Can Hole Saws Be Sharpened?

[Iplayfarmer]

Can a bimetal hole saw be sharpened? I was finishing a set of shafts for my Dad's "One Horse Open Sleigh" today. I grabbed an old used hole saw to cut some plugs to cap the ends of the shafts (1 1/4" pipe), and it was VERY dull. In the end I got the two plugs cut and welded on the ends quite nicely; but it was a loud, hot, slow, messy endeavor.

I'm sure I can just scrap the hole saw and buy another, but these bigger ones are not cheap. It's a Dewalt brand. I have a half dozen or so that I have accumulated in "miscellaneous buckets" from auctions. I'd guess most of them are in about the same shape as the one I used today.

 

[mjncad]

I doubt it unless you have the patience of Job. I suspect hole saws are constructed flat with the teeth welded to the base metal and then rolled to the final shape.

I feel your pain on the larger sizes being pricey.

If you do manage to sharpen them, let us know how you did it.

 

[schmism]

ive touched mine up with a dremel. go about it like you would sharping a handsaw.

 

[schmism]

I doubt it unless you have the patience of Job. I suspect hole saws are constructed flat with the teeth welded to the base metal and then rolled to the final shape.

i suppose that depens on the hole saw

most are stamped on a deep draw die and then chucked into an automated sharping jig.

 

[beenthere]

Yes, you can hand file with a triangular shaped file that either fits or is close. Setting the teeth will also be important after filing.

Take each tooth down evenly and remove enough to take the dull edge off each tooth point, as well as cleaning out the gullet and maintaining the same tooth angles. Might take more than one single pass to get it done.

A hand file will be easier to control than a dremel tool, IMO.

 

[Kernopelli]

I have done it before with a hand file. the final result was not as good as new but worked well enough to get me through the job I was in the middle of.

 

[sal64]

yes use a v file.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

I doubt it unless you have the patience of Job. I suspect hole saws are constructed flat with the teeth welded to the base metal and then rolled to the final shape.

Yep, most high end brands are done like that. If you look real closely at a Lenox BiMetal hole saw you can usually find where the ends are welded together...2 teeth will be close together or further apart..

 

[killdozerd11]

yes use a v file.

Paint it with DEYKEM or just use a felt pen so you don't lose track of what your doing and it makes it easier to see the amount of metal removed from where

 

[Hunchback]

When I ran my business I used to get my Lenox hole saws sharpened all the time. My men never took care of tools the way you do your own so they got abused. Any place that sharpens saws or chains should be able to do a good job. It's been 6 or 8 years since I had them done but they charged me $1.00 and inch. 4" saw=$4.00 and they painted them when they were done. Good as new.