How to Sharpen Table Saw Blades?

by Joost Nusselder | Updated on:  March 18, 2022
I love creating free content full of tips for my readers, you. I don't accept paid sponsorships, my opinion is my own, but if you find my recommendations helpful and you end up buying something you like through one of my links, I could earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more

Sharpening a table saw blade may seem like an easy task, but it’s not like sharpening a kitchen knife or any other sharp tool, it’s more complicated. But don’t worry, there are a lot of woodworkers who struggle to keep their table saw blades in shape, so you’re not alone in this predicament.

How-to-Sharpen-Table-Saw-Blades

Once you learn the basic steps on sharpening blades properly, you’ll know your way through maintaining your tools in no time. So, we’re going to get you started by showing you how to sharpen table saw blades step by step.

All these steps are simplified for easy and quick learning, so we promise that you’ll master the skill by the end.

How to Sharpen Table Saw Blades?

To get your table saw blades working in top performance without the need for replacing them, here’s what to do:

What You Will Need

  • Diamond saw blade
  • Gloves
  • Goggles
  • Small towel
  • Ear plugs or earmuffs
  • Dust mask respirator

Before You Begin

  • Make sure your diamond saw blade is mounted properly into your table saw
  • Wipe off any residue from the blade you’re sharpening, and the diamond saw blade
  • Maintain good posture with a reasonable distance from the blade, don’t get your face or arms too close to the moving blade
  • Wear gloves to protect your hands from accidental cuts
  • Wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from any flying metal particles
  • Earplugs will muffle the loud sounds and prevent your ears from ringing
  • Even if you don’t have breathing issues, wear a dust mask respirator to prevent metal particles from entering your mouth and nose
Sharpening table saw blade

Step 1: Mounting the Diamond Blade

Remove the blade that was originally on your table saw and replace it with the diamond blade. Use the blade switch to insert and hold the diamond blade in position.  If your table saw doesn’t have this option, tighten the diamond blade in place with the nut.

Step 2: Start with the Teeth

If your blade’s teeth are all tapered in one direction, you won’t need to be turning it over for each pass as you would if it had a different pattern. Mark the tooth you start with using tape or a marker then begin until you reach it again.

Once you have a clear-cut idea of how and where to start, you can switch on the blade.

Step 3: Down to Business

Keep your fingers away from the way of the active blade, carefully touch each inner edge of the tooth to it for no more than 2-3 seconds, and move on to the next. Continue this pattern until you reach the marked end tooth.

You should now be looking at a fully sharpened blade.

Step 4: Reap the Rewards

How to strip wire fast
How to strip wire fast

After you’ve switched off the sharpening blade, take a small and slightly damp towel to wipe off any excess metal particles from the edge of your newly sharpened blade. Then reattach it to the table saw and try it out on a piece of lumber.

A well-sharpened blade should give no resistance, noise, or unsteadiness while it’s rotating. If you notice no change and the motor is overloading, then the blade is not sharp enough. In this case, you should repeat steps 1 to 3 again.

Conclusion

How to sharpen table saw blades is an important part of learning how to use a table saw safely. Hopefully, the steps are clear and are etched into your mind well; now, all that’s left to do is try it out yourself.

I'm Joost Nusselder, the founder of Tools Doctor, content marketer, and dad. I love trying out new equipment, and together with my team I've been creating in-depth blog articles since 2016 to help loyal readers with tools & crafting tips.