Harbor Freight 12" x 80 Tooth Blade

[Rob Sack]

Harbor Freight has a 12" x 80 tooth blade with a 1" bore. Anyone have any experience with this particular blade, specifically in a chop saw?

[Bill White]

STAY AWAY FROM THOSE BLADES!
Did you think that I was yellin' at ya? I was. Buy a good blade. I use Freud and Infinity. The cheap stuff is just that. Cheap.
Bill

[scott spencer]

I strongly agree with Bill. It's not worth buying an HF blade IMO. Freud, Forrest, CMT, Ridge Carbide, Amana, Systimatic, Tenryu and Infinity are all excellent. If you've gotta have an inexpensive blade, at least buy something decent that's less likely to hurt you...Oshlun (http://www.holbren.com/oshlun-12-80t-atb-crosscut-blade-1-arbor.html) comes to mind ("SMC10" get 10% with Holbren).

[Dave Cav]

Me, too. I've had uniformly bad luck with HF circurlar saw blades. I have had excellent luck with at least 3 Oshlun blades, however.

[Rob Sack]

STAY AWAY FROM THOSE BLADES!
Did you think that I was yellin' at ya? I was. Buy a good blade. I use Freud and Infinity. The cheap stuff is just that. Cheap.
Bill

OK, you can stop yelling. All I ever have used in the shop is Forrest, Freud, amd Tenru (occasionally). I happen to see the blade at Harbor Freight, while returning a spray gun, which I have bought in the past and usually works fine but is used with materials I don't want to run through my Sata gun. I thought I'd ask, just for curiosity's sake, if anyone had any experience with that particular Harbor Freight blade. Scott and Dave, thanks for the responses that address my inquiry. Bill, thanks for the browbeating.

[Greg Moore]

I have used HF 10"x60 tooth blades on my sliding miter saw. I use these blades when cutting prefinished flooring, the aluminum oxide in the finish tears/wears carbide teeth something fierce. I usually get the blades on sale for around $10. Normal sharpening of a carbide blade of this size is $18. When the HF blade gets dull (1 1/2 to 2 rooms of flooring) I dispose of it.

I always keep at least one of these blades on hand for flooring projects or when I'm cutting something that might harm my Freuds, Amana, for Forrest blades.

There is a time and place for junk tools.

[Bill White]

Hey man. Wasn't tryin' to be rude. Just wanted to express my opinion about usin' a hand grenade for a saw blade.
Be safe.
Bill

[David Hostetler]

I am far from a Harbor Freight hater, but I won't waste my time or money on Harbor Freight bits or blades. I have had nothing but bad experiences with them. Extremely poor quality control on them...

FWIW, I have a 12" Harbor Freight sliding miter saw that came with a Harbor Freight branded blade. I replaced it almost immediately with a Freud Diablo 80T 12" blade. Cuts smooth as glass with a glue ready finish...

I know the Diablo is little under double the price of the HF blade, but this is one of those cases where you get what you pay for...

I don't hit the point this hard very often. But man that HF blade is a stinker...

For the money, spend a little extra and buy a quality blade. Doesn't have to be Amana, Tenryu, Forrest etc... But something decent like a Freud Diablo, Oshlun, or similar... Heck, even an Irwin blade would be a huge upgrade...

[Marty Paulus]

I also have a few of the 10" 60 tooth blades from HF. They make great framing and firewood cutting blades. Will I use them for the trim work in my house? Nope! If you are at all worried about cutting something that may damage the blade these are the blade to put on the saw. Like was said, $18 to sharpen a 10" blade or $10 a blade? Seems easy for me.

Dave how is that saw. I looked at one in the local store the other day and it seemed to have too much flex for my taste. However the $140 price tag said take me how and try me. Worst case I could take it back. I maybe should have listened?

[Jay Jeffery]

I had a HF blade in my radial arm saw for quite some time. The saw took an 8 1/2" blade, which is hard to find on sale. It work pretty well and I had no complaints. It was no Freud blade, but it cut fine.

That said, I wouldn't recommended anything but quality cutting tools from a reputable supplier to anybody serious. Although this one time it worked out, other experiences with HF things that have sharp edges have not left me a happy customer.

[johnny means]

I have that blade in my miter saw's quiver. Mine has a nice thick body and I can feel the benefit of the mass. The initial sharpening was not that great, but after I had it sharpened once it gave me a fine cut the carbide isn't the best, I can sense the loss of the "razor" edge pretty quickly. It's not an Amana, but I'm happy for what I paid for it. Gives me something to go to when I'm behind on my sharpening. Really doesn't seem that much different than some of the Freud garbage I have laying around the shop. I wonder how it would work if I put some fancy ATB or TC grind on it.