Sharpening a Stihl "scratcher tooth" trimmer blade?

[zuren]

I have a Stihl straight shaft trimmer that I use for everything around my 5 acres, including using a blade to cut down buckthorn saplings. The blade has become dull and despite the guidance from Stihl that it needs to be professionally sharpened, I'm trying to figure out if I can sharpen it myself. Has anyone sharpened a blade like this?

https://www.stihlusa.com/products/t...ers/trimmer-heads-and-blades/circularscratch/

I called the dealer that I bought it from and they can't sharpen it.

Thanks!

 

[sundance]

Never tried. It lists at $21 at my dealer. If it's given you 5 years of steady use is it worth trying?

 

[BC WetCoast]

I haven't done it, but it looks like you could use an angle grinder and just touch each tooth. You're not doing fine carpentry so it doesn't have to be perfect. If it doesn't work, you're out $21 for a new one.

If the angle grinder is too big, then a dremel might work.

Don't have an angle grinder or dremel? New tools, win win.

 

[sundance]

If I was going to try it, I'd use a small (probably triangle) file. Follow the existing angles and just clean it up. I'd be careful of material removal to preserve balance. Grinding on it could get you way out of balance with bad effects on the machine's lower bearings.

 

[blades]

if there is still a fair amount of offset between the teeth you could just re-point them although that is not the correct full procedure. If the teeth are badly worn and almost no set to them better off buying a replacement. Sharpening these is the same as any circular plate steel saw. Google- hand filing a saw blade - better than me trying to type it all out.

 

[sundance]

There are really no saw sharpening shops left. They've gone the way of disposable items. No ones willing to pay to sharpen a circular saw blade they can replace for a handful of bucks. I fear the same would hold true for sharpening your blade. I'm guessing if you can't accomplish it yourself then new is your option.

 

[blades]

Well I am alive and well and my shop is still in operation full time. There are several others around my area as well. I do not see many steel plate saws any more - most are carbide tipped. But cold saws ( ones for cutting ferrous metal are still in great use.) There are shops all over the US some more specialized than others. do a seach or ( gulp ) look in the yellow pages in your area.
there are ,of course aspects of the busniess that have been replaced by new technology, but not every company is willing or able to shell out a few hundred thousand green backs, or in some cases it is not warranted due to volume.
I do more industrial than home owner, some of these blades are in excess of $700 ea. a 10" dia. good quality industrial 40 tooth carbide tip saw can be in the $ 50 or more backet- sharpening is around $15 depending your area. This another area where you get what you pay for, there really is a difference in the cut.

Sorry Sundance but you hit a bit of a nerve I ain't ready to be put out to pasture just yet.

 

[sundance]

No problem. And no desire to see you out to pasture. If you were closer I'd give you some work!

I wish we still had shops around here that supplied the service. I've looked (now I'm talking circ saw type blades). No one in our non-industrial area does such anymore. I don't like the current "just buy new" mindset (and have a number of used blades hanging on the wall I can't bring myself to pitch as they would sharpen easily). Just nowhere to get it done.

 

[blades]

To tell the truth carbide are a bit easier to resharpen than the older steel plate blades, but more precision is required and of course ya can't touch them up in the field with a hand file.
Just thought of something. the teeth on that Stilhblade could be hardened in which case a file won't work-

 

[zuren]

Thanks for the responses! Another approach I have found is to put a diamond blade (continuous) on my table saw and touch each tooth to the diamond coated edge. Since I use the table saw infrequently, this may be a good option to keep me productive clearing brush. According to this site, it has a hardness similar to cherry, so not as hard as oak but does make a blade work. Being able to resharpen when needed will be nice.

 

[scottr]

My mom bought a FS66 years ago that she used with a scratcher blade to cut privit and brush . It sharpens easily with a triangle shaped file .