Clean your circular saw blade!

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Not strictly boat this but generally applicable nonetheless.

I am doing a fair bit of carpentry as part of refitting our cottage. I bought a DeWalt mitre saw and circular saw at the outset last autumn, both saws have been heavily used for the past three months. Of late I've noticed a drop off in cutting performance and suspected new blades required. Checked on google how long one should reckon a blade to last and read about cleaning the blade.

Well cleaning a blade is a new one on me but I gave it a go this morning. Result is reinstatement of former cutting performance. It seems the resins from the timber (and I admit to cutting some bitumen roofing sheets with one blade) clogs the teeth reducing cutting performance.

So, a little fairy liquid and a toothbrush has saved a £54 spend in Screwfix for two new blades. I now recommend cleaning one's saw blade! Perhaps you all are aware of this cleaning need but I have passed through fifty five years of life being blissfully unaware - until now!

Rob
 
Our woodworking forum vicar recommended that I try Liberon for keeping steel tools clean and smooth. Certainly works on my bandsaw.
 
Sandyman said:
At your age I would have thought you did woodwork at school & would have known such things :)
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I did do woodwork at school - one of my three "O Levels" I'll have you know! Did metalwork as well, got an O level in that too! I must have been asleep in the lesson on cleaning one's sawblade.
 
I use some sort of oil or wax polish, on all sorts of saw blades.
If the blade has rusted, even superficially, polishing with fine wet and dry will get it cutting a lot easier.
A teflon spray and a wipe with a cloth is a good start, removes resins and leaves a slippery layer behind.
 
Screwfix used to sell a spray can for saw blades and router cutters to remove resin build up, plus another to lubricate them, but they last so long that it is close to ten years since I bought the current one.
 
But ------ you will need a new blade one day. I always keep one in reserve because the day the you shag your existing blade will be the day that you really need to finish a job with a clean cut. And when you do change you can keep the old one for cutting your bitumen roofing sheets. Just saying :)
 
That is also a new one for me and I also got GCE 'O' level in woodwork! What DOES really B***** up blades is cutting bits of glass, which I did a few months ago when cutting up an old window frame. You learn something new every day!
 
Even tungsten tipped saw blades and router bits can become blunt with use. Some edge can be created with a diamond file. The best thing is to take the saw to a professional sharpening company who will use their equipment to ensure you have a factory setting once again for about £20. If you loose a tip, they can also fix a new one for a small extra charge. A lot cheaper than a new blade.

For those who do not know it, even sharpening a chisel is a skill to get the correct angle. If you want the best cutting edge then you need to polish the ground edge on a leather strop with fine cutting compound. I used to do this with woodcarving tools and the difference was a much easier tool to use that stayed sharper for longer.
 
Quandary said:
Screwfix used to sell a spray can for saw blades and router cutters to remove resin build up, plus another to lubricate them, but they last so long that it is close to ten years since I bought the current one.
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Oven cleaner will remove resin buildup from blades and bits also cheaper than propriety products. I use bees wax polish on machine beds which keeps rust at bay and lubricates them.
 
This thread has opened up a whole new window of opportunity for me. So many things to occupy me in the shed. Blades, chisels, planes all need attention. I've never done any maintenance on my tungsten tipped circular saw blade so far but will give it the parafin treatment.
 
Concerto said:
For those who do not know it, even sharpening a chisel is a skill to get the correct angle. If you want the best cutting edge then you need to polish the ground edge on a leather strop with fine cutting compound. I used to do this with woodcarving tools and the difference was a much easier tool to use that stayed sharper for longer.
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I was watching a film about maintaining the temples in Kyoto Japan.
For the 1st year the apprentices just learned how to sharpen chisels. 2nd year they moved on to sharpening other tools and perhaps saw a bit of wood if they showed any promise.
 
My father gave me one of those roller guide thingies for chisels, such was his confidence in my sharpening skills.
 
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