Forrest blades stuck together

[Bill Sutherland]

I have the Forrest 1/4 3/8 combo blades to use with my Incra Ibox on my Sawstop. Only problem is i can't seem to seperate the blades. I purchased them new last year and just getting to the point i can use them. Am i missing something here.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I am not familiar with this. Is it expected that you would use them together sometimes and apart sometimes, depending on how wide you want your cut? If yes, I would first just put them into my saw, make a test cut. I would then remove the blades hoping that the stress of one use would free them up. Off hand, it seems tricky because you do not want to bend the blade or apply a strong shear force that might then cause the carbide to smack another blade.

A penetrating oil might help, but my first thought is that it is because the blades are oiled and perhaps that oil then acted as glue. A quick call to Forrest would probably be useful. If you ask them and then follow their instructions, they wold probably replace the blades if their advice resulted in damage to the blades.

Other tricks that might work...

apply some heat to one blade (not a bunch, but a bit, like say a heating pad). Flip it over and use some ice on the other side hoping that a bit of expand and contract action at different rates on different sides might break some things free. Seems unlikely since the metal transmits the heat very fast and then you need to clean up the water so it does not rust your blade. That said, heat or cold might do the trick anyway.

[Frank Pratt]

Call Forrest for their advice.

[Larry Gipson]

I have the Forrest 1/4 3/8 combo blades to use with my Incra Ibox on my Sawstop. Only problem is i can't seem to seperate the blades. I purchased them new last year and just getting to the point i can use them. Am i missing something here.

They're likely being held together with grease or oil. The only other explanation would be
rust. I'd soak them in solvent or blade cleaner for awhile, then try to slide them to break any bond.
Heat also would help to melt grease and thin oil, but use only enough to warm them. You don't want
to warp the steel or take temper from the cutters. If you can find the clearance for a feeler guage between
the blades, this might be useful to help break any vacuum and help solvent to penetrate between the blades.

[Ben Rivel]

Def give Forrest a call, but my guess is like others its the shipping grease/oil that has suck them together. Be careful trying to pry them apart, those teeth are sharp!

[Mike Cutler]

I have the Forrest 1/4 3/8 combo blades to use with my Incra Ibox on my Sawstop. Only problem is i can't seem to seperate the blades. I purchased them new last year and just getting to the point i can use them. Am i missing something here.

Have you tried to just install them on the saw and run a few pieces of scrap wood through them? The vibration and force may separate the blades for you.

[Brian Henderson]

Almost certainly it's whatever lubricating grease they use to pack the blades that has stuck them together. I've had that happen before and it can be difficult to separate them. Soaking them in a solvent should get them separated, or as others have said, just use them and the stress of spinning could do it too.

[Bill Sutherland]

I did call Forrest and they suggested WD40 so that will be my next step. I did think that running them on the saw might help but will follow their advice first.