Saw Blades

[Dennis Puskar]

Neiko, Irwin, Hitachi, and Black and Decker saw blades are on E bay and can be bought for a very reasonable price. My question is does anybody know anthing about them ? Do they last as long and perform as well as freud blades ? All blades carbide tooth.

Dennis

[Bruce Wrenn]

IMHO, no! I have a couple of Hitachi blades that I picked up from Lowes for my 12" CMS, and they are good blades. Paid about $35 for each. Better blades generally cost more, and there is good reason for this. The old saying, "you get what you pay for" definitely applies to saw blades. Other than some clearances at Amazon, the DeWalt / Delta 7657 blade is the only blade costing less than $50 that is a quality blade, IMHO. This statement doesn't include clearance blades from Leitz. They were smoking good deals. If your budget is tight, contact local blade sharpening service, and see what they have that customer didn't come back and get. Sometimes, it is truely amazing what they have, and most only want their cost of sharpening out of them. Buying used blades and having a quality sharpening service go over them is another alternative. One sharpener who frequents some of the boards references getting rid of the factory dull on a new blade.

[Dennis Puskar]

Thanks Bruce I appreciate your input. Thanks again.

Dennis

[scott spencer]

The Irwin "Woodworking" series was made in Germany by Leitz....basically identical to the HO Schumacher & Sohn line, and are pretty decent if you can find a deal. The Irwin "Marathon", "Classic", and "Sprint" blades are average at best, rate poorly, and I don't recommend them. The Hitachi blades I've had here were well made but use a softer grade of carbide that wears faster than the better blades. Nothing worth spending money on with the B&Ds either. Neiko....?

Good blades tend to cost more...especially at MSRP, but sale prices can lop the price in half if you're patient. The better deals tend to fluctuate, but there are often good deals on DW "PT", Freud, CMT, and Forrest blades thru Amazon if you watch. Holbren (http://www.holbren.com/home.php?cat=53) has some nice deals on a couple of Tenryu blades that are actually very good....$30-$45, Amana AGE, and the Oshlun line is surprisingly good for the price...he also has Ridge Carbide at good prices relative to other vendors (use "SMC10" code). Infinity is a premium line that runs overstock and specials throughout the year.

Current deals include:
- Infinity 15% off 5-year anniversary sale:
"Here's how it works; fill your cart with at least $225 worth of our great quality woodworking tools and accessories and then enter the code: MAYDISC15 in the promo code section on the basket page of your order. Your discount will be applied immediately. Some restrictions apply, limit one coupon per order, see below for details.

Offer excludes saw blade packages, router table packages, router lift & INCRA products. "

- Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_pg_1?ie=UTF8&rs=228013&keywords=freud%2010%20blade&bbn=228013&rh=n%3A228013%2Ck%3Afreud%2010%20blade%2Cp%5F6%3AA TVPDKIKX0DER&page=1) - Freud LU88R010 for $45, Freud Avanti TK406 and TK906 for $35 ea, TK306 for $27, Forrest 9" WWI for $50, CMT 251.042.10 for $36 (free shipping), and others.

- Leitz closeouts (http://www.forums.woodnet.net/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB4&Number=3667849&Forum=f4&Words=&Searchpage=0&Limit=25&Main=3664883&Search=true&where=bodysub&Name=33376&daterange=1&newerval=1&newertype=m&olderval=&oldertype=&bodyprev=#Post3667849):
"LEITZ PRO SERIES 10” 30 tooth neg hook ATB 5/8” bore great for chop saw or radial arm quick work $10

Delta 10" 35-626 60 tooth ,ATB, 5/8" bore, .125 kerf, +12 degree hook $10
Delta 10" 35-629 48 tooth, TC, .156 kerf, 1" bore,+10 degree hook, $10
Delta 10" 35-610 10 tooth ,Square,.125 kerf ,5/8" bore,+20 degree hook,$10
Delta 10" 35-614 48 tooth, ATB,.125 kerf,5/8" bore,+12 degree hook, $10 **only 15 pcs left**

Irwin (NOT Leitz made) 10" Marathon 36 tooth ATB,thin kerf,5/8" bore. Don't know how I got these as they are not Leitz made blades. Anyways, I have 4 pcs, for $20 you get all 4. Looks to have a positive 10 or so degree hook. These are not the same quality as the rest of my blades. "

