Often it's asked what are good saw blades and which ones produce the most bang for the buck...

Charlie at Freud had this to say...

an up date to the current status on Freud differences...

All Freud blades come from the same machines in the same manufacturing plant. We make our own micrograin carbide in numerous formulations that represent various degrees of hardness. The carbide is selected depending on the intended application (the hardest is used for laminates the softest for ripping) as are the tooth angles and tooth quantity. The steel for the blade plates is all the same grade. The brazing is all the same. The key differences between the 2 main lines of Freud blades are:

The LU/LM Industrial blades have the thickest tips for the most resharpenings and are generally full kerf. We also offer the most selection of specialty blades in this line. These have the most appeal to professionals who need to get a lot of sharpenings out of a blade and to artisans who need specialty blades for their projects.

The Diablo line has blades intended for purposes like framing, siding, decking and general home improvement and is packaged and promoted in ways that appeal to contractors and DIYers.

Do professional woodworkers shop for blades at Home Depot? Probably some do and they can get excellent performance from a Diablo blade for a lot of their uses but with a shorter overall life (and lower cost) due to the tip thickness.

Why not compare a Diablo blade to Forrest? Consider this analogy: Toyota cars and Lexus cars share a lot of the same components and are made by the same company. Would you compare a Camry with a BMW?

We make a fourth line of blades (F400 Premier series) that is very similar to the WWII and is priced similarly. The difference between ours and Forrest's is that ours is made by computer controlled, super modern equipment and theirs is made by hand. Both methods have advantages and disadvantages but I leave the final verdict to the consumer.

Charles M
Freud, Inc.

Thanks. 

58 minutes ago, Stick486 said:

 

All Freud blades come from the same machines in the same manufacturing plant. (Italy)...

knowing this be careful because there are counterfeits coming out of Asia...

read the label... closely..

Edited September 3, 20169 yr by Stick486

Thanks for the info Stick.

 

Rick Sexton

Freud and WWII make some great blades. However, my sharpening guy turned me on to Tenryu and I've never regretted buying them. They seem to stay sharp longer than my WWll and the have more carbide.

Costwise, they are a bit cheaper than either the WWII and Freud's top of the line blades.

http://tenryusawblades.com/home.php

Do your due diligence, but I think you will really like them.

vendors for Tenryu are scarce here...

Same here, Stick. My sharpening guy is in Phoenix, 150 mi. away.  He can order from them a little cheaper and sends them to me along with my sharpened blades.

I bought two off their website. One for the CMS and one 7 1/4 for the Skil 77.

The others, he's sent me.

I have a Jet contractor saw and have used a Freud blade for a number of years and have had it sharpened a few times. With the lower  HP on the Jet I use thin kerf blades as full kerf blades tend to bog down more. I also have a Forest WWII thin kerf blade as well, but I have gotten better results with the Freud.

On 9/3/2016 at 9:46 AM, Stick486 said:

knowing this be careful because there are counterfeits coming out of Asia...

read the label... closely..

 

I happened to be in my local HD store today. My curiosity got the best of me and I took a gander at the Diablo blades. Not a very big selection, however, all of the ones I check (12" and smaller) were marked "Made in Italy". However, the Avanti line next to them were all "Made in China".

 

"We make a fourth line of blades (F400 Premier series) that is very similar to the WWII and is priced similarly. The difference between ours and Forrest's is that ours is made by computer controlled, super modern equipment and theirs is made by hand. Both methods have advantages and disadvantages but I leave the final verdict to the consumer."

Charles M
Freud, Inc.

 

I would be curious as to what the advantages/disadvantages would be between machine and hand made. In my mind, if the machine is adjusted properly then I would expect a very high degree of uniformity and consistency when brazing on the carbide. Hand made increases the possibility of human induced defects, that may or may not be caught in the final inspection. All things being equal, the final tooth grinding should be identical and consistent no matter how it was constructed.

 

I know that most people hear "hand made" and expect a higher level of quality. However, in a production line activity this isn't always the case.

email Charley and ask him... or call him...

 

I like the Frued blades and they cut very well. My experience with wwII was great. I  even sent it back to them to be sharpened. Then the nightmare began. It came back with big beads of solder on several teeth. I wrote and sent it back, it came back again in worse shape. Lesson learned. That will never happen again. I started experimenting with different blades. If I didn't think it was good, I'd take it back for a return (at HD) get another brand and try it. Freud was a great one. It is cheaper to buy new than to have them sharpened because of price and inability of most to do it right

Ron, and anyone else who needs a better sharpening service, try this guy.

I've tried a few, including Forrest, and Scott does a far and away better job. 

If you call him, ask about Tenryu blades. But, be prepared for a long conversation. He will go on and on about their virtues.

He's not a stocking dealer but he will order and ship you one...or three.

 

Edited September 11, 20169 yr by Gene Howe

11 hours ago, Ron Altier said:

I like the Frued blades and they cut very well. My experience with wwII was great. I  even sent it back to them to be sharpened. Then the nightmare began. It came back with big beads of solder on several teeth. I wrote and sent it back, it came back again in worse shape. Lesson learned. That will never happen again. I started experimenting with different blades. If I didn't think it was good, I'd take it back for a return (at HD) get another brand and try it. Freud was a great one. It is cheaper to buy new than to have them sharpened because of price and inability of most to do it right

the Freud from HD...

are they Diablo???

Woodcraft carries a pretty extensive line of LU/LM series...

I have some info to look into it now. I have a HD within a quarter mile from me and visit often. So far I am very pleased with the Freud.

I've asked several carpenters and builders that buy at HD, what their preference is. Builders want a long lasting, cheap blade that gets the job done. They aren't particular about quality, just get the job done.  Carpenters that build good things are happy with the Freud because of the quality cuts and price. None of them get their blades sharpened. Costs more than a new blade, plus time spent going thru the bother.