How to Sharpen a Circular Saw Blade
Circular saws are handy tools in your workshop. Like every other tool, these power saws need some maintenance. You cannot buy new blades every now and then. It would cost you a lot. What you’re going to do is to cleanse and sharpen the blade when it gets dull, rather than spending extra money on a new blade.
So, how to you sharpen a circular saw blade? The job is really a piece of cake. You just need to know the techniques and apply them on your own. This article is going to guide you through the whole process of sharpening a dull circular saw blade. Stay tuned.
What You’ll Need
Circular saw sharpening machines are available in the market. Once you have the device, your job is just as easy as pie. However, these machines are not cheap.
Moreover, they may be tough on your blade, which means you need to take extra care of your blade while sharpening with an automatic sharper. So, if you cannot afford one, you have other options to get your saw blades sharpened.
A hand file can be your companion in the process of sharpening. Although it takes more time and effort, a hand file can do the job as precisely as you want.
By the way, you can check out the best cordless circular saws here, if you need one: https://thetoolspick.com/best-cordless-circular-saws
Having discussed the tools used for the job, let us get to the main point; Steps of sharpening circular saw blades using a hand file.
Sharpening Circular Saw blades with a Hand File
Sharpening saw blades has different methods where each method requires special tools. But, when it comes to sharpening circular saw blades, the way of using a hand file gets all attention. It’s because of the easiness of the method. It may take some of your efforts; it saves you a lot of money.
However, some blades are tough to sharpen. In those cases, you may need a professional hand which would cost you up to $15.
Step1: Take off the saw blade
First of all, you need to remove the circular saw blade from the tool. This is not much of a hassle. Just loosen the screw with a ring spanner and take the blade off from the device.
Step2: Clamp the Saw Blade
Now, you have to clamp the saw blade to the workbench. The blade should be securely clamped so that it doesn’t shake while sharpening. If it shakes a lot, any unexpected incident may occur.
Step3: Draw a Line
Drawing the line at any point of the blade helps you understand the starting point of sharpening. This is important because you don’t need to sharpen the blade twice.
To mark a point, you may use a permanent marker. Then file up and down the bevel at least four times. Both sides of the blade should get under the file so that all the teeth can be sharpened.
Step4: Trim the teeth
The teeth of the blade often become uneven as a result of overuse. You can flatten the teeth using a file.
Step5: Set the Teeth
You can set the teeth using a saw set which is almost like a set of pliers. Position the saw set at one point and squeeze the first tooth. Then go to the third tooth skipping the one in between. Repeat the same thing all the way to the last tooth.
Then, work on the other side of the blade. The key is, squeeze one and skip one, not squeezing a tooth twice.
Step6: Sharpen the Blade
After setting the teeth, it’s time to sharpen the blade itself. Sharpen every teeth and groove with a triangular file. Every tooth should look even and sharp. Any irregularity could cause harm to the blade and make it unusable.
Step7: Install the Blade to the Saw
Once you have the blade sharpened, you can finally install it on the saw. Putting the blade at its place, you have to tighten the nut using a ring spanner.
Now you can give it a try!
Tips for Keeping Your Blades Sharp
- Use the right blade: People often get confused about which blade is suitable for which material. In order to keep your blade sharp, you have to make good choices before using any blade.
- Oil the blade: Oil your blades regularly to avoid rusts on them.
- Remove rusts: If you find any rust on your blade, you can simply remove them using a razor or a file.
Conclusion
Alright! Hopefully, the article has given you a complete idea about how to sharpen a circular saw blade. Although you can take service from a professional, doing it yourself could be a satisfying job while saving some bucks for good.
Now that you know the process give it a try!
