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I bought this reamer from either StewMac or LMI ten years plus ago. I've only done about a dozen bridges with it but it doesn't cut well at all anymore. Does anyone have one like it? If it's a StewMac one, perhaps I can get a replacement. It's a single flute reamer so maybe I can give it a few swipes with a diamond file?

I have the same one with the same problem. I switched to 5 deg long ago, and got a 5 deg one from SM. No problem with it in 18 years.

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formerly known around here as burbank
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I think a few swipes with a diamond file, as you mentioned, should put you back in business. I just ground the tang end of a file to match the angle of the cheap plastic pins I use, and if it gets a little dull will touch it up with a stone. Trevor Robinson, in his book "The Amateur Wind Instrument Maker" mentioned various ways to make drills and reamers for boring woodwinds. Making a reamer for bridge pins is somewhat less demanding.

Mine is from StewMac and has a maple handle and no TiN coating. I have one from Grizzly that looks like yours and never worked well to begin with.

I have that exact reamer. I bought it from Grizzly many years ago for next to nothing. Mine still cuts, but if it didn’t I would attempt to sharpen it before I abandoned it. StewMac wants a lot of money for those things.

Thanks guys. I still have a few dozen 3 degree pins so will try and sharpen for now. It's definitely not a Grizzly but one of the two I mentioned. Same supplier maybe.

Mine is StewMac or LMI, nearly 20 years old, been used commercially for many, many jobs and is still sharp as can be. Mine does not look like that it has a much larger reamer end and an unfinished, likely maple handle. I never bought a thing from Grizzly so mine is StewMac or LMI, can't remember which.

I have the same one as in Darrel’s pic, I got it from Grizzly through Amazon. I always thought it was a real POS but I chalked it up maybe it was me. I might pick up a real one from SM. I got my moneys worth from this one I guess.




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Here's what the LMI 3 degree reamer I have looks like. It's still as sharp as new.

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I have one just like Jay's. Works great!

LMI for me too both the 5 and 3 degree.

You know this jogs my memory there is at least one prior discussion of the Grizzly reamer and it was generally agreed upon by the folks who had them that as Brad said it was a POS. Sounds like it still is