How to Hand Sharpen a Twist Drill

Knowing how to hand sharpen a twist drill is a basic skill every machinist should possess. It will not only save money, it will also enable you to grind better performing tools for use on the lathe and mill.

[@kevinblakely7349]

I've been a machinist for 40 + years....I don't do everything exactly as Tom does.......but what he is showing you.....will certainly work. Watch, listen and learn. This man does know what he is talking about.

[@rprichard8452]

Very nice job. I've been a machinist since 1973, and I am impressed how well you translated your actions. It is quite hard to show someone how machinists do quick fixes On-The-Fly. Some of your viewers seem to think it's a natural thing and why don't you just say "blah blah", but I don't see thier version on KZbin. Very few people understand what it takes to get a point across. Pun not intended.

[@jasonstevenson4436]

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[@fisherguy12345]

my father was a master tool & die maker .....he taught me how to sharpen drill bits in the shop at 16 years old much the same technique as you are doing now........he started his apprenticeship at age 14 and worked until age 65 at a machine shop then taught at trades school until he was 74 and his eyesight was not so good ......he was so skilled he never had to use the measuring tools himself to check the angles or lengths when sharpening bits or tools ......the other tradesmen used to call him Peter Perfect ........great video !

[@doright6461]

+Wilbert Michielsen With lots of experience it can be done "bye eye" and be close. Especially on little drills. Personally it is harder for me to do larger ones or tiny ones that way. Plus keeping in mind if you want to go deep improper sharpening can have problems and some probs on diam. even with thin material. It only takes a second to use a protractor n scale or even dial caliper. I throw away babies like up to1/8 or so with the time vs cost and quote for the job in mind plus with a replacement supply of course.

[@adriancollins]

I've sharpened my own drills by eye for at least 20 years now and they work 'ok' I've just resharpened one of my drills using this method and oh my, what a difference, they cut better now than my shop bought drills, I have a lot of drills to resharpen now. Thank you for posting this, I only wish I'd seen it 9 years ago 😊

[@seejayszolc8415]

I have no idea why anyone gave this video a thumbs down. This was an outstanding explanation of how to sharpen a drill bit effectively.

[@johnocallaghan4337]

😢v,

[@johnvitz310]

I was very successful with using Toms techniques. I also found his teaching instructions very easy to understand and duplicate. I can't stand all you You tube hot heads that criticize a good man sharing knowledge.

[@rprichard8452]

True, true, every once in a while I see someone do a proper job and some idiots can't do it, but critique the shit out of it.

[@rogerbroadwater7084]

I am having trouble getting the 58 degree angle min looks like a permid.am I getting the bit off center need some advise

[@rogerbroadwater7084]

I am not a machinist by any stretch,the reason for sharping bits is I watched a friend try to drill out exhaust studs and now this is what I am doing to learn the art of drill bit sharpening ,thanks for all the help and I am retired dozer operator.

[@muharremaksoy3220]

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[@gravityalwayswins1434]

Really superb tutorial by old school guy that knows his stuff. As a carpenter for 43 years I have learned to sharpen all manner of tools, all by hand and eye. This guy is spot on about using your hands and eyes as guides. Gimmick sharpening devices are actually detrimental to developing 'feel' so necessary for sharpening. Great vid. Thumb WAY up.

[@TomsTechniques]

Thanks Robert. Well said about "developing the feel". Tom

[@willingwalers]

Dear Tom, I need to add to my previous comment. You have not only saved me loads of money (that I don't have) you have saved my sanity. I have been struggling with blunt drills for about 25 years. I was very good at making real hard work out of drilling into steel, until now. I stopped trying to sharpen the drills, because I only made them worse. You explained it so well I found it easy, at long last. Instead of dreading the thought of drilling into steel, I can't wait to do some more.Thanks for kindly sharing your wisdom. Janette

[@TomsTechniques]

Once you get the hang of it, it's kind of fun sharpening them and as you say, you also save a lot of money doing it. Glad you enjoyed the video. Be sure to check out my website, tomstechniques.com. Tom

[@TomsTechniques]

THAT"S what I like to hear Tom! The whole point of making these videos is to hear that someone actually got their hands dirty, applied some of this stuff and learned something while doing it. Good job. Tom

[@alexanderguestguitars1173]

The ammount of videos there are on KZbin telling you how to make jigs to re-grind drill bits is unbelievable. I feel obliged to sit there and write "you don't need a jig!........" Well done that man for showing people how easy and quick it is to sharpen a drill bit, just by hand on the wheel.Apart from the fact that I tend to rock the bit to get a continuous clearance ramp, not just a flat angle, That's EXACTLY how I do it.

