# Chipper blades need sharpening- where can they be sent?



## TreeandLand (Dec 16, 2011)

I have a Morbark 6" disc chipper. I don't remember the exact size of the blades, but they are double sided. I have two sets. Do any of you mail your blades away for sharpening, or do you bring them to a dealer who then ships them somewhere? There is a Bandit dealer about 25 miles from me, but it would save time to ship them.


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## flushcut (Dec 16, 2011)

TreeandLand said:


> I have a Morbark 6" disc chipper. I don't remember the exact size of the blades, but they are double sided. I have two sets. Do any of you mail your blades away for sharpening, or do you bring them to a dealer who then ships them somewhere? There is a Bandit dealer about 25 miles from me, but it would save time to ship them.



Look around in your area I am sure you can find somebody close to you. Or try contacting a cabinet mill or lumber mill and ask them who they use. I used to take my chipper knives to the dealer and they sent them out but I found a member here (blades) who has a shop not that far away from me and has a good price.


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## pdqdl (Dec 16, 2011)

Call any printer that has bigger printer for handling big paper. If you are near a decent sized city, there are sure to be a bunch of them. They invariably have a big paper cutter that needs sharpening regularly. Ask them where they get their paper cutter knives sharpened.

The guys that sharpen paper cutters have all the right tools to do the same thing to chipper knives. One blade grinder does almost all knives from any machine.

I have a sharpening service 3 blocks from my shop, so I don't have a problem finding one. You really need to be careful handling the knives when he is done with them, too. They will hurt you in a big hurry, and he does a good job of leaving bigger nicks still on the knife so that the whole blade doesn't get ground away.

A-1 Grinding
8031 Paseo
Kansas City, MO 64131
816-822-2020


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## squad143 (Dec 16, 2011)

Even though I own a Bandit, i used to take them to a local Vermeer dealer. A bit of a drive, but I'd usually wait until I had 3 sets to do and needed something from their Sherrill store. A friend of mine is a buddy of one of their mechanics, so when conveinant, I could send them through him to have them done.

Now, a good friend, who is a tool and die maker sharpens them for me. 

If there is a good quality machine shop near you, find out what they would charge.

Shipping could be a bit pricey. Knives tend to weigh a bit.

Best of luck.


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## gdavis24 (Dec 18, 2011)

Have run chippers only two years so recently had same problem. 

Two friends with chippers say cannot be bothered with sharpening...go to Zenith Cutter or Wespur and new knives are $20 to 25, plus shipping. 

I called grinding shops and equipment dealers in north NJ. Quotes were about $35 per blade, or $120 per set, drop them off and rep comes by once a week, picks them up and returns job next week. 

Best blade grinder i found on internet is Tennessee Saw and Knife, 1695 Barcrest rd, Memphis TN 38134. Small specialty shop, low key, blade sets matched on a jig, will hold a CC number for repeat orders without confirmation hassle. Allow 10-14 days round trip. 
Double sided 7inch blades are $6.50 each, a package of four ships for about $15 each way. 

Re use and recycle. :msp_thumbup:


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## MiserblOF (Dec 18, 2011)

I only have a little bitty 8 hp chipper shredder, but I had mine done at a place in naperville ILL. by mail. They are on the Internet and are called Grindstone I think. It's been a couple years, but he's probably still there. One word of caution. He seems to grind them with a very slight hollow bevel, not flat. They have performed well for me, however. Not terribly expensive. Used to be a guy around here who was reasonable, but I don't know if he's still in business. 

My blades are like $57 a pop, and they don't stay sharp that long, maybe a year, but I might only run the chipper/shredder about 10-20 hours some years.

Grindstone Sharpening Services Index - Grindstone Sharpening Services

Oh, and if someone kind reads this, please let me know why my Arboristsite titles are all in (I think) Italian now, and what I can do to change them back to Englishese? They might be Spanish, but I don't think so, because I can read a little Spanish..


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## TreeandLand (Dec 19, 2011)

gdavis24 said:


> Have run chippers only two years so recently had same problem.
> 
> Two friends with chippers say cannot be bothered with sharpening...go to Zenith Cutter or Wespur and new knives are $20 to 25, plus shipping.
> 
> ...



Thanks- this sounds like a really good deal. I'll look into them.


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## lone wolf (Dec 19, 2011)

put them in a vise and take a belt sander to them!really!


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## Wagnerwerks (Dec 19, 2011)

*sharpening jig*

I cut a slot in a 2x4 piece of gum (the wood that is at the right angle to slide my 20" planer blades in and use my stationary belt sander to sharpen. It works great. Slow and steady.


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## lone wolf (Dec 19, 2011)

Wagnerwerks said:


> I cut a slot in a 2x4 piece of gum (the wood that is at the right angle to slide my 20" planer blades in and use my stationary belt sander to sharpen. It works great. Slow and steady.



Dont let to much heat get on the blades it will ruin the temper.


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## Wagnerwerks (Dec 19, 2011)

Very true for all sharpening. Like I said.... Slow and steady! One big benefit of the belt sander is slower speeds and lower heat.





lone wolf said:


> Dont let to much heat get on the blades it will ruin the temper.


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## pdqdl (Dec 19, 2011)

The problem with the 2x4 board approach is that it takes a great deal of care to make sure that your blades are perfectly straight and parallel when you are done. Putting them on a jig that gives you a controlled feed would be better.

I have dressed my chipper knives on my Rotary Blade Grinder (made for lawnmower blades). I clamp a steel bar onto the feed table, then pass each knife past the grinder until it no longer takes any metal off. This way, each knife is exactly the same size and perfectly parallel to the centering bolts.

Of course this gives a hollow grind, so it is not good for major sharpening. It does a very nice job on minor sharpening though. I can freshen the edge several times before I must send them off to A-1 for a proper sharpening.


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## BDChainsaw (Dec 19, 2011)

*sharpening chipper blades*

Having worked in the machining industry for over two decades I can tell you that any tool maker worth his salt will have no trouble sharpening your drum knives or bed knife. It is of the utmost importance that they all be equal and parallel. Clean your pockets replace any worn fasteners and check your bearings. For the price of knives though one might consider ordering a new set when they need flipped and scrapping them after second side is done. Sharpening = $148 new knifes = $125. Why bother?


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## MiserblOF (Dec 21, 2011)

I should have mentioned in my post above that he charges by the inch. I think my blades are 4.5 inches and the sharpening for the entire set of 5 (have built up a collection over the years) was very reasonable. Don't remember for sure, but I don't think more than about $35.


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## Steve-Maine (Dec 22, 2011)

*Chipper blade sharpening in Maine*

I have used Alpha-Carbide in Saco, Me 282-7174. I don't know where you are in Maine but they will sometimes do them while you wait. Very nice people to deal with. Also ask one of the larger local tree services who they use. Steve, Falmouth, me


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## lmbrman (Dec 28, 2011)

Delta had a sharpening center that would do most chipper blades, and for what some of you guys quote as sharpening rates near you, if might be worth owning. I bought mine for about $140, but that was a few years back. Simple to use the tool, wet stone type. Prior to that I had an Amish dude sharpen them for $2 each.


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## JohnH (Dec 31, 2011)

you can try a big tree or land clearing company in your area. We do our own in house and sometimes do other small companies to help them out.


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