Refreshing your Router Bits
It’s not hard to feel the difference a sharp edge can make with a hand tool. When using a chisel or hand plane, you can tell when your edge stops biting and you have to start putting some extra muscle in. However, it gets harder to tell the difference when a motor is doing the work for you. You may not have the same physical feedback with a power tool, but a dull edge will make a difference all the same. I can’t always feel when my router bits get worn, but when I see rough cuts I know my bit needs honing. With a little care and maintenance, you can get those worn bits cutting like new, adding years to the life of your best bits.
Why bother honing your bits instead of throwing them out and buying new ones, or when some companies offer lifetime warranties, just sending them back to be replaced? Aside from saving yourself time (and money if you’re buying new ones), the idea of honing is to keep your bits as good as possible for as long as possible. Either way, honing your router bits is most effective when you work on them consistently as you use
