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Saw blade comparison, request for, TS & BS

1K views 8 replies 7 participants last post by  Gene01 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
There is and has been many posts claiming one blade superior over another. Is there a comprehensive comparison between the major types of blades, noting the finish, ease of cut, life of sharpness, etc.

How good of a result is good enough in any particular situation?

There have been posts claiming one blade at 1/2 the price is equal in many of the situations. Is that because that poster is biased, familiar and satisfied with brand X v. brand Z? I am sure the higher priced blade wouldn't or shouldn't or shouldn't do a comparison and publish adverse results. Is owning brand Z simply a status symbol tool?
 
#3 ·
Jack, we all likely have our favorite TS blades and, our opinions on which ones are trash. It kinda depends on the kind of work you do and what you want from a blade. I don't have a jointer so, my blades need to give me a glue ready surface. Most of my work is with mesquite, walnut or, maple. One of my saws is dedicated to rips and one is for cross cutting. And, I have a couple Skils for breaking down lumber. All my blades are Tenryu. They meet all my needs exceptionally well.
BS blades are a different ball of wax. I haven't found one manufacturer to be demonstrably better than any other.
I'm sure others will swear by their favorites.
Good luck.
 
#4 ·
Ditto using Scott's info on the TS blades. I agree with Gene on the BS blades, most of us have favorites we stick by but I'm not sure you can prove one is better than the other.
 
#5 ·
I agree completely with Knotscott. You have blades with large carbide teeth and laser cut plates (good) and cheap blades with small carbide teeth and stamped metal plates (not so good, but OK for construction work). A good blade can be re-sharpened . A not-so-good blade might be able to be sharpened once, but would be considered a throw-a-way blade. Of the many good blades on the market, the thing that makes one better than the other is how well the original grind was done. Forrest has been known for it's fine diamond grit grind and it has been claimed that if you send any brand of blade to Forrest, it will be returned sharper than it was originally. So the one factor that separates one blade from another is the grind. I have a diamond blade grinding machine (Foley) that I use on my blades and I have noticed that a cheap blade when sharpened cuts much better than when new. A light touch-up on a $40 blade can transform it into a $100 blade.
 
#6 ·
Ditto on T.S. blades! Just had 2 - 1/2" 3tpi blades made up by local sharpening shop, he had some 1/2" carbide tipped stock that would of cost approx. $170 to make one blade for my saw compared to the bahco stock for $15. So do the math, how many blades, new and sharp to equal one carbide?
 
#7 ·
Jack, we all likely have our favorite TS blades and, our opinions on which ones are trash. It kinda depends on the kind of work you do and what you want from a blade. I don t have a jointer so, my blades need to give me a glue ready surface. Most of my work is with mesquite, walnut or, maple. One of my saws is dedicated to rips and one is for cross cutting. And, I have a couple Skils for breaking down lumber. All my blades are Tenryu. They meet all my needs exceptionally well.
BS blades are a different ball of wax. I haven t found one manufacturer to be demonstrably better than any other.
I m sure others will swear by their favorites.
Good luck.

- Gene Howe
Gene;
We match types of woods and dedicated equipment exactly. I was looking at the glue surface on some cross grain purpleheart and mesquite today and could not visualize a better glue cut than with a resharpened Freud blade. My rip cuts are always glue ready. Which make me wonder if better is really better? Or just more expensive… Some of the rip cuts I really have to examine closely to determine if a pass on the jointer is necessary.
 
#9 ·
Jack, we all likely have our favorite TS blades and, our opinions on which ones are trash. It kinda depends on the kind of work you do and what you want from a blade. I don t have a jointer so, my blades need to give me a glue ready surface. Most of my work is with mesquite, walnut or, maple. One of my saws is dedicated to rips and one is for cross cutting. And, I have a couple Skils for breaking down lumber. All my blades are Tenryu. They meet all my needs exceptionally well.
BS blades are a different ball of wax. I haven t found one manufacturer to be demonstrably better than any other.
I m sure others will swear by their favorites.
Good luck.

- Gene Howe

Gene;
We match types of woods and dedicated equipment exactly. I was looking at the glue surface on some cross grain purpleheart and mesquite today and could not visualize a better glue cut than with a resharpened Freud blade. My rip cuts are always glue ready. Which make me wonder if better is really better? Or just more expensive… Some of the rip cuts I really have to examine closely to determine if a pass on the jointer is necessary.

- Jack Lewis
Jack, if it works for you, it don't get no better. Both my saws are Shopsmiths and, for some reason, Freud blades just don't cut it…so to speak. The guy in Phoenix that sharpens my blades recommended Tenryu about 15 years ago. I've been happy with them since.
 
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