When to replace circular saw blade

[disco_monkey79]

This is probably one of the noddiest questions ever posted, but here goes anyway...

When a circular saw blade is blunted and needs replacing, will this show on the blade, or should it be replaced before any visible deterioration occurs?

I bought a circular saw to cut my new worktops, and it's done a bit of work since, most recently being partially ripping 4' oak sleepers. It's the first one I've owned. I'm sure if I was using it day-in, day-out, it'd be easy to spot a drop in performance, but mine gets used infrequently, and with a wide range of materials, so it's hard to gauge if it's working as well as it did when brand new.

I'm sure a blunt blade will cause excessive wear on the motor, so would like to avoid!

Many thanks

p.s. I don't think it needs replacing yet, I'm thinking ahead (for a change).

 

[Blister]

Hello

As with any saw

Hand Saw
Jig saw
Fret saw
band saw
Table saw

You need the correct blade for the job

Cross cutting and ripping would need 2 completely different blades

Best people to advise on this are http://www.cutting-solutions.co.uk/

Cutting Solutions is also a forum member here :wink:

 

[kostello]

if you are using the blade that came with the saw...............

then get a decent one and it will cut better than when it was new........

 

[Phil Pascoe]

If you're happy with the one you've got, just have it sharpened.

 

[marcros]

but none of those answers answer the OP's question of how will he know if it is blunt?

 

[Noggsy]

Well, if you reach underneath when you're cutting something and you get all your fingers back, then it's bunt

 

[wcndave]

Sharpening mine costs me 10 euro per blade, so I simply take them in once every 2 years, that way 40 euro each time, 20 euro a year, seems reasonable.

I calculate that to be every 8 hours of cutting time. (5 mins a week actual blade cutting time doesn't seem like a lot, however if you really count it just one time, it's actually quite a bit (for a hobbiest))

Another way which I sort of use for one fine cross cut blade, is I have two of them. Both the same to start, then use one.. every few months, compare, when you can notice that one is different, you can take that one to be sharpened, and best of all, you have a standby blade to use whilst the other's away, and the new one becomes your benchmark.

However I understand most people would not want two of each blade just for this reason (I did for my common one cos it takes 6 weeks to come back from sharpening)

Not sure if that helps, however after the last post, i know it won't be the least helpful one on this thread ;-)

 

[Teckel]

This is probably one of the noddiest questions ever posted, but here goes anyway...

When a circular saw blade is blunted and needs replacing, will this show on the blade, or should it be replaced before any visible deterioration occurs?

I bought a circular saw to cut my new worktops, and it's done a bit of work since, most recently being partially ripping 4' oak sleepers. It's the first one I've owned. I'm sure if I was using it day-in, day-out, it'd be easy to spot a drop in performance, but mine gets used infrequently, and with a wide range of materials, so it's hard to gauge if it's working as well as it did when brand new.

I'm sure a blunt blade will cause excessive wear on the motor, so would like to avoid!

Many thanks

p.s. I don't think it needs replacing yet, I'm thinking ahead (for a change).

Just rise your saw blade up. If you have good eyesight you can see that the teeth come to a point. Look carefully at this point and if it looks to have a shine on the very tip of the tooth.. then your blade needs sharpening. Don't use blunt blades. You are putting extra work on your motor aswell as yourself pushing it through.
What kind of materials do you cut most??

 

[tool613]

The second best way to see if any cutting tool is still sharp is to drag your finger nail over the cutting edges . If it slides its dull if it scraps and grabs it is sharp.


The frist and best way is to cut wood with it. :lol:

jack
English machines

 

[thick_mike]

The second best way to see if any cutting tool is still sharp is to drag your finger nail over the cutting edges . If it slides its dull if it scraps and grabs it is sharp.


The frist and best way is to cut wood with it. :lol:

jack
English machines

Make sure the blade is stationary before you try this!!!!! :shock:

 

[cutting solutions]

Not an easy question to answer for occasional users.
the pro's will know as the blade doesnt cut the material as easily as a sharp one does.....though this should apply to everyone.

if you start to get burn marks on the side of the blade or on the material is a good starter point.

I can only really talk in terms of power/table saws with circular saw blades.
look closely at the the carbide tips.
the tips should be shiny and angles should be crisp/sharp. any rounding of the edges indicates a very blunt blade.

Send it to the saw doctor and get it sharpened, though with some of the cheap blades around these days its sometimes cheaper to throw it away and buy a new one.....but get a good quality one that will last 10 or more sharpens....buying a cheap 8 quid blade and throwing it away is false economy when you could spend £20 on a blade that you may never throw away but get loads of sharpens from.

 

[custard]

Scorching and increased resistance when pushing the workpiece. Actually the sound of a blunt blade cutting is different, but that's harder to notice until you've heard it a few times.

And I agree with the above poster, cheap tooling is money wasted. Have fewer saw blades, router bits, morticing chisels, etc; but make sure they're top quality.

 

[siggy_7]

The best way to tell as a hobbyist I think is to make some cuts in a few different scraps of wood when you fit a new blade, including some stuff that's prone to tear-out (cross-cut some ply for example). Put them to one side and every once in a while compare your cut quality to the reference cuts. When you start getting noticeable deterioration, it's time to get it sharpened up.