[@KayvanCrafted]

It's a great technic no argument there and a very nice tutorial👍 but, I built a very simple drill bit sharpening jig, and boy it made my life easier the design is so simple, I have the tutorial in my channel if anyone intrested

[@Jasta315]

Have a stockpile of old dull bits in my basement. Just tried this and right off the bat the first bit drills through steel like butter! Thanks for saving me hundreds of dollars worth of old bits!!! Couldnt have been easier!

[@TomsTechniques]

It's good to hear that a video I made nine years ago is still being used!

[@marcripoche]

It definitely is. I just used your technique to sharpen some old bits of mine. Thank goodness for the Internet and people like you 👍.

[@leoneddy1492]

Your old drill bits are probably made from decent HSS material

[@TomsTechniques]

This is why I do these videos. To hear that someone actually applied what they learned in them is great to hear. Thanks! Tom

[@yelyab1]

This guy has done 22X10 power 100,000, yeah it looks easy. I’m 73, engineering degree with honors, had a toolmaker give me a one hour lesson on drill sharpening and I still reduce a 6” long bit to 3” long before I get it right! He discounts his years of experience and knowledge. If you ever have to recreate our civilization make sure you have at least 1000 tool and die makers. They are use to working 7-12s so that should be enough, don’t forget donuts on payday!

[@stewart9723]

I got taught when I was an apprentice mechanic 50 years ago. My boss taught me to slightly roll the drill bit from the cutting edge, the main thing is practice. I can still do it today, keep at it.

[@TomsTechniques]

Conical clearance will work fine (that's the way I learned as well), but faceted clearance angles are a bit easier to grind and generate less heat. Thanks for watching.

[@broken1965]

Tom im a machinist well over 30years that was a perfect demo. faster then some mechanical grinders ive used which can burn the edge an soften it, i know used them for drills waste unless your in the business and have lots of resharps of the same sizes to do.

[@pamoffa]

Thanks Tom, I have a drill doctor and got pissed off at it because the grinding wheel wears out so quick so I looked up sharpening a drill bit on youtube and after watching a few good ones I found yours to be the cats ass thanks I was drinking some wine and watching this and had to go to the bench grinder right away to play. I promise I will get good at this because of good people like you sharing your trade

[@TomsTechniques]

Thanks. It's always good to hear that the videos are being used. Tom

[@scottherr642]

How could anyone find anything wrong with this tutorial-best I've ever seen on how to sharpen-natural born teacher-thank you sir

[@TomsTechniques]

Wrong to most negative responders is simply anything other than the way they do it. It's sad to see how many people are not receptive to new ideas.

[@tmaclee2737]

@@TomsTechniques it's always nice on paper...know what I mean.

[@tomasclasson]

How can there be 2.1k dislikes of this?! I'd say it is one of the better hand grinding tutorials here.

[@TomsTechniques]

Thanks, but out of 8.7 million views, that's only .03%, pretty much on par with other videos. Some people just have to have something to complain about.

[@NoFNclue]

This is exactly how I've been doing it for 40 years. Self taught, my Dad always doubted me, but couldn't argue with the results. Single curled chip even on hard metals.... Excellent demonstration...

[@TomsTechniques]

Thanks. There have been a few "doubting dad's" on here as well, but as you say, you can't argue with the results. Glad you enjoyed the demo. Tom

[@vekmk2]

Many thanks , as a 65 year old, ive never been able to sharpen a drill bit, after watching your video ive just been in the workshop and in under a hour ive back to life a box full of bits that I'd saved for a rainy day!!! Many thanks again and best regards, Andy

[@TomsTechniques]

Thanks Andy, It's good to hear the video was of use to you.

[@vekmk2]

@@TomsTechniques Hi Tom, thanks for the reply, I never really had an engineering background, though my 20!s and up to 40 I was a coal miner, at 40 the coal mine closed and I went into the diving trade until a major injury I received whilst coal mining took its toll, nowadays ive found a passion in making stuff from metal and wood. Your video has been to me the answer of black magic art !!! Thanks again and best regards always, Andy

[@DavidSmith-cb9yo]

Thanks for the great instructional video Tom , you just saved me 100.00+ as I was thinking about purchasing a bit sharpener. I have never had the opportunity to see anyone sharpen a drill bit , you just saved me a lot of $ and taught me a very valued skill to have. For that Sir I thank you , just found your channel . I am now a subscriber !

