cross-cut blade

[Susumu Mori]

I must admit that I've never used a dedicated crosscut blade for table saws, including my Hammer before.
I have been using combinations or rip blades, but for the first time I used a crosscut blade (Tenryu) and my jaw dropped.


First of all, it is incredibly quiet. I have felt Hammer is bit noisier than typical cabinet saws, probably because the blade speed is significantly faster, but the crosscut blade is soooo quiet.


Then the resistance for the cutting is so low, cutting so quiet and smooth, that with the motion of the sliding table, I almost have too little tactile feedback about when the cut starts and ends.

I wonder if this is what we expect from a dedicated blade or something special about the Tenryu blade. Anyway, I wonder what is your experience with good crosscut blades?

Now I feel like I don't want to use any other blades anymore, finding myself sending rips to a bandsaw.....

[glenn bradley]

I wonder if this is what we expect from a dedicated blade or something special about the Tenryu blade. Anyway, I wonder what is your experience with good crosscut blades?

Your experience is typical. I was led to using the right blade for the job early on and I generally preach this whenever folks are blaming their saw, fence or technique for poor cut results. I particularly benefited from dedicated rip, combo and crosscut blades back when I ran a 1HP contractor saw and used thin kerf cutters.

I have had good results with Freud, Leitz, Amana and others. Right now I am high on Carbide Processors (http://www.carbideprocessors.com/Carbide-Processors/Worlds-Best-Saw-Blades/) products provided by our own Tom Walz (http://www.carbideprocessors.com/pages/company-info/meet-the-staff.html). I have all my blades ground to 1/8" kerfs. This saves me setup time, keeps my jigs consistent and allows me to use the kerf as part of my reference for setups. Unforeseen benefit; my ZCI's seem to last a really long time now ;-)

[Erik Christensen]

I am guessing that the new Tenyru blade is of a higher quality than the rip & combination blades you have been using. In the competitive tool industry you get what you pay for in most cases - a higher priced blade will be made from a better blank, have better laser cut expansion slots, bigger & better carbide teeth that are sharper and better balanced. You might find a high end rip blade is just as good for what it is designed to do.

[Ryan Mooney]

I've been really happy with the Tenryu blades on my hammer as well.

I have a pair of the felder blades as well and never really felt they were quite as nice as the tenryu - some folks have said that they are actually really high quality blades but the grind is so-so on them (I don't claim to know enough about judging grind quality to know :D). They certainly work well enough for many purposes so I haven't bothered to send them out to be reground.

If you've been using 300mm blades and dropped back to 250mm the noise difference is pretty significant as well. I have a 300mm and a 250mm rip blade and the 250mm is noticeably quieter. I don't usually use the 300mm blade but needed to put it on for a project a few weeks back and wow the noise picked up a lot!

[bob cohen]

I have a fredd 80-tooth crosscut. Much quieter than my forrest rip and combo blades

[Rod Sheridan]

I must admit that I've never used a dedicated crosscut blade for table saws, including my Hammer before.
I have been using combinations or rip blades, but for the first time I used a crosscut blade (Tenryu) and my jaw dropped.


First of all, it is incredibly quiet. I have felt Hammer is bit noisier than typical cabinet saws, probably because the blade speed is significantly faster, but the crosscut blade is soooo quiet.


Then the resistance for the cutting is so low, cutting so quiet and smooth, that with the motion of the sliding table, I almost have too little tactile feedback about when the cut starts and ends.

I wonder if this is what we expect from a dedicated blade or something special about the Tenryu blade. Anyway, I wonder what is your experience with good crosscut blades?

Now I feel like I don't want to use any other blades anymore, finding myself sending rips to a bandsaw.....

Hi Susumu, I only buy FS Tools blades.

Yes a good blade, designed for the cut you're making, makes all the difference.

I have 2 rip blades 250 and 300mm, 2 250mm crosscut blades, 60 and 80 tooth, 2 250 TCG 80 tooth melamine blades, a 250mm combination blade and a 250mm 40 tooth junk blade.

The junk blade is for when the neighbourhood kid comes over with his piece of wood he recued from a ditch :-)

Regards, Rod.

[Wakahisa Shinta]

I have Tenryu blades too from Carbide Processors (IW-30028CBD3, IW-25080ABD3, IW-25080D3). The cross cut one does a fine job. I want to get another copy of each so one can be sent out for sharpening while the other provides cutting service. :) Which you do you have, Susumu-san?

[scott spencer]

Tenryu makes some really good blades, but they aren't alone. I've had really good results from Tenryu, Forrest, Infinity, Freud, CMT, Amana Tools, DeWalt series 60. As good as Tenryu blades can be, I don't think they have any special advantage over other blades of comparable design and quality, as long as it's apples to apples comparison. Sharp and clean is always an advantage!

[Matthew Hills]

I must admit that I've never used a dedicated crosscut blade for table saws, including my Hammer before.
I have been using combinations or rip blades, but for the first time I used a crosscut blade (Tenryu) and my jaw dropped.

Which blade are you using?

Matt