do you sharpen your putty knives?

allen levine

Member
Messages
12,344
Location
new york city burbs
I have a few putty knives that are the very stiff kind. thick metal, dont bend, that I use for a variety of things, mainly scraping glue off off surfaces before it cures.
These werent cheap, and they are getting so mucked upwith old glue and dirt.
besides giving them a cleaning with mineral spirts or other solvent, can I run them lightly over the grinder?
they all have a beveled edge on them, like a chisel.
 
i think i would use a file rather than grinder,, to maintain the temper in the edge allen if you grind them they might get to hot and then wont hold the edge needed to scrape for very long.
 
I wait until my Stationary belt sander's belt is about had it....and then run the putty knives through it. The sparks fly, but for cleaning and sharpening, it works well
 
You just have to be careful about putting them in your pocket and such. Some folks don't expect them to be sharp...
 
I sand them on what ever I have handy, from hand pad, to belt, or disc....Of course I try to flat sand to get the crud off then whatever edge treatment and I don't usually sharpen them just de nick them. Is that a meaningful description.. "De Nink" meaning to take any nicks out as my putty knifes don't always have an easy life....
 
Last edited:
I use a razor blade to clean them off. Paint, putty, Bondo...it all comes off that way. I don't want a sharp putty knife. And I want rounded corners, or I'll damage something. I just want a putty knife to press or spread stuff.
Looks like I'm in the minority again. :rofl::rofl: Jim.
 
...I just want a putty knife to press or spread stuff.
Looks like I'm in the minority again. :rofl::rofl: Jim.

Nah, I'm sort of the same way. I do have one or two heavy-bladed putty knives that I keep fairly sharp, but my flexible ones, the ones I actually spread stuff with, are intentionally dull with rounded corners. Sorta like my wife. :p

(Man, I'm so lucky she doesn't read this forum.)
oregonian_scram.gif
 
I have two 5-in-1 putty knives that I keep fairly sharp to scrape glue and labels off with. I use the grinder and just keep the edges cool while grinding.

As far as actual putty knives for spreading wood filler or bondo I have plastic putty knives for that.
 
Top