Sharpening Vibrating-Head Saw Blades
Did you know you can sharpen the blades for those vibrating-head detail-sander saws? You can also make your own replacement blades. December 6, 2006
Question
I bought a Multimaster to cut base molding in place and it works great, but the (dual purpose) blade got dull quickly and a new one is very expensive. I thought about having it sharpened, but I'm not sure it can be done - it's quite a mess. Any ideas?
Forum Responses
(Cabinetmaking Forum)
From contributor D:
I think you may be using the tool in a way that it really is not intended to work well. I use it only occasionally to cut a piece of baseboard without cutting the carpeting. It is areas like this that the tool shines. It will not do multiple cuts all day long - it is only a vibrator tool, I think exactly like the one doctors use to cut off casts without cutting into our flesh!
From contributor M:
Try eBay. I bought some generic wood cutting blades for $22. They work fine on the Multimaster. Type in a search for Fein or Multimaster on eBay.
From contributor T:
Try a Dremel tool or a die grinder with a small cutoff wheel. Profile the edge with a diamond dresser and use a steady hand to sharpen the teeth. The finished product is not as pretty as the original, but it works pretty well.
From the original questioner:
You just saved me some significant money - the Dremel/grinding wheel followed by a file did the trick. It's not pretty, but it cuts fine and I'm sure I'll get many more sharpenings. Thanks a bunch.
From contributor A:
The Fein tool, while great and a lifesaver in those occasional situations, is ripe for a competitor or at least a third party blade maker. The prices on their blades are... well, offensive? Fein, can you hear me?!
From contributor B:
I make my own out of cheap Bahco handsaw blades. Cut off whatever width you need with an angle grinder. Drill your hole for mounting and you are set. You can get about 10-20 depending on width for about $12. Trust me - they work great.
The Bahco handsaw I used was with a 14" blade, 16 tpi and an orange plastic handle. The teeth have almost no set and are black/tempered compared to the rest of the metal of the saw.
From contributor N:
I tried contributor B's idea. I bought a True Value hand saw, 14 tpi, for about 10". The blade is fairly wide (~3-4") and about 14" long. I clamped it to the bench and cut about a 1 1/2" piece off the end using my jigsaw. I drilled a hole in it and mounted it on the Multi-master. It worked very well - much better than the combo blade. I should be able to get about 7 pieces off the blade and the saw cost me $10.95. Thanks.