[@rabwoody264]

Perfection in motion, skilled craftsmanship, not forced just fluid from years of experience these are the things that are slowly disappearing, thank the lord for KZbin and thank you sir for sharing..

[@TomsTechniques]

Thank you for watching

[@killerseddie8295]

Thanks Tom. I hadn't sharpened a drill bit in over 10 years so I needed a refresher.

[@TomsTechniques]

Thanks for watching!

[@guymanicone7921]

This is the first video I found that talked about the clearance angle which I found to be the most important part. Finally got my lug drilled out

[@77appyi]

very good....what i use to get the angel instead of a protractor is 2 hex nuts pushed together..you push the tip of the bit between them ...it also gives you a guide if you have got both sides the same as the 2 nuts will sit wonky if you have not,,so no need to use a ruler

[@jbbauer0]

+david appleton Good idea

[@dynamikausa]

Now first of all, Thank You! I tried this technique and it worked like a charm. I wish my teachers showed it to me when I started. Amazing!

[@TomsTechniques]

It's good to hear that the trades are still being taught in high school. It's definitely not as common as it was when I was teaching in the 70's. I'm glad you liked the video.

[@danielhanawalt4998]

After watching several videos comparing various drill bit sharpening machines and the prices for them, the bench grinder seems the most practical by far since it can be used for other things, not just sharpening drill bits. So it will take some practice but from what I've seen the results are at least as good with the bench grinder and the most cost effective. Nice work on your video and explaining how to do sharpen bits.

[@techman1274]

Nice work Tom my grandfather taught me this same technique I have over 300 bits some of his and mine and its nice to have bits to get the job done right! Glad to see people teaching good technique and by hand which works better. Anyone can go buy a machine to sharpen bits, my wife got me a craftsman and what a piece of JUNK!!! Hand sharp all the way!!

[@TomsTechniques]

Thanks MAN!

[@LJC32309]

Completely agree. The way I was taught and the way I teach. Cheers.

[@stevenmassey7586]

I was taught the old school way and later learned the facet method. Both are good to know as larger bits 1 1/4 + lend them selves to the conical method especially in a job shop environment. Two things I recommend get yourself a drill point gauge w/6"scale 4R preferred. It's just handy as hell and the angle 118° is set and the most common. These are not expensive . Secondly do as Tom says and practice practice practice. People do things differently it's natural but most machinist sharpen drills the same way as shown.

[@philipjones3093]

.

[@crazyfingers_kc]

Im in a trade school for half of my day every day in high school. Im learning to become a metal machinist, so I watched this video to try and get a head start in my class. Thanks for the video, it definately gives me a good idea of what I'll be doing

[@stacysimon8864]

Hello. I just found your Channel. I been machining for over 20 years as a trade. Of the videos I personally have seen on how to sharpen a drill, you Sir, are at the top of that list. Excellent work.

[@TomsTechniques]

+Stacy Simon Thanks! Hope you enjoy the rest of the channel. Tom

[@marvinostman1378]

I liked your presentation. I have sharpened my own bits for years. I was taught by an elderly (I use that term with the deepest respect. I wish I knew half of what he knew and be able to recall a quarter of what he taught me). one of the first th I ngs he taught me was the easy way to check to check the angle. take two he's nuts and hold two flats together. there's your 120 degrees. put the bit in with the Web parallel with apex of the angle. bring one cutting edge into contact with the wheel with the center of the bit just ever so slightly below 90 degrees. contact the wheel at the center line of the wheel and the cutting edge level. as soon as you contact the wheel start to move the shank of the bit own and to the left at the same time. not too much relief behind the cutting edge. to much relief makes the bit feed too fast causing grabbing and also results in a weak cutting edge. when you add those two things together it is easy to break the bit. you can check the length of the cutting edges seeing how much of the flats of the nuts are showing. pick nuts that have flats as close to the size of the cutting edges as you can. if you did it right when you are done it will look and cut like a new bit fresh out of the package. as for the Web not cutting, he also taught me that on bits much above 5/16 in thicker material use a pilot bit that is one size smaller than the web. my grandfather also taught me to always keep the bit cutting. he said "if you let the bit idle in the hole you will dull even a new it. I am now 60 and have discovered that if us young pups would listen and pay attention first to these wealth of information before we assume we have all the answers. how can we have all the answers when those guys had not yet heard all the questions.

