Do you sharpen your drill bits?

[ifitsfreeitsforme]

...and if so, how do you do it? Do you get good results and is it worth it?

I can't seem to keep myself in a good supply of sharp bits. It seems like a waist to constantly buy new ones.

curious what some of you do.

 

[jklier]

Yes, I sharpen mine. Makes a big difference. I use a Drill Doctor sharpener.

I had to drill out a broken bolt from my military jeeps engine block once. This steel was HARD. I had two bit of the same size. I'd drill with one until it got dull (within a couple of minutes) and then swap with one that was in the sharpener. It took me a half an hour of swapping the bits back and forth to get the bolt out. Whenever I swapped to the fresh bit there was a HUGE difference in how it cut.

 

[ifitsfreeitsforme]

COOL, I just checked out the Drill Doctor website. There's 5 models. Which one do you use?

 

[jklier]

I think it's the XP2.

 

[gcrank1]

Get whatever one you can afford, Ive sharpened bits for 45 yrs and the last five with a Drill Doc, it works well.

 

[ifitsfreeitsforme]

Get whatever one you can afford, Ive sharpened bits for 45 yrs and the last five with a Drill Doc, it works well.

thanks guys for the info and comments. A drill doctor will be my next tool purchase.

 

[gcrank1]

Freehand is an acquired skill and you still are likely to get one edge higher than the other so it cuts with only that edge (thus dulling 2x as fast) and cuts oversize holes (often not all that important). Then there is getting the right angle and the proper relief...........My life got way simpler when I tried my BIL's Drill Doc and HAD to have one.
After all, what we really want is holes, but you cant just go down to the hardware store and buy a selection of holes. So we have tools and tooling........ , I love nice tools!

 

[c.p.odom]

I sharpen all of mine. I use the sanding disc on my right angle pneumatic die grinder.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

I sharpen mine on the old bench grinder, it has a notch in the rest specially set at the proper angle. Most times I just buy a cheap set from Harbor Freight. Half of them get lost before they wear out so I just buy another set. Just got a set of the titanium coated bits and they don't show any signs of wear and I have drilled some heavy stuff with them.