Steve Arnold wrote on Sep 13
th, 2017 at 10:42am:
This is the method I use.
Forstner bit segment begins at 0:50
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This is NOT sharpening.
This is honing the back flat.
This is no different than trying to sharpen a bench chisel by only honing the back. or by sharpening a gouge byonly honing the flute. You are trying to remove too much material in the wrong area.
While it may remove a few burrs, it is not addressing the grind which creates the cutting edge.
On forstener bits, If you sharpen the bevel (the ground cutting edge)
you are not changing the profile of the bit, which is some peoples concern.
If you leave the center point and perimeter alone, the bit will always cut straight no matter the condition of the cutters.
You might as well try to sharpen the area that actually does the cutting.
(
this is not to be done on router bits)
I will add that on router bits, the same thing applies. You aren't actually sharpening anything, just cleaning up and/or honing the back. Any attempt to sharpen a router bit changes the diameter (because you are removing material from the perimeter).
You can hone the back once or twice but once the edge is gone you can not bring it back, period.