The Framers Forum

Morning All,

I recently removed the blades on my Morso and re-fitted them. I can't help thinking that there is too much of a gap in between them. Should they be closer together to point that they're just about touching?

On a possibly related note, I'm still struggling with what I think are bad cuts, resulting in frayed edges - particularly at the end of the cut at the corner. Bear in mind, I've very recently had these blades sharpened, why should the cuts look so bad? And it could it be related to my first point, above?

Thanks All.

Firstly, there should be no gap at all between the blades at the front and when fitted there should also be no burr either way between blades, it should feel seamless. This can be more and more difficult to achieve the more blades have been sharpened, i.e. the shorter they get.
Try slackening off the outside bolts and then slacken the centre bolt a fraction, only enough to manouvre the blades to fit correctly. Don't expect to get a perfect union on the first go, but it's a very important detail to get right for good cuts.
Bear in mind, some soft woods are really like pulp to cut, there are 101 tricks like placing a piece of mountboard behind the moulding so that the final slice is cutting into mounboard not moulding (and allow for this in the vernier scale). It can help with soft mouldings.

Whilst I can't make any comment on the condition of the blades, I would first remove them from the Morso and then clean both the surface of the block and the back surface of the blades with some white spirits and 0000 wire wool.
It is essential that both surfaces are entirely clean and free from any grime.
Then I would do as Justin advises.
Try hand-tightening the centre nuts first, then moving the blades to make a tight fit.

Thank you, gents.

I'm going to do as you've both recommended right now.