[@saijames635]

Marvin Ostman Thank you for the tips, is there any chance you could share a few more?

[@drumcdoo9050]

Good tips showing how easy it is for beginners. I tend to roll the drill rather than taking it in two stages which also works well with practice. Using a bench sander works well too in upright position. An overhead spotlight looking directly down helps to get precise angle each time you repeat action along with using permenant marker to draw line on base plate showing correct angle On a really knackered drill bit be careful to go in stages to avoid overheating or drill cutting edge will become soft and will quickly become blunt.

[@royk007]

Thanks for the video,My dad did this always for me he was a welder for 30 years he sharped the drill's on the eye. And they where sharp as a stanley knife :-) He died 10-2-2016 Miss him a lot my best friend! Greetings Roy

[@TomsTechniques]

Thanks Roy. Sorry to hear about your dad. Tom

[@stephancraenen9709]

Same here, my dad was my best friend too and a hell of a mechanic !

[@royk007]

Stephan Craenen :-( same pain men. stay strong m8

[@THOMASTHESAILOR]

Nice Video, I been a machinist for 40 years now. Most people think you have to be a wizard to do that.. Once You understand cutter geometry, it's just a matter of hand/eye coordination.. Years of practice, 8-10 hours a day 5-1/2 days a week for decades, helps too.

[@TomsTechniques]

Yup. You don't have to play video game to develop good hand/eye coordination. Thanks for watching. Tom

[@glencoughlan2209]

Tom, anyone ever told you that you sound like Kevin Costner ? anyhow, ignore the trolls that have nothing better to do than leave a negative or facetious remark on the interestingly put together tutorials you have taken the time and consideration to educate those that have boxes of twist drill bits that accumulate and never see a wheel stone. Keep up the good work and enjoy what your doing. Ignore the pods.

[@TomsTechniques]

Thanks Glen

[@alanporter2694]

I learned to sharpen twist drills when I was an engineering apprentice in a Textile Machinery Manufacturer. I did it a little bit different:- rather than create a series of individual 'flat' angles, I would have an upward and slight rotating motion that created the clearances. Whatever works is good. Thanks for sharing

[@TomsTechniques]

That's the way we were all taught in shop class, but this technique is actually more efficient. Do a little research on multi-faceted drill point geometry to see why I do it this way instead. Thanks for watching.

[@TJ-jx6dx]

My teacher couldn't show me this is. 6hrs...you taught it to me in 11mins. Thank you.

[@SirRootes]

Thanks Tom for this video. I am 31 and have just become a fitter/machinist apprentice here in Australia. I have been working CNC machines for nearly a decade but videos like this are truly great. I have been trying to master this for a while and after seeing your vid I think I have now. Thank you for making my training a bit easier. ;o)

[@TomsTechniques]

Glad I could be of assistance, this a very useful skill to master. Thanks for watching. Tom

[@gregmccarter2176]

I learned many years ago how to sharpen...I just found a 5 gal bucket full of drill bits..every size there is...most of them are made in USA old stuff, but good brands..millerfalls etc. So far I have 50 good as new bits....most people just toss drill bits...

[@tomskinner7306]

Tom, I learned how to do this in 1966 my Grandfather taught me. Nice to relearn. Great Video - only add start with eye protection.

[@maur210]

Excellent instructions! Went through my entire working career as a motor mechanic and never sharpened a drill bit properly till now. Had a great afternoon sharpening about 20 dull bits after viewing your video. Cheers

[@24-7lockouts9]

Probably the best video online that I've seen, making it look easier than it is, but covering all aspect thoroughly

[@TomsTechniques]

Thanks Adam.

[@jaileal8806]

Thanks Tom. Very clear. Appreciate the time and effort put into this. Going to practice this weekend.

[@steviezxr]

I just guessed and it worked brilliantly. I sharpened a broken drill bit and it was better than new.

[@jamesculp3622]

Most videos don't make or speak about that secondary cut or the third. Thank you for covering those.

[@malochala]

I recently taught myself how to do this as I got tired of having to get new drill bits all the time. I was surprised at how easy it is to sharpen a drill bit successfully. As Tom has illustrated here, the critical thing is to pay attention to the angles and keep them consistent. This is an excellent video!

