Brad Point Drill

The absolute best source for sharpening this tool is Leonard Lee's book, The Complete Guide to Sharpening, Chapter 15. (This is a must-have for any sharpener's library.)

Other notes:

• Ensure both shoulders are the same height.
• Ensure both spurs are the same height.
• Ensure brad point extends beyond the spurs.
• DO NOT change
  1. the center point of the drill bit, or
  2. the diameter of the drill bit.

  A handmade wooden object can't be mass-produced. Unknown Old Woodworker

• Grind the minimum off the bit.

Notes & Comments

Information regarding Grindstones

Probably best to stay with the drill bit's geometry as supplied by the manufacturer, though furniture maker Michael Fortune does advocate changing it. His recommendations are referenced in the Videos & Presentations, below.

More Information

Books & Papers

• The Complete Guide to Sharpening, by Leonard Lee
• TM 9-867 Maintenance and Care of Hand Tools, from the U.S. War Department

Videos & Presentations

• Sharpen Your Own Hybrid Drill Bits - Furniture maker Michael Fortune demonstrates his homegrown method for sharpening a brad point bit (he calls them hybrid twist drill bits; this is a web page with an embedded FineWoodworking video).

  This is an interesting video, but one needs to be very careful when using such hand sharpening approaches and ensure that the rules noted above are not violated.

Web Sites

• Nick Engler's Workshop Companion page on Sharpening Drill Bits.