Laguna Resaw King Blade Sharpening Frequency?

[alex grams]

I have several of the resaw king blades from Laguna (from the specials they ran through sawmillcreek). However, I have 3 now that need to be sharpened. I base this need for sharpening on the fact that the blades started tracking horribly. I couldn't figure out why at first, and after time and time again trying to adjust for drift, just put on a new sharp blade, which tracked perfectly right off the bat. I eventually came to the conclusion (with help talking to the rep at Laguna) the blades were dulling on one side more than the other due to my use of them on some slight curve cuts. Maybe I should have changed blades for the curved cuts, but they were pretty minor in their radius, and didn't stress the 3/4" or 1" blades in their ability to handle the curve, nor did I think they would dull one side of the blade enough to cause tracking issues which required the blades to be resharpened so soon.

Did I just use the blades in the wrong manner? In hindsight, given the precision at which I want the blades to operate in resawing, any slight uneven dulling would cause uneven tracking/drift. Maybe it is just a $115 sharpening mistake I had to learn. Gotta put on those cheaper blades for curved cuts.

Lesson learned, or am i still missing something in why the blades drift so much vs new sharp blades?

[Jamie Buxton]

Yeah, when blades track badly, you know they're dull, even if they still feel sharp to the thumb.

When I was using Resaw Kings, I was getting about 4-6 months use per sharpening, but I do a lot of resawing. Perhaps cutting curves has some aspect I don't understand, but it seems unlikely to me that slight curves should dull the blade. I think you just dulled it by cutting stuff.

Incidentally, new Resaw Kings may stay sharp longer. The old Resaw Kings, which Laguna sold for years, had a tip composition which they described as "a carbide alloy." It dulled much faster than the Lennox real-carbide blades I've been using for the last couple of years. At any rate, the Resaw King blade has recently been redesigned. The tips are noticeably smaller than the old Resaw King. The Laguna reps at AFWS said that these teeth are now real carbide, and have a longer life than the old blade.

[Gary Kman]

It's difficult to see attempting curved cuts damaging the blades, it's still wood vs steel and the clear winner is... I'd be more suspicious of what you are sawing. Embedded ????

[Matt Armstrong]

I had the same issue with my RK blade. The guys at Laguna even offered to sharpen it for free since it didn't cut right out of the box. After sharpening, it lasted for a short period of time before dulling again. It may have been a bad blade, but I doubt it. Something's been off with my bandsaw since day 1 but it's almost 2 years old now. Sometimes blades will cut straight and normal, but mostly they drift horribly and last a very short length of time.

[Anthony Whitesell]

I can see how cutting corners may effect the wear on the blade, but only if you are always cutting to the left or to the right. Due to the set in the blade, the teeth set to the outside of the corner are going to be cutting at an odd angle compare dot the inside teeth or while resawing. Even you were cutting S-curves, evenly to the left and to the right, the wear should equal out; like rotating the tire on your car.

[raymond Abel]

allo
it may be a very old tread because I have a RK on my Laguna serie 3000, 16" & I am very satisfy so far.
I think Laguna change the RK blade in 2011. This thread start in 2007 if I undertand well.
I must say that I do not do "curve" with it. I use it when I need to do very fine resawing. like to do a "book".
For rought cut I use a little ripper37 (http://www.tufftooth.com/)

My 2 cents

[Phil Thien]

Raymond, I think you're looking at the "join date" of the poster. This thread is recent.

To the OP, have you considered trying to sharpen your blade using a diamond burr on a Dremel?

[raymond Abel]

Raymond, I think you're looking at the "join date" of the poster. This thread is recent.

oops
I look like a real newbe now.
well I am a newb anyway..