Abstract: A method for reusing profile insert blades maintains axial, radial and profile dimensions of a cutting tool. The method includes duplicating an original profile on a used profile insert blade by sharpening a profile edge of the used profile insert blade to form a sharpened profile edge with a new profile that is shifted longitudinally along a length of the profile cutter blade relative to an original profile position. Material is removed from a reference edge of the sharpened profile insert blade to form a new reference edge, for positioning the resharpened blade in a longitudinally changed position so that the new adjusted profile has similar axial, radial and profile dimensions as compared to the original profile.

Abstract: An apparatus and design method for an insert and cutting tool body together, permitting re-profiling and reusing profile insert blades on a rotating cutting tool without losing the radial, the axial or the profile dimensions. The cutting tool body has one or more insert pockets for receiving profiled inserts. Each profiled insert has a top edge, a cutting profile, a reference edge, a ramp edge, and two parallel faces, and is held in place by a clamping mechanism. The back edge of the profiled insert is aligned against a ramp edge of the cutting tool body, and the bottom edge is aligned with a bottom face of the cutting tool body. As the profiled insert becomes dull, the blade is reprofiled along the profile cutting edge, and a proportional amount of material is removed from the bottom edge of the insert blade to establish a new profile workpiece and a new reference edge.