Saw Blades

If you are working with older, steel-toothed blades, you can actually handle the sharpening right at your own workbench with a simple taper file. The process involves securing the blade in a vise and giving each tooth a few light, consistent strokes at the factory-set angle. We suggest marking your starting point with a felt-tip pen so you don’t accidentally go around the circle twice. This manual method takes a bit of patience, but it is a great way to squeeze extra life out of a dedicated ripping or crosscut blade without needing fancy equipment. Just remember that this only works for all-steel blades; trying this on carbide tips will only ruin your file.

When you notice your saw is starting to “burn” through the wood or leave dark marks on your lumber, it is usually just a buildup of pitch and resin. A common household solution like Simple Green or even a mixture of water and a little laundry detergent can work wonders. You simply soak the Saw Blades in a shallow pan for about fifteen minutes to soften up the gunk, then scrub the teeth with a stiff nylon or brass brush. This DIY approach is particularly effective after a long day of cutting resinous local pine or cedar, which can gum up a blade faster than you’d expect. Just be sure to dry the metal thoroughly and apply a light coat of tool oil to prevent any flash rust.