utility knife blade -- sharpen?

[WI Dan]

I like a sharp blade but I don't like buying them and changing them all the time.
Can utility knife blades be sharpened? How would it be done?
Have you?

 

[Steve@Advance]

Never have seriously tried. I have polished them up on the belt sander in a pinch, but they were never as
good as new.

I suppose it could be done. You would need some type of fixture to hold the blade at the exact factory
angle and hone it on a very fine stone.

 

[1948CaseVAI]

They are dirt cheap. Why would you waste your time? Quicker and better to simply change it.

 

[Caryc]

(quoted from post at 08:43:25 08/17/23) I like a sharp blade but I don't like buying them and changing them all the time.
Can utility knife blades be sharpened? How would it be done?
Have you?

I see that as ridiculous. Good quality utility knives carry extra blades in the handle and it takes less than a minute to change a blade. Just buy a pack of 100 blades and forget about it.

Wish I had your kind of problems. :wink:

 

[rustred]

that would fall into the same class as trying to sharpen ice auger blades, it just dont work well.

 

[WI Dan]

="Caryc"
I'm in Northern Wisconsin. Winters are long. One must occupy oneself productively to avoid cabin fever. This may be my task of choice.

 

[WI Dan]

="1948CaseVAI"
Dirt cheap and the quality corresponds... Thus I get to change them more often. Two blades last as long as one good one.

User habits may vary...

 

[WI Dan]

="Steve@Advance"
That's what i figured. Maybe a fine-grit stone, back and forth.

 

[Caryc]

(quoted from post at 09:49:10 08/17/23) ="Steve@Advance"
That's what i figured. Maybe a fine-grit stone, back and forth.

Take my advice and buy a pack of 100 blades. If you feel you must, you can still sit in your lonely little cabin and try sharpening those used blades to pass the time. :wink:

Maybe you'll come up with something so good that you'll put the blade manufacturers out of business.

This post was edited by Caryc on 08/17/2023 at 10:02 am.

 

[redtom]

I keep a stone in my tool box for knocking
off an occasional burr on a hardened
surface like a hydraulic cylinder rod.
Thusly, I have run a Stanley knife over it
a few times in a hurry if I need to make a
clean cut. Now, would I sharpen a whole
stack?....no.

 

[Mule Meat]

Think I just changed my mind for something to keep me busy after I retire in January.

Start a little company that sharpens utility knife blades.

Was going to open a used grocery store. But the more I think about it. The more that idea stinks.

 

[Stephen Newell]

I believe if you buy a dispenser pack they only run about a dime each. That's too cheap to spend time sharpening.

 

[JGayman]

> I like a sharp blade but I don't like buying them and changing them all the time.
>
>Can utility knife blades be sharpened? How would it be done?
>
>Have you?

It sounds like you need a new utility knife. Most of the newer ones just have a push button to release the blade. Takes all of 5-secs to
rotate to the other side and about 10-secs to install a new blade. I used to have one of the older style and constantly worked with a dull
blade because it was too much trouble getting a screwdriver and tearing it apart to change blades. I recently got a Kobalt knife with the
pushbutton that stores three blades in the handle. Now I always have a fresh sharp blade.

 

[Caryc]

(quoted from post at 11:27:43 08/17/23) Think I just changed my mind for something to keep me busy after I retire in January.

Start a little company that sharpens utility knife blades.

Was going to open a used grocery store. But the more I think about it. The more that idea stinks.

Trouble is that for the price of someone sending you blades to sharpen, one could just buy new ones.

Better put you thinking cap back on for a future business. I'm sure you'll come up with a good one.

 

[Michael Soldan]

I respect what other have to say on this subject , but just last weekend I was doing something with my utility knife and it was dull. I had
some really fine emery cloth and I polished up the blade and whet it as much a s I could. The blade then cut fine. So if you have a whetstone
go ahead and sharpen some of the blades up. A few minutes in your shop and you have sharp blades again!

 

[504]

I use a fine wet stone and it works good.

 

[WI Dan]

="Michael Soldan"
Thanks for the tip. It's the spirit of the thing, you agree.

 

[WI Dan]

="504"
Thank you

 

[da.bees]

I sweeten all blades,including utility knife. What is considered sharp for one purpose might
not be so for another. NOOooo I don't set down and spend hours sharpening blades, I simply whet
the blade on ceramic,cardboard or leather without removing from handle then proceed with
cutting. The type cardboard in cereal boxes works almost good as leather.

 

[ss55]

Sounds like that would be as about as much fun and about as profitable as straightening a bucket of used bent nails. BTDT as a kid (dad's idea), no thank you.