[@TomsTechniques]

+Mark Lochala Thanks for watching Mark. Tom

[@Golfing422]

I've been grinding drills for 30 years, some as large as 2" in diameter. How you know you've done them right is the drill will cut the hole to size. If one side is longer, the hole will be larger which is good if you want slightly bigger. It's best to learn how to roll the clearance and count for each side to get them even. Using the side of the wheel is also a nice place to roll. You can rough the clearance on the front and roll on the side to finish.

[@TomsTechniques]

I used to grind my drills with conical clearance as well, until I discovered the benefits of multi-faceted technology. Check out the following article by Joseph Mazoff: www.newmantools.com/machines/drillpoint.html

[@BrantleySmithNC]

Very good, thanks for the effort and instruction. I have always struggled with this and I even get inconsistent results from my Drill Doctor. Now that I understand the concepts and goals we're trying to achieve, I can make it happen.

[@TomsTechniques]

Thanks Brantley, glad I could help. Tom

[@TomsTechniques]

Yes, brass and plastic require either zero back rake or a slightly blunted cutting edge so they don't screw into the work. Glad you enjoyed the video.

[@andyburnett6490]

I’m just BARELY starting to think about maybe possibly tinkering with some machine tools and I have been binging your vids as I prep for my first little project. You experience and willingness to put it out for other to benefit from is appreciated.

[@diggascryptoawarenessdownu7246]

Awesome, it helps so much when teaching anything to explain WHY you're doing what you're doing! A+

[@TomsTechniques]

Exactly. Knowing "Why" definitely adds validity to learning "how". Thanks for watching.

[@gregshea1018]

It was my first job out of school in a fabrication shop. But I had forgotten...thanks for the refresher..😊

[@TomsTechniques]

Thanks for watching.

[@haaspapa]

excellent! Been doing it that way for decades, only tip I might add, because I work with some pretty large drills that often get really mangled, is remeind folks not to overheat the tip while grinding, tuning it blue or gold, thus softening up, annealing the tool steel. Thanks for that

[@FAF575]

This video is why I never throw away dull bits, in the hopes that one day I would be able to do this without ruining the bit for good! I have tried over the years with limited success and this video just crossed my "t's" and dotted my "i's"! I think I can do this now! Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

[@TomsTechniques]

It's good to hear that the video helped out. Thanks for watching.

[@nivaldo758]

Toms, that is a good video. No many mechanics today do this kind of sharpening.

[@narddawg2718]

Great video, thanks! I’ve quickly learned it requires lots of practice and much PATIENCE sharpening bits

[@nooki1102]

Worked beautifully.. I recovered about 6 big expensive bits this morning that have been in the draw for years. Thanks

[@outbackjack46270]

LOVE your video, brought a huge smile to my face. I saw my Dad do this hundreds of times as he was a machinist at Burgess Norton, Geneva, IL for 2 years followed by 43 years at Van Dee Mfg in Batavia, IL. I just called him on the phone and told him about your video and asked him if he used the square and he chuckled, that he could get it right by eye only and then after asking him how close to tolerance he could get it by eye and he laughed even harder said "within around .005"'! He ran three multiple spindle bar machines until they replaced them in the '90's? with single bar Mazaks. I actually worked with him at VD for a few months until I told myself I couldn't do it for 40 years and joined the USAF and retired at 25 years, 44 years old and he was still working at VD for another 5-7 years. I really felt/feel bad about that too but I had to retire as I broke my back or I'd still be working somewhere. Enough of flappin my gums. Thanks Please comment if you would as he'd like to hear from you.

[@TomsTechniques]

Truthfully, I don't use the protractor either. I just used it in the video because it's a good idea to start with one until you develop the necessary skill to go without it. Once you get it down, it only takes seconds to sharpen a drill that will work like new. Thanks for watching. Tom

[@outbackjack46270]

Tom's Techniques I hope you don't think I was disrespecting you, I wasn't just wanted to share my experience. Like your other vids too.

[@TomsTechniques]

Not at all. I just include a lot more steps and information in my videos than I use myself, so someone trying it for the first time has all the tools they need to get it right. Glad you like the vids. Tom

[@prodoverjeff2876]

Your grinding technique is nearly identical to mine, I've done thousands in 40 years. Here's a tip. To get that last fraction of a degree, the last few thousandths of lip, I shut the wheel off and touch the drill as it slows down. Lots of control, easier to get the results I want. Great finish, too. I often do the same thing when thinning the web, for the same reason

[@TomsTechniques]

Thanks. I'll have to give that a try.

