Saw Blades

[Lonsdale73]

Is there a circular saw blade equivalent to Tuff Saws? If not, what are the preferred options currently? 216mm diameter, 30mm bore for both Mitre and Table saw.

 

[Trevanion]

I think Bennet Saws (https://www.ebsaws.com/) is the last circular saw blade manufacturer left in Britain now that Atkinson-Walker as closed down. Apparently, the Bennet Blades are very good although I've never tried them. The Atkinson-Walker blades were second to none and it's a true shame they closed down, you might still be able to pick up new-old-stock from somewhere though.

Swedex I believe are regarded as some of the best blades as well.

You can't go wrong with a Freud blade, they're very good for the price of them.

I personally use CMT blades from Scott and Sargeant and they are excellent with plenty of thick carbide on the blade to have sharpened again and again. S&S also supply OMAS blades which are very good.

I think everything else is pretty mediocre unless I missed some out.

 

[Lonsdale73]

I think Bennet Saws (https://www.ebsaws.com/) is the last circular saw blade manufacturer left in Britain now that Atkinson-Walker as closed down. Apparently, the Bennet Blades are very good although I've never tried them. The Atkinson-Walker blades were second to none and it's a true shame they closed down, you might still be able to pick up new-old-stock from somewhere though.

Swedex I believe are regarded as some of the best blades as well.

You can't go wrong with a Freud blade, they're very good for the price of them.

I personally use CMT blades from Scott and Sargeant and they are excellent with plenty of thick carbide on the blade to have sharpened again and again. S&S also supply OMAS blades which are very good.

I think everything else is pretty mediocre unless I missed some out.

Thank you

 

[chris-a]

Stehle are good, but I really like the ones from Wealdon Tool Company. Everything from blades to router bits to spindle moulder cutters and all great quality. Service has always been great and the blades last a good while with a load of carbide so can be resharpened a lot.
Remember you want different rake for table and mitre saw blades

 

[Phil Pascoe]

How much use do they get? I've never had any issue with Saxton blades for very occasional use - it just doesn't justify my paying top whack. I do use a jigsaw a lot and find their jigsaw baldes fine.

 

[shed9]

Most of my table saw blades are Forrest and they have stood me well. I've seen them less and less in the UK these days though.

 

[MikeJhn]

As Trevanion said above you can't go wrong with Feud blades they are very good value for money, especially if you shop around on the net a bit.

 

[shed9]

Just to add I have started using CMT recently; only have a few, one for a a SCMS and one for the table saw. Happy with them both in performance and price however I've not heard much from that many others on CMT circular blades.

 

[Lonsdale73]

I went with the Freud but curiously, their 216mm is larger than a Dewalt 216mm! It fits my chop saw okay but the teeth snag the riven knife on my table saw!

 

[MotamJoinery]

i have used http://www.ebsaws.com before they are excellent. I got some custom spec sawblades made from them in the past.

for a good 216mm blade check out keyblade and fixings ( https://www.keybladesandfixings.com ), I recently brought their 216mm blade and its excellent.

 

[powertools]

I've just been through this process of buying new blades and I have to say that having purchased a Freud blade for my table saw that was recommended on this forum I was a bit underwhelmed. Both Screwfix and Toolstation list it as a general purpose blade but when it arrived it was a zero rake blade and was clearly only intended for cross cuts. It would be fine in your chop saw but not your table saw both machines need different types of blade.
At the recent Midlands woodworking show I purchased a trend craft pro combination blade for my table saw and it is superb.
If it is of any interest to anyone Wealdon have blades in their clearance section and l purchased a negative rake blade for my radial arm saw when it arrived I could see that it was made by a German company called kwo and it is superb.

 

[MikeJhn]

I think general purpose blades from any manufacture are going to be a bit of a compromise, I use Freud blades, but specific ones and tooth profile for specific purpose's, so far I have been impressed, but must say I have not used a lot of different manufactures blades as I have not found the need.