Squeegee blade sharping

[3Deep]

How many of you resharpen your blades or just replace the blade, I know I could turn our blades over but I don't like the ridges our holders but on the blade plus they look out of shape, but I will use them in our manual handles.  I was thinking of maybe getting a blade sharpener, but those things are costly plus could I really save money...but I guess that question depends on our production level and how fast we dull up our blades.  I can get a 12 ft roll of rubber 70/90/70 for around $86 bucks.

[BP]

Resharpen here! And I sharpen new blades as well. New they are not sharp.

[BRGtshirts]

We resharpen (screen printer's caveat: not as much as we should!!) but have the gear and use it intermittently throughout the year

[Rockers]

I buy my squeegee blades from a Chinese manufacturer, I think for $50 for a long roll of triple durometer squeegee rubber. Have to buy always 5 boxes though. I considered sharpening our rubber but due to the low price and the close proximity of our shop to mainland China I`m more then happy to just throw the blades out once they are not sharp enough anylonger.

[Ragz13]

I re-sharpen our squeegee blades every 2-3 months, usually just a few swipes across keeps them good!

[TheGhost]

What are you guys using to do the sharpening?

[ebscreen]

What are you guys using to do the sharpening?

Was going to be my question. I have never had luck sharpening squeegees regardless of the method/tool used.
I've yet to try one of the slicers though.

To me, it's about like sharpening an orange or something.

[3Deep]

Right there with you Ebscreen, back in the day I did what Scott Fresener said to do, sandpaper on a board, just made it worse, I've seen some sharpeners at shows but they came with a nice price tag!!

[bimmridder]

I have a squeegee sharpener with two different grit wheels. I don't even try to sharpen lower durometer blades. Like you, no luck with that. 70 and higher, for me.

[mk162]

We have an abrasive sharpener.  It isn't used for sharpening anymore, I use it as a small bench sander.  It's really handy for rounding over the ends of squeegees, putty knives, and just general sanding.

I replace blades, they are cheap enough that when they are dull it's easier to replace them.

[ebscreen]

We have a decent one that includes a diamond nib on a jig for dressing the wheel. As a hobby machinist
I'd like to think my grinder skills are pretty notch, but I'll be damned if I can do anything but burn rubber.
Maybe it needs coolant.

[Ragz13]

We have an M&R Blade Shaper SC. I use the fine grit wheel. You have to go a little at a time and watch your speed as you move across the blade. Too slow will get the blade hot and it will harden, too much pressure will cause an uneven blade.

[TheGhost]

Thanks for the responses!

For cutting the blades from a roll I use a pair of landscaping pruners that are curved. I then have the clipper thing that curves the edges from firmor and sand after I do that.
The pruners work pretty well, a little dangerous, but what is life without a little danger.

[ZooCity]

To me, it's about like sharpening an orange or something.

lol, same. 

Also, the sharpener we had couldn't align and hold the blade correctly to begin with so it can be a fool's errand even with a shiny new sharpening machine.

We replace.  It doesn't cost much and it works! 

[tonypep]

Replace. Some rubber is cut, others are extrusions (more expensive) to me sharpening is not a good use of time and very little ROI on the machine and bits. It will also roughen up the raw edge of the blade which is undesirable for some.