Amateur question re saw blades

[Jerry Bittner]

Aside from the obvious, that is the blade does not appear to be cutting well, what are the other signs to look for in terms of deciding when to sharpen circular saw blades? I've been told to look at the condition of the teeth but that does not tell me much.

I've also been told that at times a blade may not be cutting well but its not because it needs sharpened, rather its the build up of "jumnk" on the teeth. In that instance, what's a good cleaner?

Please provide help for the novice.

Thanks

[Jim Becker]

Keeping your blade(s) clean is the first step in enjoying their functions...a blade that is gunked up with pitch and resin will not cut as cleanly as it is capable of. Many of us like to use Simple Green to soak and clean cutters because it's readily available, inexpensive and safe to use. It does take longer than some commercial preparations, but that's no big deal. Soaking and then a little work with an old toothbrush does the job quite nicely!

As to "sharp", a blade that is dulling will start to noticable leave a cut that is not as clean as it used to be or labor your saw more when cutting thick woods. But sharp is "relative" and subjective... How long a blade will stay sharp is also affected by what you cut and how much of it. If you work a lot with plywood and other composite materials, your blades will dull a lot faster than they will in solid stock except for species that naturally contain a lot of silica, such as teak. I sharpen my main blade about once a year...but I don't use much plywood, either.

[Kurt Aebi]

Jerry,

Simple Green now has a Clear formula, I have found that the original green can sometimes leave some items stained. Especially some of the Ceramic tipped cutters that I have for metalworking. Also, I use an ultrasonic tank that I picked up at an auction, so I rarely have to use a brush on the blades or cutters. If I hadn't picked up the ultrasonic tank for only a few bucks, I'd be using a cake pan and a toothbrush as well.