Bandit Industries last week announced a new knife-sharpening service for hand-fed and whole-tree chipper knives. The service covers most major chipper brands and knives, and in the event knives cannot be sharpened, customers can purchase replacement knives without the added hassle and downtime of contacting other companies or placing new orders. Bandit’s sharpening service is set up to provide quick turnaround time and competitive pricing, with a strong focus on customer service.
“Bandit continues to be the manufacturer that focuses on lowering operating expenses, not just for Bandit owners, but for all chipping professionals,” said Mark DiSalvo, Bandit Industries knife and wear parts manager. “Our exclusive partnership with Zenith Cutter Co. last year was a big step in that direction, and now our sharpening service for any knife brand allows us to be a convenient, one-stop shop for anyone running a chipper.”
Bandit’s sharpening process begins with a thorough cleaning and inspection to check for any damage that could render the knife unsuitable for sharpening, including a spray process to help detect cracks. Rockwell hardness testing is done to ensure knife edges aren’t being machined into softer steel. A precision wet-grinding system is then used to machine the knives, maintaining the proper temper and cutting angle with edges receiving an 80-percent grind unless otherwise specified. This is done to increase overall knife life while not affecting chipping performance. Once the process is complete, knives are re-inspected and gauged to estimate their remaining lifespan. This information is notated on the form, packaged with the knives and sent to the customer. Pricing for this service is a flat-rate 90 cents per inch.
“Knife maintenance is vital for any chipper, and our partnership with Zenith combined with on-site knife sharpening lets us offer that convenience to anyone with a chipper,” said DiSalvo. “We’ve already had great feedback on this new program and we’re excited to be serving so many new customers.”
