Thin Kerf Blades

[George Yetka]

I recently purchased a 10" WW2 Thin Curf Rip blade with a 5" dampener. My question is this I ran this blade a couple weeks ago to rip some 8/4 walnut for a table with no issues. I decided yesterday to mill up the cutoffs Put this blade back on and make some end grain boards. Now im getting stuck on my splitter.

Did I bend something? I put the dampener on the same side of the blade as last time. Do they make a thin curf splitter for the sawstop?

[ChrisA Edwards]

Yes Sawstop does make a thin kerf splitter, it's hard to find on their website.

I bought one, 3/32" (2mm), when I got my WWII rip blade. It's a little sloppy in the kerf clamp, but not enough that I found it necessary to shim or adjust it. Never had it cause a problem on a cut.

[George Yetka]

Thank you, Ill order one now

[Lee Schierer]

Why are you running a thin kerf blade on a sawstop saw. They have plenty of Hp to handle a full kerf blade. I run a full kef Glueline rip blade on my 1 Hp saw with no issues even when ripping hickory.

[Jim Dwight]

I use both thin kerf and full kerf blades on my 1.75hp PCS. The need for the thin kerf is a function of both depth of cut and the grain of the wood. Wood that wants to close on the blade can be an issue, even softwood. But a thin kerf ripping blade solved the issue. When I was making a bunk bed for my grandkids out of glued up 2x4s for the posts, an Infinity full kerf ripping blade that was new would not work-repeatedly tripped the thermal overload on the motor even with a slow feed rate. A used but still decent Freud ripping blade (full kerf) would work at a slow feed rate. A freud thin kerf ripping blade sailed right through the posts. I've also successfully ripped 8/4 cherry with a full kerf 50 tooth combination blade but it tends to burn so I generally do not do it. My point is just the wood makes a difference and with the smallest motor they offer, I think it's a good idea to have a thin kerf on hand.

I have both riving knives and I was pleasantly surprised at the price of the thin kerf one. You have to look for it in the parts section if I remember right. Not the accessories section. I had to adjust the riving knife position with it but I think I found a position that works for both the thin and the regular riving knife. I could make the regular riving knife work with my thin kerf blades but not without it pushing on the offcut a little. So I got the thin one.

[George Yetka]

I have a 3hp pcs. It wasnt an issue of bogging. I was making a bunch of cutting boards and ripping a lot of thin strips. I figured this would conserve a minimal amount of wood. I have got to the edge of a piece and been just shy of an additional strip more times than not.

[glenn bradley]

I think you paid for the wood you were losing in buying the blade and RK ;-)

[George Yetka]

True but I was buying a rip blade either way it wasnt much more for thin with the dampener. and the RK is $15

Im coming up on a sharpening for my Ridge carbide combo blade and figured adding this blade to the mix would spread the wear.

[David Kumm]

Keep the riving knife thicker than the plate but less than the tooth. 8/4 is maxing out a TK blade as the WWII full kerf is rated for 2". Use it when you need to save wood and stick with the full kerf. 1/8" is thin enough. I prefer at least a 9/64 for ripping. Dave

[Alan Schwabacher]

If your riving knife is well aligned, you may not need a thinner one. See Trent Davis's site: https://www.trentdavis.net/wp/2019/1...riving-knives/

[George Yetka]

Keep the riving knife thicker than the plate but less than the tooth. 8/4 is maxing out a TK blade as the WWII full kerf is rated for 2". Use it when you need to save wood and stick with the full kerf. 1/8" is thin enough. I prefer at least a 9/64 for ripping. Dave

By the time the wood was milled it was closer to 6/4.

[glenn bradley]

True but I was buying a rip blade either way it wasnt much more for thin with the dampener. and the RK is $15

Im coming up on a sharpening for my Ridge carbide combo blade and figured adding this blade to the mix would spread the wear.

Your logic is solid George. Hope you took my comment in the good natured way it was intended . I still have a TK blade arsenal from my hybrid. Turned out to be a good thing I kept them since I have been using that saw in the temp-shop for the last year. You are correct about spreading the wear. It varies with what we do but I ran a rip, combo, and a couple of crosscut blades. The right blade for the job gives you a better result and extends the interval between sharpening.