# Tell Me Is This Cutter Burned?



## markba633csi (Nov 8, 2016)

I see bluish teeth on this cutter (it's on Ebay) does that mean it has been overheated- is it best to stay away from
stuff like this? It's been resharpened I know that.
thanks
Mark S.


----------



## hman (Nov 8, 2016)

Looking at the corners of bottom-most tooth, the next one clockwise, and a couple others on the right, I'd be concerned that this cutter may be dull again, and in need of yet another resharpening.  I'm no expert, but I myself wouldn't take a chance on it.  Don't know what to say about the color(s).


----------



## Ulma Doctor (Nov 8, 2016)

i don't know your intended purpose... but here is my .02 worth
the tooth (at the bottom, slightly off center right) looks like it has some trauma to the cutting edge
for roughing the cutter would work, but it may be less efficient than a sharp tool
needless to say, the finish quality will suffer- but you really don't care about finish when roughing anyway.
if you need roughing tooling, it will suffice.
if you need a finishing tool, stay away unless you are going to have it sharpened.


----------



## 4GSR (Nov 8, 2016)

Definitely needs a resharpening.  Unless you have a way to set up and resharpen, I'd pass on it.


----------



## Cobra (Nov 9, 2016)

If you do want to re-sharpen, I have had great success using Brian Gruschow's service.
Reasonable pricing in comparison to buying new and quick turnaround time.
http://endmill-sharpening.com/Pricing.htm


----------



## Rick Berk (Nov 9, 2016)

If you need it and it's a good price buy it, have it resharpen it immediately before use. The only tooth I can see it at 4:00 o'clock and it will need about .010 remove to get sharp. Probably was used to flatten a sand cast surface on CI and was not changed out when it got dull from the sand.


----------



## Bill Gruby (Nov 9, 2016)

If that is the ebay picture, I wouldn't touch that with a 10 foot pole. You only see one side. What does the other side look like?? My opinion.

 "Billy G"


----------



## microshop dinker (Nov 9, 2016)

To me, his pricing is attractive.  How does he package items when returning?  Individually wrapped in heavy paper, tubes, molten plastic/rubber then something like a flat-rate box/package?  Sammy-----OOOPS-a day late on this edit.  I just reread my post, please note that I was referring to Brian Gruschow's regrinding service.  My bad, sorry for any confusion. Sammy


----------



## markba633csi (Nov 9, 2016)

Not sure about that Sammy,  and thanks for all the other comments.  Clearly it's a beater tool, probably overheated one or more times. The bluish color on the teeth concerns me more than the overall sharpness- if I recall my jr. High School foundry classes,  blue temper means hard and brittle, spring temper, likely to chip the teeth edges more easily.  But I'm just starting out with my horizontal mill so I'd rather practice with a 30$ cutter than a 130$ one.
Mark S.
thanks also for the tip about Brian Gruschow- Great prices.  Might be worth buying a whole bushel of dull cutters for cheap and just do 'em all at once.


----------



## Cobra (Nov 9, 2016)

markba633csi said:


> Not sure about that Sammy,  and thanks for all the other comments.  Clearly it's a beater tool, probably overheated one or more times. The bluish color on the teeth concerns me more than the overall sharpness- if I recall my jr. High School foundry classes,  blue temper means hard and brittle, spring temper, likely to chip the teeth edges more easily.  But I'm just starting out with my horizontal mill so I'd rather practice with a 30$ cutter than a 130$ one.
> Mark S.
> thanks also for the tip about Brian Gruschow- Great prices.  Might be worth buying a whole bushel of dull cutters for cheap and just do 'em all at once.



That is what I do.  Coming from Canada you need a bunch because the postage starts high for a couple of cutters and doesn't go up much.    He really does a great job.


----------



## Cobra (Nov 10, 2016)

microshop dinker said:


> To me, his pricing is attractive.  How does he package items when returning?  Individually wrapped in heavy paper, tubes, molten plastic/rubber then something like a flat-rate box/package?  Sammy



All the cutters he has sent back are coated with plastic dip and packed tight so they don't bang around.


----------