[@prodoverjeff2876]

What I like about it is things are happening just like they normally would, only slower. Mistakes are more easily avoided. Too much coffee can make my hands shake, slowing the wheel helps.

[@tammineuman5983]

If in a bind, placing two nuts flat to flat, gives a 120° angle for reference.

[@astc593]

Thank you! A nice trick to remember.

[@diverbob8]

Tom, nice video. As one who has used this technique for about 50 years, I can attest to it's validity. Two things that I would add are: (1) a "dressing stick" is great for making the face of the stone flat before hand. And (2), having worked around a good sized tool and die shop for more than 20 years, I always advise operators to stand to the side when a grinder is started, for about 20 - 30 seconds in case the stone comes apart. This is especially important when a grinder stone is used by more than one person as you never know if someone did something stupid that damaged the stone on it's last use. Bob A.

[@TomsTechniques]

+Robert Applegate Thanks Bob. I have both a dressing stick and a star dresser hanging on the grinder to be used as needed. Luckily I don't have to worry about what others have done to my grinder because I'm the only one using it. :) Tom

[@thomasjefferson1457]

Great video. I'm a retired machinist that has sharpened drills by hand since the early 70's. I must have sharpened many thousands of them in my career and the one thing that's most important is practice. Find yourself a batch of drills and sharpen them over and over and over and over till they're too short to use. Test them by drilling holes and measuring the hole diameter. After their too short to use throw them away and sharpen some more. After a few hundred attempts to get them sharp you will gain the confidence to tackle them without hardly thinking about it. It's a skill that develops over time just like playing a musical instrument. You need to practice. I'm like you, it's hard to find a dull drill bit in my tool box because I almost instinctively sharpen it if it's dull before I put it away. I never put a dull bit away in a drill case. That's a no no. It only takes 30 seconds to sharpen it so why put a dull bit away.

[@MyNewUserName47]

my Dad sharpened drill bits on bench grinders for many years dating back from the late 40s when he worked in a shipyard. he would sharpen bits based on what he was doing with them, some stuff he rolled them, for other things multi-faceted. the larger bits, over about 2 inch he would clamp in a vice & use a hand grinder. once done he didn't have problems with them drilling over sized holes. on my best day i never was as good at as he was on a bad day. in his later years he did start to have problems with smaller bits being off center, his eyes were not what they use to be. i got him a Drill Doctor which he did use & liked it for the most part, but it did take him longer to sharpen a bit with it than what it did when he had good eyes. some of the places he worked were like some people here "you can't properly sharpen drill bits on a grinder",.. cause of that he had more high quality drill bits than some shops.

[@irishtino1595]

we own a company that makes machines that sharpen and reshape drills, and every kind of cutter under the sun. i just bring my destroyed drills to the factory and they are automatically done in minutes (granted some of the units cost 6 or 7 figures). i appreciate the talent of craftsmen who can eyeball a bit and grind it out!

[@langora5804]

Jim Alley keep it up brother. Consistency is key!

Pretty amazing to see him get his targeted angles so precisely and quickly.

[@mr.dawson8502]

That is a great video. Answered every question I had. Concise and to the point. Thanks Tom, I like your presentation. It's obvious without you needing to even say it, you've been doing this stuff for a long time and you know what works and what doesn't.

[@outdoorsatenoch4237]

I tried this last week while drilling through a lot of steel - worked great - thank you for posting!

[@SilverMiraii]

Very useful video, didn't know you can sharpen bits like that, thought I need a special tool. As for the angle, I just eyeballed it and it worked fine. Had to resharpen it a few times because I drilled two stainless steel knives and they were tough af.

[@dennishein2812]

I always freehand sharpened my bits. I went by the angle the bit originally had and sometimes I did change it some. I didn’t use a protractor or ruler but I wasn’t a machinist. I was a diesel mechanic. I did have a machinist teach me how to notch the bit so it cut faster and lasted longer. It worked great when working on frame rails. You called it thinning the web.

[@TomsTechniques]

I don't use a ruler or protractor either, but I've been hand sharpening drills since the 60's. However, I do recommend using them for those developing their skills.

[@dennishein2812]

@@TomsTechniques I agree, it takes time to develop the eye and feel.

[@apached343]

As an apprentice we were taught by having to practice after watching an instructor. Your step by step explanation makes the whole process so much easier to replicate. Thanks..

