New Saw Blades

wiredone · Post by **wiredone** » Wed Jan 04, 2012 10:22 am

the last couple of Irwin blades that I have used were crap.
One was so badly out of balance new, that I thought something was wrong with the bearings in my tablesaw.
When I realized it was the blade, I tossed it.
The store didn't take back used blades.
Irwin is part of a large and soulless "bottom dollar" corporation (they moved ViseGrip production to China.)
I try not to give them any of my money.

8iowa · Post by **8iowa** » Wed Jan 04, 2012 11:23 am

Nick Engler has given us some valuable saw blade information;

http://www.shopsmithacademy.com/SS_Arch ... Blades.htm

BigSky · Post by **BigSky** » Wed Jan 04, 2012 2:02 pm

Until Amana came into the picture, I believe the Shopsmith blades were manufactured by Freud. Please correct me if I am wrong but it is my opinion that being Freud is the reason why the old Shopsmith blades perform so well. I have three that are about to be sent for sharpening. That should keep me running for quit some time.

Are the blades that Shopsmith sells now/still from Amana??

Ed in Tampa · Post by **Ed in Tampa** » Wed Jan 04, 2012 2:59 pm

i'm a really frugal (read cheap) person. My buddy says I throw quarters around like man hole covers.

It is my experience that you are dollars ahead to buy good blades and to sharpen them when dull. I usually buy Shopsmith blades and I think they work best after their first sharpening.

Here in Tampa we have a great saw sharpening service (Roberts Saw). He is reasonable and I'm totally convinced a sharpened saw blade done by an expert is a better than most new blades.

A sharp blade can produce fantastic results, with less strain and are far safer than less sharp blades. Dull blade leads to frustration and mistakes that can and often due lead to accidents.

jimthej · Post by **jimthej** » Wed Jan 04, 2012 3:22 pm

Our local guy charges by the tooth. The 50 tooth carbide blade is about $35 to sharpen. If they weren't so good after being sharpened, I would just replace them.

aloibl · Post by **aloibl** » Wed Jan 04, 2012 4:32 pm

On the boxes of my new Shopsmith blades were details showing the angles that needed to be used to re-sharpen blades. Do you give whoever is sharpening the blades this information so they will sharpen them correctly??? Or is the standard for most blades?

BigSky · Post by **BigSky** » Wed Jan 04, 2012 4:59 pm

Is that information something you can post? It might be interesting to compare with angles etc from other makers. I don't know but there probably is a standard - that everyone deviates from for their own reasons.

aloibl · Post by **aloibl** » Wed Jan 04, 2012 11:22 pm

"Bigsky" the three attachments for the three blades are attached. I had already cut these off of the boxes and just scanned them in today.

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Thu Jan 05, 2012 1:56 am

Maybe I'm just a little retarded, but my simpler method of sharpening works very well. I just grind a little on the leading edge of each tooth. (the 15 degree angle on all Shopsmith blades) I figure the other angles of each tooth do not change so all that needs doing is to re-establish the sharp angles on the edges of each tooth. If there has been a nick in any tooth, it only requires a little more grinding.

P.S. I use one of those saw blade sharpening jigs from Harbor Freight.

Ron309753 · Post by **Ron309753** » Thu Jan 05, 2012 10:53 am

jimthej wrote:Our local guy charges by the tooth. The 50 tooth carbide blade is about $35 to sharpen. If they weren't so good after being sharpened, I would just replace them.

$35?!? That's outrageous. I think my local sharpening shop charged me $6 IIRC. I would tell them no, and would tell them why, and would look elsewhere!

Sincerely,

Ron309753