inch, half of what you are paying at local store. I live in central NC, but send my stuff to Buffalo.

[Carl Beckett]

Thanks to a post by Chip on here some time back, referencing a FWW #30 article on sharpening your knives by putting a friable grinding wheel on the tablesaw.

Instead of a piece of hardwood, I clamped my incra jig down as a guide. It has a micro-screw adjustment so I could take very light increments while grinding (very little heating and stayed cool enough to touch).

The grinding wheel I got from Rockler for $18.

In 30 minutes, I had sharpened two sets of jointer knives and a set of planer knives.

Then taking off the edge off with some fine sandpaper on plate glass.

It worked great.