Spade wood bits

[joe-90]

How do you sharpen yours? I still find a file the easiest.

 

[noseall]

I have never sharpened one, though i do sharpen my wood chisel set all the time - with an oil stone and a drop of oil.

Rather, i keep on using my bits until i have to use a steam hammer to get them through the wood then buy a new one.

 

[kjacko]

I'm no tool expert and don't have a load of disposable income either, but they seem cheap enough to simply replace rather than sharpen.
I'd guess that only the top brand bits would be worth keeping and re-sharpening?
I tend to buy Bosch bits and they've been fine for me, but i don't use them all day long.

 

[ladylola]

Being a tightwad and hating waste I can't see the appeal of buying a tool only to throw it away when it's blunt so I will resharpen most things flat bits included and I use a file for that.
Bugs me though that many flat bits have a hole in the just behind the point, I reckon that it's put there to stop people sharpening them too many times and having to buy a new one

 

[Harbourwoodwork]

I don't use them since the seventies , I found they have no directional stability,fitting Perkos could have disasterous ends, and started using auger bits ,but an old Nicolson saw file does the job for augers and flat bits

 

[Dave54]

I don't use them much, but they're good if you might encounter nails. Cheap and easy to resharpen. File or bench grinder (light hand and plenty of cooling) in my case. One thing about spade bits that's handy though, is you can resize them easily if you need an odd size, and you can resharpen any way you like, I've got one or two modified to give a flat bottomed hole with a minimum point. Drill press only though, and careful feed esp. when starting.

 

[joe-90]

Has anyone tried those expensive 4 way bits?

 

[gregers]

I don't use them much, but they're good if you might encounter nails. Cheap and easy to resharpen. File or bench grinder (light hand and plenty of cooling) in my case. One thing about spade bits that's handy though, is you can resize them easily if you need an odd size, and you can resharpen any way you like, I've got one or two modified to give a flat bottomed hole with a minimum point. Drill press only though, and careful feed esp. when starting.

just buy a hinge cutter,or a set of forsteners bits.

 

[Dave54]

i knew someone would say that!
Got them (or some anyway) but the spade drill thing is useful if you want an odd size there and then for some reason.

 

[^woody^]

Would a diamond file give a smoother edge, and so one which lasts longer?

 

[Norcon]

Being a tightwad and hating waste I can't see the appeal of buying a tool only to throw it away when it's blunt so I will resharpen most things flat bits included and I use a file for that.
Bugs me though that many flat bits have a hole in the just behind the point, I reckon that it's put there to stop people sharpening them too many times and having to buy a new one

I resharpen the blades on my 10" planer/thicknesser. Only takes about 10 minutes to sharpen both blades like razors.

 

[ladylola]

Good man

 

[Dave54]

I resharpen the blades on my 10" planer/thicknesser. Only takes about 10 minutes to sharpen both blades like razors.

How do you do that? Do you have one of those jigs that lets you sharpen them in the block, or do you take them out to do it?

 

[Norcon]

I resharpen the blades on my 10" planer/thicknesser. Only takes about 10 minutes to sharpen both blades like razors.

How do you do that? Do you have one of those jigs that lets you sharpen them in the block, or do you take them out to do it?

Yes I made a jig. Very easy to do. And use the same hones I sharpen the chisels with.
Like this... Fill yer boots.
I've a diamond hone fits in there as well.

 

[JohnD]

I can't make out how that works. Is that the blade in the vice? with the stone clamped to the board?