[@456eec]

I've been trying to sharpen bits for years with mixed results and have never been confident I'm doing it right. Thanks for the indepth instruction of all the important angles. Now I'm going to dig out a box of rusty old bits I've collected over the years and do lots of practice because I'll be more confident. Justin

[@TomsTechniques]

That's the nice thing about drills, there are always plenty of dull ones around to practice on. Glad you enjoyed the video. Tom

[@nicksim1602]

Excellent demonstration. Thank-you Tom.

[@TomHaroldArt]

Thank you for this tutorial. I work in a stainless sheet metal shop, and we are forever dulling bits, as you can imagine. I've been shown a couple times, but never thoroughly, and there's only one guy in the shop that can do it predictably well. Now I need to practice, and since I do my art in stainless at home, I've dulled plenty of bits there as well. I appreciated the tips on hand positioning and bit position on the wheel. That's what I was trying to figure out today! I was trying to do a couple at work, and for the life of me couldn't figure out how I somehow kept putting the wrong ramp on the grind, with the back side of it being level or even higher than the front edge. I'm sure I had the bit held too low on the wheel.

[@TomsTechniques]

Thanks Tom. Drill sharpening takes good hand/eye coordination, but that comes with practice. Tom

[@MichaelSmith-hs5iu]

Wow!... With teachers like you, it opens up a whole new world of basic understanding principles. Thank You for this lesson.

[@marvinostman522]

I had a highly talented man take me under his wing and shared knowledge with me that I would have to live 3 life times to learn teach me how to sharpen drillbits. It is much the the same as how you demonstrated up to the point of grinding the relief. The way he taught me was to lineup the cutting edge like you show but then rotate the bit clockwise and pivot it down at the same time. They come out looking like a new one fresh off the shelf.

[@TomsTechniques]

That is called conical relief and is the way we all learned to sharpen bits in shop class. :) Faceted relief, as I demonstrate in the video is more efficient (generates less heat) and easier to grind. Give it a try.

[@charlesarthur1014]

First have a square flat sharp grinding wheel. I assume you had this. Never let the bit become hot. Annealing. I ALWAYS have a cup of water for cooling. Smaller drills will heat up fast and anneal the tip (soften). Tool Maker 40 years and ALOT of drill /mill sharpening. Good video and angles used are correct. I always use the corner of the wheel to open up the flute like you did. The flatter the wheel the better the corner.

[@TomsTechniques]

This was one of the first videos I made, just as sort of an experiment. Never thought it would become so popular. I'm planning on remaking it using a more appropriate wheel and also some better camera work. Check out the red hardness of high speed steel and you will see the fallacy of having to keep the tool cool. Pretty sure you'll find that it doesn't start to lose its hardness until it gets around 1100ºF. In fact, I made a video demonstrating that very point. Tom

[@Spark-Hole]

Good vidio but I think Chuck was right about drill bit can be softening. At the point that stone hit metal local temperature can be very high carbon at the surface combine with oxygen in the air. Make you loose carbon at surface. I normally hand stone after bench grinding that would remove soft low carbon layer and drill would stay sharp longer.

[@miketrusky476]

Take two nuts put them flat side to flare side, the angle they make is 60 degrees, hold them together put the point of the bit in that space, thatvis a quick way to check your work, no gap and no separating the nuts , As you look down.

[@doctorboy5892]

Hi Mike. I took my two nuts and put them side by side. Just going to get the wife to check the angle between them.

Doctor Boy how did you have them before Mike recommended you keeping them side by side?

[@lowell49]

Great lesson! I've done that for years. It's great to know these skills aren't totally lost! Kudos. I've been retired a while!

[@manosparavida3551]

An old engineer taught me how to sharpen drill bits when i was 16. Several decades on and guys in the workshop still ask me to sharpen drills for them. I can also resharpen rotary cutter bits for mag-drills. i.e. Rotorbroach, Jancy Slugger etc, etc.

[@freestyla101]

Amazing. Easily the best video on the topic

[@dadejazzba402]

The best explanation I've seen...good job

[@charliemorrison6162]

.

[@harley121]

Hello, Very informative. My dad was a tool & die maker, he sharpened all our bits. Now its my turn and your video really helped me to recall how its done. Many thanks! Bob R.

[@TomsTechniques]

Thanks for watching, Bob.

[@BoldUniverse]

Brilliant Brilliant Brilliant! Without a doubt the BEST way to sharpen a drill!! I back it up with personal experience!

[@Twistnthewind]

Very good video................clear and concise.................ty

[@TomsTechniques]

Thanks for watching.

