Rant: Blade Sharpening vs Buying New

[Will Overton]

I believe that using the lower cost blades for pressure treated and construction type work is great.

I agree with that logic. The blade that came on my 12" Bosch slider is a Bosch blade labeled "Construction". I replaced it with a Forrest ChopMaster, but left the Bosch hanging on the wall for just those times.

[Victor Robinson]

Ah yes, I was taken by the junk Avanti BORG blades as well...

[george wilson]

The HF sharpener may grind the teeth,but as I have said before,unless the carbide is VERY finely ground-to a POLISH as you see on new Forrest blades,they won't cut nearly so well.

I have diamond wheels,and have tried touching them up myself,though I couldn't polish grind them. The results were not as good as a proper sharpening would produce.

The HF sharpener does not mention the grit size of the wheel,but I can see it isn't very fine.

BTW,I didn't try to grind my Forrest blades.

[Ron Kellison]

I think it's all part of the learning experience. When I started out 35 years ago (Wow! Seems like yesterday!) I bought a cheapo Craftsman blade for my new saw. Shortly after that I bought a Systematic 50-tooth combo blade and a Systematic 24-tooth rip blade. I've resharpened both of them at least twice and they are still in service. I also have a Ridge combo blade that I use strictly for fine work and a Freud laminate blade that I use primarily for man-made materials. The bottom line is that 1) I don't expect a given blade to do everything and 2) the cheap blades actually aren't if you expect to be cutting wood for more than a couple of years after you get started in the addiction. Bottom line...go big and go early! You'll never look back!

Regards,

Ron

[David Helm]

John Mark, I'm gonna jump in here and suggest that you call some of the cabinet shops or custom carpentry shops, call cabinetmakers, call finish carpenters, and find out who they trust to sharpen their blades...those professionals will know the best sharpeners around and you can them check them out.

As far as buying cheap blades, yes, we are a throwaway society and cheap blades will forever be with us. However, if you want to build decent furniture or make square cabinets, you'll buy a GOOD/expensive blade so it cuts your lumber correctly. You'll throw away money if you use a cheap blade on Brazilian cherry!!

What she said. Most professionals (at least in my area and that included me) buy very good blades and have them sharpened at one of the three sharpening shops in this town of less than 80,00 people. All three shops have been in business for a long time. The one I use is in its third generation of one family ownership.

[Rick Potter]

So, how does HD get away with selling phony Avanti blades? Did Frued license the name to them? I cannot believe Frued didn't copyright the name. Even the logo is the same.

Rick Potter

[Peter Quinn]

I can think of two other sharpening services in your general area as far as mail order, Ridge carbide in NJ, and Connecticut Saw and Tool in Startford CT. Both have web sites, both have prices similar to Forrest. Fact is cheap blades are meant to be disposable. I wouldn't think twice about throwing out a $16 band saw blade, it would cost a fortune to sharpen. The hardest part is how to dispose of them. They are a little dangerous to throw in the recycling.

For the good blades its a no brainer. Most of my blades cost three to four times teh cost of a single sharpening and they come back as new or better. But for the value line blades, I like the wind chime idea! Or maybe shop clocks? We have one of those at work made from a saw blade

[Marlin Williams]

So, how does HD get away with selling phony Avanti blades? Did Frued license the name to them? I cannot believe Frued didn't copyright the name. Even the logo is the same.

Rick Potter

Freud was bought out by Bosch. So I am sure the name is legal. Think Avanti as the cheap blade and the Diablo as the middle blade.
The Rigid blades I think may be made by Freud/Bosch but is considered their "high end" blade based on the signs I have seen at HD. I have not used one as I stick to REAL Avanti/Diablo mostly and some high end full Freuds.

Amazon has had some good prices on the REAL Avanti's every now and then.

[Mitchell Andrus]

Perhaps your cheap blades will come back cutting better than when they were new. After sharpening a cheap Delta 40T 'spare', it cuts as well as any Forest in the pile and isn't the last blade in the pile anymore.

If a $22.00 sharpening gets you a blade that cuts as well as a $52.00 blade, you made money on the deal. After 22,000 blade sharpenings you could pay off that Mercedes.
.

[John Piwaron]

Perhaps your cheap blades will come back cutting better than when they were new. After sharpening a cheap Delta 40T 'spare', it cuts as well as any Forest in the pile and isn't the last blade in the pile anymore.

.

This is sort of why I don't think Delta blades should be included in the cheap junk group.

About 25 or so years ago, I got a Delta 40 tooth ATBR. It was one of my first blades and cut pretty well. It started cutting perfectly after it's first sharpening. Like a Forrest WW2. And I do have a couple of those. The first one came back not right, I didn't do anything about it other than to not use it. The 2nd one hasn't been back yet. It might never since my Delta is the blade I always use. I think in 25 years I've had it sharpened 4 or 5 times. Right after it's first sharpening I bought another one just like it. So when the tips on the old Delta become too small to be sharpened again, it's "brother" can take over.

And I do have other blades to use. for work that's less than fine, I have cheap blades. Blades with no carbide. Who cares how nice a cut looks on fence posts or landscape timbers? Those blades get tossed. The $100 plus ones go for sharpening. Locally. Fortunately SE Wisconsin has a lot of options for that.

[Chris Kennedy]

You may try your local hardware store. My local doesn't sharpen them, but they have someone who does sharpening once a week (you drop it off Tuesday and it is returned the following Tuesday). The price is pretty reasonable, too. It's been a while, but I want to say about 20 cents a tooth and no shipping.

Cheers,

Chris

[John Mark Lane]

I can think of two other sharpening services in your general area as far as mail order, Ridge carbide in NJ, and Connecticut Saw and Tool in Startford CT.

Thanks for this info. Stratford is moderately convenient for me (25 minute drive). I checked their website and it looks like an interesting business. It says they have pick and up delivery service that includes Westchester County, where I live. I will be looking into this.

[scott spencer]

I'd hesitate to pay sharpening fees for a poorly made blade, which doesn't necessarily correllate to price. The carbide is likely to be very soft and won't hold an edge long, the body is still made from inferior steel, poorly tensioned, poorly balanced, and poorly designed, etc.

Note that Delta does have some pretty decent quality blades in their lineup that are worth sharpening, but they also have some entry level junk. Same is true of many brands...

[scott vroom]

+1 for pressure treated. I don't like replacing fences with rotted posts. As for appearance, like my daddy used to say "All cats are grey in the dark".

[glenn bradley]

So, how does HD get away with selling phony Avanti blades? Did Frued license the name to them? I cannot believe Frued didn't copyright the name. Even the logo is the same.

Rick Potter

This was discussed back when it occurred. Here's a quote from a Freud rep/member here:

" Here's the official word on Freud Avanti:

In an effort to continue to deliver excellence in the cutting tool market, Freud consistently evaluates its product offering and brand strategy.

Freud has expanded its Freud Industrial Thin Kerf line to the point that it would be a replication for Freud to continue its Avanti line of saw blades. Therefore, Freud has decided to discontinue the Freud Avanti saw blades to streamline our saw blade strategy. We will be transitioning all Avanti saw blades over to Freud Industrial Thin Kerf line due to the significant increase in features and performance.

Freud will no longer manufacture the Avanti brand of saw blades effective June 2009.

Freud will continue to manufacture our premium brands including Freud Industrial & Diablo (premium construction line) from its manufacturing headquarters in Udine, Italy.

Because of this decision to discontinue the Freud Avanti saw blade line, consumers may see discounted Avanti product on the market until the completion of all existing inventory."

HTH.