Industrial Cutting Tool Sharpening: 4 Common Questions answered

In the manufacturing industry, efficient and cost-effective cutting tools are crucial. Tungsten carbide has revolutionised machining, but even the toughest materials wear out over time.

Our saw doctor and recycling expert, Mike, speaks about how you can transform your old cutters into valuable assets once again through our premium Sharpening Express Service and Konig Green Recycling Program – no cost recycling of any solid tungsten cutter and a credit to your account*.

But first things first - when it comes to precision cutting, ease of use, safety and the importance of sharp cutting tools can’t be overstated. 

Here are 4 questions we often get asked that our expert team have answered, which will help you get the most from your cutting tools.

1. How do I tell when my cutting tool is getting blunt?

We all know it. Caught up in the business of getting product out the door, we forgot how long that cutter has been on the CNC for or how long since that blade has been sharpened.

Here's a couple of simple pointers that will help:

The Finish

Blunt cutters and blades don't leave a good finish. If your cutting tool has been leaving a nice finish and then you see a substandard finish coming off your machine, that's a sure sign of a cutting tool that has lost its edge.
This deteriorating finish is caused by your cutting tool having to 'hammer' through the material rather than slicing it off with a sharper edge.

The Noise

For extremes, compare the crisp noise of a clean, sharp sawblade with the moan or scream of a blunt one struggling through the cut. Again, this extra noise is caused by vibration, exacerbated by the extra cutting pressure needed to force the blunt cutting edge through the material. This extra strain causes a huge amount of extra load on your spindle or drive motor, which will reduce its lifespan drastically and can cause overheating.

A good finish cannot be achieved with blunt cutters and blades. Here an example of what it can look like. If you see this, it is time to get your tools sharpened or recycled. 

2. How can I make my sawblades stay sharp for longer?

Overall blade life depends mainly on two major factors - the quality of the tungsten tips and the wear on the blade.

Firstly, you achieve much improved blade economy by purchasing premium quality blades with larger, better-quality tungsten tips. The tungsten on premium blades is a harder wearing grade, so it will keep its edge much longer than the cheap throwaway blades and has much larger tungsten tips, allowing you to get more sharpens from your blades. Check the vast range of sawblades available at Tungsten & Tool.

Freud is well known worldwide brand for making premium saw blades. Here a few indicators you need to look for if a longer-lasting blade with the ability to resharpen more times is what you are after.  
The second thing to do is to get the blade sharpened earlier.

Don't continue to use it when you know it is getting blunt! Once tungsten begins to dull, it dulls very quickly, so you're economically far better to take it off earlier before it gets really blunt.

This means that our CNC sharpening machines need to grind far less tungsten from the teeth to restore the sharp edge like new again. Blade life can be reduced by as much as 30% by overuse before sharpening.

3. Is it really worthwhile getting my blades sharpened?

Yes! Unless they are very cheap, throwaway blades that have tiny tungsten tips or if the blade has a big number of missing tips, sharpening your blades is a good, economical option.

Make sure the sharpening is done on CNC grinders rather than NC or hand feed grinders because CNC grinders grind with high pressure coolant lubrication, keeping the whole sharpening process cool and can replicate the original exact angles so your blades consistently work like new ones.

Our saw doctors will evaluate any work before they start, and if the blade has too many tips to be replaced for it to be economical, it's marked as NWR (Not Worth Repair), and you'll then be notified with an option for a replacement blade.

See an example of re-sharpened blade:

4. Can my CNC cutters be sharpened?

Yes, depending on the style of the cutter, your CNC cutters can usually be sharpened.

Compression cutters, hoggers, finisher cutters etc., can all be sharpened on our CNC grinders. Just use our Sharpening Express Service.

CNC grinders make it possible to replicate the original angles on the cutters when sharpening them, enabling the best possible sharpening while removing as little tungsten as possible to bring up the sharp edge again.

Although we sharpen many CNC tools, we only sharpen a small percentage of the number of new tools we supply.

This is because of 2 main reasons:

Firstly, a sharpened tool doesn't hold its edge quite as long as a new tool which could make it less cost effective. 

Secondly, because the cutter diameter changes slightly with sharpening, often the offsets and measurements need to be changed on the CNC router before its run, meaning that a lot of users just prefer to run with new tools all the time as it saves time. They are careful to optimise the life they can get from their tool and then, when its worn, they put it into one of our Konig Green Recycling Bins. This saves production time in the long run and ensures a consistent result while still getting some cash back from your worn cutters*.

Do you have worn tungsten cutters that are ready to be thrown out? Get even more back from them with our tungsten recycling service!

What happens when your tungsten carbide cutters have worn down and are no longer efficient?

Instead of disposing of them as waste, imagine being able to not only recycle them but also receive credit to your account* for doing so, hence recycling old and worn tungsten cutters can put extra money in your pocket!

We have developed an innovative KONIG GREEN RECYCLING PROGRAM that rewards you for sending us worn tungsten cutters. Join us as we delve into the world of recycling and discover how you can contribute to both the environment and your bottom line.

Recycling tungsten cutters is a journey of transformation. It's about turning old tools into new, saving resources, and making the planet smile. By recycling, you're not just a tool user – you're part of a cycle that gives back and ensures a greener future.

How it works:

• add a KONIG GREEN RECYCLING BIN to your next order (free)

• when your bin is full, give us a call 0800 488 647 or book a pickup online

• we organise to get your recycling couriered to us (at no cost to you)

• then we’ll recycle all eligible items and put a credit to your account*

Watch our video and join our recycling program today. Is's easy!

Why Recycle Tungsten Cutters?

Think of tungsten as a limited treasure buried in the Earth. We've got a few million tons of it globally, which might sound like a lot, but it's not an endless supply. Here's the cool part: tungsten can be recycled endlessly so choose wisely when you're buying new tungsten cutters, choose a place that cares about recycling.

The worn-out cutters undergo a process when they are cleaned, deconstructed, and transformed into raw tungsten material. This raw material is waiting for a skilled craftsmen to take it and form it into shiny, new tungsten cutters. These new tools are just waiting for their chance to shine.

Have a bit more life left in your cutters and ready to give our sharpening express service a try?

At Tungsten & Tool we offer a premium, speedy, accurate and freight free* sharpening service that keeps your operation working smoother and smarter wherever you are based in New Zealand.

We sharpen a huge range of tools including:
•Circular Sawblade
•Router Bits
•Planer & Thicknesser Blades
•Milling Blades
•CNC Spiral & Compression Cutters
•Bandsaw Blades
•Drilling & Boring Tools
•Holesaws
•PCD Diamond Tooling
•Chipper Knives
•Granulator Knives
•Moulder Heads
•Stump Grinding Tips
•Annular Rotabroach Cutters and more

Watch our video and get your tools sharpened today!

Our Sharpening Express is an easy, hassle-free way of having your tooling expertly serviced. Your tools will be sharpened back to the latest specifications on the up-to-date equipment by industry experts. Find out more HERE.

Do you have more questions?

Every day our team strives to boost your confidence, productivity and results through our accurate service and tailored support. Feel free to contact us at 0800 488 647 or sales@tungstenandtool.co.nz for more information on Sharpening & Recycling.

 *T&C apply.