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Reamers: To sharpen or not to sharpen

Grimstod

Machinist, Designer, and Shooter.
I was talking to a fellow machinist last night and he said to NEVER buy a resharpened chamber reamer or have one sharpened because they are then undersized? This does not make sense to me. Wouldn't they resharpen it and nock it back to retain the size?
 
I was talking to a fellow machinist last night and he said to NEVER buy a resharpened chamber reamer or have one sharpened because they are then undersized? This does not make sense to me. Wouldn't they resharpen it and nock it back to retain the size?
Your correct, if done properly
 
I was talking to a fellow machinist last night and he said to NEVER buy a resharpened chamber reamer or have one sharpened because they are then undersized? This does not make sense to me. Wouldn't they resharpen it and nock it back to retain the size?
Agreed. Being that it is tapered and prooviding enough 'blank' shank length it would make sense to resharpen as needed. However, from my query with one reamer maker, the cost savings would not be great enough for me to consider a regrind from them. If I recall perhaps 10-15% lower than the cost of a new reamer.
 
Retail, PT&G charges $98 for a regrind, so about half price of a new one. I don't do enough chambers with one reamer to usually warrant a regrind but I wouldn't hesitate having one done. Other vendors may have different prices. I just gave that as one example.

Edit. Now we will hear from those that never let an opportunity go by to trash a company.:oops:
 
As a machinist yourself, whats your opinion?
Having any cutting too re-sharpened (when the cost to re-sharpen is less than buying new) is a no-brainer! Again, "machining 101". Just as long as the one doing the re-sharpening is qualified to do so! Last one I had done by Dave Manson was $40, I believe, but I'd check his web site or make a call to verify as prices may have gone up. And turn-around was about 2 1/2 weeks time.
 
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To all you folks who chambered gazillion chambers, when do you know that the reamer had to be re-sharpened or maybe replaced, regardless what technique you employ to arrive at a finished chamber?
 
I virtually never sharpen tools. Carbide end mills are to cheap to resharpen. This is the first time I have messed with chamber reamers.
A 1/2" carbide end mill is $30 or sometimes less. To sharpen that end mill you'd need a man who gets paid $30/hr. A chambering reamer, for a rimless cartridge is $140. $40 for re-sharpen is cheaper than a new reamer by quit a bit. Inserts are cheap, $15-$20 each for brand name turning/facing/milling, when bought from an industrial supply, and they take little skill to change.
To all you folks who chambered gazillion chambers, when do you know that the reamer had to be re-sharpened or maybe replaced, regardless what technique you employ to arrive at a finished chamber?
I judge 'um just like any other cutting tool. Look at the cutting edges under magnification, and how it cuts. I own reamers with 40-60 chambers cut and they're still cutting strong. I'm using a muzzle flush, so my chambering tools never see much heat. I'm, also, not 'crowding' them to see how fast I can be done, but I don't 'baby' them either. "baby" 'um and you can rub them to death. Rubbing cutting edges is as bad for the tool as feeding or turning too fast.
 
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I dont have reamers sharpened because to do it right the reamer is set back the length of the neck so everything can be ground to the original size. This puts the bushing farther away from the throat potentially into bore thats not running concentric. I dont rely on tight bushings to make up for setup, but if you do then this will cause an off center throat. On the few that have been setback I dont use a bushing on them to insure the throat is centered.
 
I dont have reamers sharpened because to do it right the reamer is set back the length of the neck so everything can be ground to the original size. This puts the bushing farther away from the throat potentially into bore thats not running concentric. I dont rely on tight bushings to make up for setup, but if you do then this will cause an off center throat. On the few that have been setback I dont use a bushing on them to insure the throat is centered.
That's BS! The od of a reamer doesn't change when properly sharpened. No need to move anything back. You don't know what you're talking about.

Even if it were true, why not have them move the bushing back, too? But it's not, so it doesn't matter.
 
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That's BS! The od of a reamer doesn't change when properly sharpened. No need to move anything back. You don't know what you're talking about.
You get funnier all the time. Better call JGS and tell them that. Even just stoning the face of a flute will reduce the diameter a small amount if you stone enough to actually sharpen a dull edge.
 
That's BS! The od of a reamer doesn't change when properly sharpened. No need to move anything back. You don't know what you're talking about.

Even if it were true, why not have them move the bushing back, too? But it's not, so it doesn't matter.

You need to remove material to sharpen an edge.
Pretty hard to drill and tap hardened HSS to move the bushing and retainer screw back.
 
You need to remove material to sharpen an edge.
Pretty hard to drill and tap hardened HSS to move the bushing and retainer screw back.
You do bring up a point, but that's why I've never done it and why I said, that's not how it's done...No more talk. You DO NOT turn down the od of a chamber reamer to sharpen it!
 

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