How can I sharpen oscillating tool blades?

Question

Is there any good method of sharpening these things?

score 23 · Answer 1 · edited Mar 09 '23 at 14:51

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As Leah Bolden from See Jane Drill shows, this is easily done using a tri square file. She shows her technique in this video.

Basically, you use a triangular file to file new teeth. This even works on a blade where they have been ground almost flat. She recommends clamping the blade between two pieces of wood and using those as a depth guide.

Like Leah says,

"you can do this."

edited Mar 09 '23 at 14:51

P2000

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answered Mar 08 '23 at 19:37

SQB

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That video is an excellent find and it answers the question. I took the liberty to include a descriptive screenshot. If you don't like it, feel free to remove. – P2000 Mar 09 '23 at 14:52
Are the teeth really just triangles with no cutting edge to them? I haven't really looked at the blades carefully to notice. – Nelson Mar 10 '23 at 00:37
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@Nelson - you can give the teeth a cutting edge by filing at an angle / rather than perpendicular | as shown in the image. Alternate between using / and \ angles to cancel out any distortion. – Torben Gundtofte-Bruun Mar 10 '23 at 10:12
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Probably best to use the finest hacksaw blade you can find - that has worked well for me, as it leaves a square tooth, with a good cutting edge. – MikeB Mar 10 '23 at 10:41
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Are you suggesting, @MikeB, that one use a hacksaw blade to sharpen the teeth of the oscillating saw blade? – FreeMan Mar 10 '23 at 12:28
@Nelson Yes, they are (often) just triangles. The cutting is done by the tips of the triangles, which are cutting edges (think of them of working rather like the end of a chisel scraping the bottom of the cut), and the vertices of the teeth, which are cutting "points". Traditional handsaws have this tooth geometry too, usually with adjusted angles to help cut more on either the pull or the push of the stroke. Some have more complex tooth geometry, with more faces on each tooth, which makes them more difficult to sharpen by hand. – Conrado Mar 11 '23 at 14:41
@FreeMan Yes, I am, was that really not clear? – MikeB Mar 13 '23 at 09:40

score 14 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 08 '23 at 19:22

Generally, those are disposable items.

Could you sharpen it? I'm sure you could, but your results would probably be less than satisfactory. Getting enough of the teeth sharp enough to notice a difference in cutting, while not bending them too much out of line (you don't want that kerf getting too wide, or if you're using it for a flush cut, a random tooth sticking out scratching up a finish surface), is going to be difficult.

Yes, they can be expensive to buy, but the "Random Brand" blade you have in your hand, made in China, purchased via Amazon, is cheap enough to just toss in the bin once it's dull.

Honestly, I look at that one, though, and think "that's nearly new!". Usually, I find the teeth are nearly gone (even when just cutting wood) before I toss them. Not because I'm that much of a spendthrift, but because they just wear out that fast. Maybe I should try your brand...

score 4 · Answer 3 · edited Mar 10 '23 at 12:30

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Those blades are available to be purchased in quantity for under 67 CENTS each!

Yes you can sharpen them, but why would you spend the time?

There are 2 views on this. One is that it can be done. The other that it is not worth the time.

Perhaps this can be turned into something positive.

How about if the blades were collected, from a number of sources; friends, handymen, contractors etc.

The blades and the tools needed to sharpen them are then given to social organizations that have the people and time to devote to the sharpening process. Places like retirement homes, centers for occupational training for the disabled, even maybe church groups. Any organization that has people with some time and the need to generate some money.

Once sharpened they can be collected and sold at flea markets or other places, with the proceeds to go to that organization.

I would donate all my blades and agree to buy them back at 1.00 per blade, just to benefit the organization.

There have to be thousands if not millions of these blades discarded because sharpening is not feasible.

Perhaps this can be the birth of a new money stream (even if a small one) for some charities and organizations.

edited Mar 10 '23 at 12:30

Toby Speight

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answered Mar 09 '23 at 01:14

RMDman

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This doesn't answer the question. It's a comment at best. Also, steel is an environmentally costly thing and a little effort may be worth it to some folks. – isherwood Mar 09 '23 at 04:06
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Remember, time is totally non-renewable. – RMDman Mar 09 '23 at 11:53
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How about a little edit on how you could sharpen them. – JACK Mar 09 '23 at 12:51
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@isherwood You could argue that the file to sharpen the blades will cost many, many blades. – DKNguyen Mar 09 '23 at 19:35
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It might be possible to bulk-buy these for 67 cents as quoted, but for the average man-in -the-street, the price of even a 'selection pack' of blades is going to be MANY times higher than that. – MikeB Mar 10 '23 at 10:44
Have a a look at [Exchange a Blade](https://www.exchangeablade.com/en_ca/brands/exchange-a-blade/) – P2000 Mar 13 '23 at 04:37

score 2 · Answer 4 · answered Mar 08 '23 at 19:13

I'd use a rotary tool (Dremel) with an abrasive disk. Gently buff each tooth face with the face of the wheel, being careful not to put too much pressure on the wheel. They don't have a lot of strength that direction. Pay attention to angle to retain the original shape.

You might also find a bit with the right shape to sharpen each vee.

How can I sharpen oscillating tool blades?

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