Blade comparison chart (http://woodworkerszone.com/wiki/index.php?title=Table_Saw_Blade_Comparisons)

HTH

[Jacob Reverb]

I've always been one to use good blades (I too like Freuds) but one day just for grins I bought an $8 blade on sale from Harbor Freight (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=46231) and I swear you could put it side-by side with a Freud LU84 and they look like twins! It doesn't cut quite as good as a new Freud LU84, but I'm not sure the Freud is worth 7 times as much as the HF blade, either. And I wonder how it will cut after it's been resharpened. Whatever the case, for cutting cruddy wood, or rough work, it's definitely a bargain for $8 and when it goes on sale again, I plan to buy a few more to keep on hand.

Another good blade bargain I found is this $16 Irwin ripping blade (http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=16525&filter=Irwin%20saw%20blade). I bought one of these on sale on a whim, as well, when I was buying some other stuff, and it rips pretty darned well...definitely good enough for glue joints. Its TK design also allows me to rip faster on my contractor's saw than I can with a combo blade or FK ripper. As soon as I realized how good the blade was, I went back to buy more, but they were either gone or not on sale anymore. I recently found them there on sale again, so I bought a few more.

I get the distinct feeling that the days of having to pay $$$$$$$ for a decent woodworking saw blade are coming to an end...or I like to think so.

[Ben Cadotte]

The thing about the cheaper blades are they have smaller carbides and useually a softer carbide (C-2 vs say C-4 on the good expensive stuff).

Now having said that. I have cheap blades and good blades (Forrest and Freud). I tend to use my cheap blades when rough cutting and general working, about 80% of my cutting. I don't know if I am lucky or the expensive blades are that over rated.

The good blades are worth sending in for sharpening when time comes. The cheap blades cost less than sharpening. So they get tossed (again small carbides anyway).

I have had really good luck with the cheap eBay blades I have. But when I bought them I knew I was taking a chance that I would get some duds. Hasn't happened yet, but due to cost alone its bound to happen. I say I have probably 10 cheap blades 60, 80 and even 100 tooth. Don't think I paid more than $10 each.

One caution about eBay is to watch the shipping!! They will sell the blade for $5 but charge $20 for shipping. I avoid the sellers that do that!

[Randal Stevenson]

The thing about the cheaper blades are they have smaller carbides and useually a softer carbide (C-2 vs say C-4 on the good expensive stuff).

Now having said that. I have cheap blades and good blades (Forrest and Freud). I tend to use my cheap blades when rough cutting and general working, about 80% of my cutting. I don't know if I am lucky or the expensive blades are that over rated.

The good blades are worth sending in for sharpening when time comes. The cheap blades cost less than sharpening. So they get tossed (again small carbides anyway).




Another thing that people do on a fairly regular basis, is to use something like an inexpensive circular saw (smaller diameter) blade, for small cuts, or junk wood.

As to the HF blade poster, you need to figure out how long the blades are lasting, verses the expensive ones (one factor), and for a better test, you might also send in one of those cheaper blades for better tips and sharpening and then try it again.

[glenn bradley]

I get the distinct feeling that the days of having to pay $$$$$$$ for a decent woodworking saw blade are coming to an end...or I like to think so.

I have a few inexpensive blades that do quite well. None of them have enough carbide on them to warrant resharpening. But at $30 or less apiece, I'll just toss them.

I also have better blades. They definitely warrant a trip to the sharpeners and after half a dozen sharpenings the cost averages out and I get to use a superior blade for a discount cost.

This economy rapidly falls apart if you can't drive to your sharpening service. Of course with the price of gas maybe shipping will start to make more sense even if they are only in the next town ;-)

Seriously though, high quality inexpensive blades like the Freud Avanti series that Lowe's carries can be bought on sale (or use the currently offered $10 off a $50 purchase receipts) for a good price. Use them and toss them if it costs more than its worth in shipping to get them to a sharpening service you can trust.

The Avanti can take a sharpening or maybe even two at $20 a pop. Now you've paid way less that $100 for the use of (effectively) three new blades.

[Dennis Puskar]

Thanks everybody for the good advice and info.

Dennis