[@davidskipperskip5403]

Very nice explanation thank you!!

[@jvpa7125]

Nice to see a craftsman do a real job this is how I was told to sharpen a drill over 38 years but I reduce the chisel point with a rad still sharpening drills I must have done hundreds over the years

[@TomsTechniques]

I definitely becomes second nature after a while. I check every drill before I use it and if necessary, take a few seconds to give it a quick touch-up. Tom

[@jamesorcutt3954]

Concise effective teaching of practical knowledge that a student can apply. Keep up the excellent work Tom.

[@donyboy73]

nice job, I have to try this method

[@brucemoyers1006]

Tom's technique is spot on. BUT, Tom didn't get this right the first (or second) time he did it. Tom perfected his art with an ancient secret, PRACTICE. He routinely dulls bits as he uses them all the time. It's the only way to get it right. Grab some "dead" bits at a flea market or use a few of your duplicates. When it is sharpening time, start with a throwaway first, the success rate on the good bits will soar. THEN, reach for a 1/16th bit and try that! Time for you to leave, Grasshopper.

[@joentexas]

An engineering school I attended in the '70's had us twist the drill after we had establish the angle and length. Twisting the drill as we fed the drill gently into the grinder to lower the heel of the flute. Seemed to bring dull drills back into service. Thanks though, it's been awhile.

[@TomsTechniques]

That is the way I was taught as well, but it''s old school. This way is better. Tom

[@arthursullivan7666]

T

[@loispeebles7105]

Arthur Sulliva

[@charginmahlazors]

I'm no machinist, but a carpenter. Can sharpen the heck out of a chisel/plane iron. But a drill bit is a different story. Very clear/concise. Many thanks

[@TomsTechniques]

Check out my video on how to grind a sheet metal drill. They work very well on wood. Tom

[@charginmahlazors]

Cheers

[@andrewmckeag2025]

Hi if you hold two hex nuts together they have an angle of 120 degrees if you don't have your protractor handy and its only 2 degrees out!

[@toddjacobs5660]

You do a machine quality job on yr sharpening skills, i can do a pretty good job, but i watched yr video again because im going to sharpen all my bits today & want to do as good as possible 👍

[@TomsTechniques]

If you are going to sharpen a lot of drill bits, be sure to spot check a few as you go. Look for how easy they feed, equal size chips coming from each cutting edge, and acurately sized holes.

[@TomsTechniques]

Thanks. The ability to hand sharpen a tool is definitely a plus for any machinist. Tom

[@timculver8598]

Thanks Tom. That is absolutely top grade instruction. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge and experience with many who want to learn and grow and a few commenters who want to act like Nancy every chance they get. Great video.

[@TomsTechniques]

Thanks Tim

[@thomaspasqualone7584]

Great video. Just wondering though, you made no mention of truing up the face of the grinding wheel. Your thoughts please?

[@TomsTechniques]

+Thomas Pasqualone I just do it as needed. If the face starts cupping or I need a nice sharp corner on the wheel, I'll clean it up with a star wheel dresser for coarse wheels or a silicon carbide dressing stick for the fine ones. Tom

[@opytkulikova]

При такой заточке, копируются все неровности наждачного круга на режущую кромку сверла. Кроме этого сложнее выдерживать углы резания на сверле. Я точу сверла иначе на любом наждачном круге или алмазном. Сверло имеет высокую износостойкость и выдерживает силовое резание. Посмотрите Способ заточки сверла от токаря профессионала. Опыт Куликова. @ Способ заточки сверла от токаря профессионала. Продолжение. Опыт Куликова. @

[@vladimirivashin4844]

-то что показал мастер нужно похвалить. У него великолепный инструмент и золотые руки.

[@opytkulikova]

@@vladimirivashin4844 За то, что поделился своим опытом, за это нужно хвалить. Но, что касается заточки, это мое мнение как бывшего токаря профессионала, то задний угол на сверле сделан в пределах 15 градусов, что очень снижает стойкость сверла.

[@Oldbugssy]

Thank you Tom for this straightforward technique. Dull and improperly sharpened bits cost many hours of work over time with less than desirable results. I told the boss to stop buying so many new drill bits. I can save us some cash and get back in production faster if I don't have to struggle with a repair. Subscribed!

[@TomsTechniques]

Thanks for watching.

[@wrthrash]

Many thanks for the great tutorial, fixed three of my formerly useless bits in just under 20 minutes.