The terms get used interchangeably in a lot of catalogs and shop conversations, but resharpening and reconditioning are different scopes of work. Knowing the difference matters when you're deciding what to send out and what to expect back.
Resharpening: Restoring Cutting Geometry
Resharpening means restoring the cutting edge geometry to proper spec. On a standard two-flute HSS jobber drill, that means grinding both cutting lips to equal length and equal height, restoring the correct included point angle (typically 118° for general purpose, 135° for harder materials or production use), and restoring the lip relief angle behind each cutting edge.
What resharpening corrects:
- Dull or rounded cutting edges from normal use
- Unequal lips from a previous hand regrind
- Lost lip relief from overheating or over-grinding
- Minor chipping on the cutting edge
A properly resharpened drill performs like a new drill — the same point geometry, the same cutting behavior, the same hole quality. The bit is shorter than it was originally (a small amount of length is consumed in each regrind), but the cutting performance is restored.
Reconditioning: The Full Treatment
Reconditioning includes resharpening plus additional work that goes beyond the cutting edge itself. The specific scope varies by who's doing it and what the bit needs, but typically includes:
Web thinning: The web is the solid core that runs down the center of the drill. It's thinnest at the tip and thickest toward the shank. As a drill gets shorter through repeated sharpenings, the web at the tip becomes disproportionately thick relative to the drill diameter. A thick web increases thrust (the force required to push the drill into the material) because the chisel edge at the center of the point has to scrape through more material rather than cut. Web thinning grinds back the web at the tip to restore the original web-to-diameter ratio.
Margin cleanup: The margins are the narrow lands on the outside diameter of the drill body that ride against the hole wall and provide guidance and sizing. In badly worn or abused drills, the margins can be damaged or pick up built-up edge material. Margin cleanup restores the margin condition.
Modified point geometry: Some reconditioning processes include modifying the point type — adding a split point to a standard point drill, or converting to a different point angle for a specific material application. This changes the original geometry of the bit rather than restoring it.
What a "Just Needs a Sharpen" Drill Actually Needs
Here's where it gets practical. Most drills that machinists describe as "just needing a sharpen" actually need at least partial reconditioning. The cutting edge being dull is visible and obvious. The web being thick from previous sharpenings is less obvious but equally important to performance.
A drill resharpened without web thinning will cut better than it did dull, but it will cut worse than it should. The cutting edges are sharp but the chisel edge is still doing too much work. In hard materials or at small diameters, this shows up as high thrust, walking at entry, and faster re-dulling because the chisel edge is absorbing more of the load than the cutting lips.
If you're sending out drills and getting back results that are "better but not great," web thickness is worth asking about.
What MachinistPost Does
MachinistPost's standard service is resharpening with web thinning included. Every bit that goes through gets its cutting geometry restored and its web thinned back to the correct proportion for the current bit length. This is closer to the "reconditioning" scope than basic resharpening — we don't charge extra for web thinning because it's part of doing the job right.
What we don't do as a standard part of the service: modifying point geometry on bits that weren't ordered that way. If you have a standard 118° point drill and want it returned as a standard 118° point drill, that's what you get. If you send a split-point bit, we maintain the split-point geometry. We don't add split points to standard bits or change point angles unless that's specifically requested and discussed — modifying point type is a different scope of work that changes the original specification of the tool.
The reason for that policy is straightforward: if you have a drill that's set up for a specific application and geometry, you probably want it back with that same geometry. Adding a split point or changing the point angle without the customer knowing can turn a functional tool into one that behaves differently than expected, and that's a problem even if the work was done well.
When to Request Full Reconditioning
Standard resharpening with web thinning handles the vast majority of worn HSS drills. Full reconditioning with modified geometry makes sense when:
- You've identified a specific performance problem that a geometry change would solve (e.g., chronic walking at entry in a hard material that a split point would fix)
- You're changing the application for a drill that's still serviceable (e.g., switching from steel to aluminum work)
- You're bringing very old tooling back into service and want it updated to current best practices for your material
For most shop use — general HSS drills going dull in normal service — resharpening with web thinning is the right answer. It restores the drill to correct performance, preserves the original geometry, and costs a fraction of replacement.
The Quick Decision Rule
If a drill is dull but undamaged: resharpen with web thinning. If a drill has geometry issues beyond just dullness, or you want to change how it performs: discuss reconditioning scope with whoever is doing the work before sending it. The conversation takes two minutes and saves you from getting back something different than you expected.
MachinistPost resharpens HSS drill bits by mail from anywhere in the US. Standard service includes web thinning on every bit. Flat rate per drill, free return shipping on orders of 30 or more. Learn more at machinistpost.com.