How To Sharpen A Saw Blade With A File: Quick Steps Are Here!

Last Updated On April 30, 2023

When you’re cutting through different working materials continuously, the blade becomes dull and starts making ragged cuts. As a result, the saw will damage the working materials. To get rid of such issues, you need to sharpen the dull saw blade with a file.

To sharpen a saw blade with a file, clean the blade, determine the file size, secure the blade, identify the angle, sharpen each tooth with smooth strokes, use a file guide, check the depth, and remove burrs.

Confused about how to sharpen a saw blade with a file? Scroll through our detailed article to get some quick steps and sharpen the saw blades within a few seconds!

How To Sharpen a Saw Blade With a File

To sharpen the dull blade, you have to follow some steps including removing the blade, securing it properly, sliding with the file, and polishing the teeth with sandpaper. Let’s have a look at the steps in detail.

1. Remove The Saw Blade

To sharpen a blade with a file, you have to remove the blade first. Hence, unplug the saw from the power source to avoid the risk of an accident. Next, remove the blade carefully using the wrench. If the blade is a little rusty or dusty, clean it with a solution of vinegar.

2. Secure The Saw Blade

Before sliding with the file, secure the saw blade into a vise. As the blade can get damaged while sliding, it is a must to secure the blade properly to avoid such damage. 

Now, if you don’t have a vise, create one by using some wood to secure the saw blade. Then, take a triangular file with more coarse grit compared to your saw blade. Otherwise, the file may remove more metal while sliding hard. 

3. Sliding With The File

Once you’re done with securing the blade, it is time to file off the teeth. Start with a single tooth and go gently 3 to 5 times.  To get a better result, keep the file at 45° and slide until you match the bevel angle of the tooth. Using a diamond file is a better option to file off all the teeth perfectly.

Actually, the sliding with the file depends on your needs. If you want a thinner blade, then remove excess metal by sliding a single side. But, if you want to get extreme cutting power with a sharp edge, then we suggest sliding down both sides of the blade. 

4. Polishing The Saw Blade

While sliding with the file, it will leave marks on the tooth surface.  To remove these marks, use sandpaper and stick it on the piece of wood. It is better to use fine sandpaper to clean the marks on the carbide blades properly.

5. Insert The Saw Blade

Once the teeth are clean, the blade is ready to use. Insert the blade into the saw and connect it to the power source. Take a working material to check the sharpness of the blade. If you want more sharpness, then file off both sides again with the file.

Tips For Sharpening Saw Blades Quickly

To sharpen saw blades quickly, you have to follow some tips & tricks. Also, these tips will help you to prevent damage to the blade while sliding with the file. Let’s dig into these details.

1. Gentle strokes: As the circular saw blade tips are made with materials like steel and carbide, always go for gentle strokes while sliding. Besides, excessive pressure can damage the materials of carbide-tipped blades.
2. Maintain a 45° Angle:  To get a better sharpening result, always keep the file at 45°. Besides, it is better to keep sliding until the bevel angle of the tooth matches to ensure proper sharpening.
3. Go For Small Sections: When you’re starting the sliding with a file, go for a small section all the time. Actually, if you’re working with a small section, it ensures better-sharpening results. 
4. Clean The Blade: As sliding leaves marks on the tooth surface, use sandpaper to clean these marks properly. Also, if the blade becomes dusty while sharpening, clean it with a solution of vinegar.
5. Avoid Side To Side Sliding: To prevent damage to the blade, always avoid side-to-side sliding. Even the back-and-forth sliding can damage the material of blade teeth.
6. Clean The File: If you’re sliding the file for a longer time, it becomes full of metal and the efficiency may decrease. Take a break and use a wire brush to clean the file. Once you clean the file properly, get back to work.

Here are some interesting circular saw blades storage ideas. Don’t forget to check it out!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How To Determine If a Saw Blade Is Dull?

When the saw blade is making ragged cuts or is unable to make a clean cutting edge, it is getting dull. If the blade becomes dull, you have to sharpen the blade to make some clean cuts.

2. How Many Times Can You Sharpen a Saw Blade At Home?

You can sharpen a saw blade at home at least 4 to 5 times. It is wise to send saw blades to grinding shops after sharpening them a few times to avoid damage to the materials.

3. Can You Sharpen Circular Saw Blades With Sandpaper? 

Yes, you can sharpen a circular saw blade with sandpaper. But, you have to fill back and forth around 10 to 12 times while sharpening circular blades in one tooth. Hence, it is quite more time-consuming than using a file.

4. Can You Sharpen a Saw Blade By Hand?

Yes, use a file and gently slide 3 to 5 times to file off the teeth. Also, you can use sandpaper to sharpen the saw blade.

5. Is Sharpening Saw Blades Worth It?

Yeah, as the sharpening cost is lower compared to picking a new one, it is definitely worth the time and effort. If the circular saw blade tip isn’t suitable for hand sharpening, we suggest you go to a grinding shop to sharpen the blade.

Finishing Up

So, to sharpen a saw blade quickly, secure it properly, and slide with the file depends on the requirement for cuts. 

Besides, don’t forget to use sandpaper for proper polishing.

Plus, we have added some tips & tricks that help to prevent damage to the blade while sharpening. So, follow these steps right now to sharpen the saw blades within a few seconds!