Worth the cost to sharpen saw blades

Not talking about my good Freud/Diablo blades, just the common construction grade blades for circular saw and my "cheap cut krap" miter box, a new blade is about the same as getting them sharpened.

Any benefit one way or the other?

 

Once they get too dull for common tasks, I set them aside for use with Boral trim board or other "hard on the blade" tasks. When too dull for those tasks I toss them. Even if the carbide on the cheap blades is thick enough to sharpen, it's not worth the cost and hassle for me.

Good blades I do send in for sharpening.

 

I bought a blade sharpening tool to help me get more life out of a blade. Somethings, like laminate flooring will destroy a new blade in one day. Being able to freshen them up has saved me money in the long run.

 

I sharpen saws commercially and have told customers it will be less expensive to buy new sometimes, depending on blade condition.
If sharpening costs get near cost of new blade, then the choice is clear to replace.

Odd ball blades or expensive ones are economically justifiable to sharpen.

Bought a 7 1/4" carbide blade for my skil type saw from HF and had to sharpen it to get it to cut. (go figure)

RR

 

You should look at this, picked up 2 (table saw and miter) when I did my oak flooring last year, diamond coated.

Most amazing blade I have ever used.

 

Years back your local hardware store would take them in and sharpen them. It was great for a good quality hand saw. Over the years I have about twenty circular blades that could use a sharpening, but no one bothers anymore. A new one is cheaper, but I hate to throw them out. On the other hand a high quality hand rip saw or crosscut is worth it at almost any price. I'm talking the steel quality from 50 years ago.

 

FYI @ Norm 201;

I have two Foley saw filers, a re-toother, and an automatic tooth setter and can completely recondition antique handsaws. Have done several over the years. A reconditioned handsaw is hard to beat.
Those Foley filers are fascinating to watch in operation. All mechanical except for the 1/4 hp power source.

RR

 

I still have my dad's Tree Brand saws hanging in my shop. Finding someone who has the expertise to set the teeth correctly is an adventure. I keep about 35 or so 10" and 12" blades on hand between two pieces of plywood to protect them. The guy who sharpens them also runs them, on edge, through a molten wax to further protect the tip and to protect my hands. Man they are sharp !!
7 1/4" blades are too cheap to have sharpened, IMO. He will tell me when it's time to ditch a blade.

 

Maybe a few hand saws before I'm done, but doubt that I will have any more circular saw blades sharpened. The last guy I knew of quit maybe 10-15 years ago, so I asked the guys at the lumber yard a couple of years ago and yup, drop them off, he'll pick them up, drop them back off here, and we'll call you. "Takes about 2 weeks". Turned out he was quite reasonable, did a real nice job, and had the teeth dipped in wax. But it was more like 2-3 months, unreturned phone calls, etc. He has supposedly had some health issues, and I certainly understand that as I get older, but that long, and I had to drive 40 miles or so one day to get them because although he did have them labeled, they had wound up in another guys garage. Just too hard to find anyone in that business today, and apparently even harder to find someone reliable.

Going back a few years though, I think I assumed growing up that every community had a local sharpener and that they would always be there. We had several, but the one guy in particular had a very quaint but clean organized shop behind his house, and I really liked going there, as far back as when I would tag along with my dad. He had a number of old, well maintained machines in there, and the walls were covered with various tools as well as customers saw blades, scissors, mower blades, etc. Before he passed my dad encouraged me several times to go talk to him about studying a bit with this man and maybe someday buying his equipment, but I never did. I imagine at the time that I couldn't see myself "cooped up" in a little shed by myself in the evenings, but sure sounds inviting today!