Circular sawblade rant and observation

[JDgreen227]

I have a number of those cordless circular saws, and after a while I hit a nail or something that breaks a tip or two off, and it's easier to buy a new blade than have one repaired and resharpened.

I was at Menards this morning, they were having a sale on Skil brand 5 3/8" 18 tooth carbide blades, $7.93....a $2 savings off the regular $9.97 price. What baffles me is just why a few feet away on the rack, they have a 60 tooth carbide 10" Delta blade for $14.97 everyday. The steel and carbide used in the bigger blade would make several of the smaller blades, as the cordless saw blades are very thin.

I began buying carbide tip sawblades back in 1983, and remember paying a buck per tooth for a Craftsman branded 40 tooth cut-off standard (not thin rim) blade. Adjust that $40 for inflation, and the same blade today should cost about $75. Makes me wonder.

 

[radioman]

let's see --- a buck a tooth -- usa made. nowadays its al chinese stuff with cheap labor and shortcuts taken to make the products cheaper then what we paid for back then....:confused2:

 

[Jstpssng]

let's see --- a buck a tooth -- usa made. nowadays its al chinese stuff with cheap labor and shortcuts taken to make the products cheaper then what we paid for back then....:confused2:

I took my carbide tip sawblade to get it sharpened... and bought a new one for less than it was going to cost for refreshing the old one. Makes you wonder...
On the other hand any new idea is apt to cost more... as production technology improves and the research costs are paid down the price drops.

 

[zzvyb6]

There's a "How Its Made" episode that should clearly answer the question. Perhaps its available from their website or via Hulu. I 'saw' it about 2 weeks ago. I was surprised at how much time it takes to make one.

 

[Egon]

All circular saw blades are not created equally!:thumbsup:

 

[JDgreen227]

All circular saw blades are not created equally!:thumbsup:

So true...I still have that pair of 40-tooth cutoff Craftsman blades I purchased back in '83--they have never been resharpened yet.

And Jstpssing...I have a Craftsman tool catalog that is a 1956 vintage...it lists carbide tip sawblades there. But what you say about technology is true...remember back in 1998 when memory cards for digital cameras were something like $50 for 256mb and today you can get 16gb for $10....

 

[sodamo]

So true...I still have that pair of 40-tooth cutoff Craftsman blades I purchased back in '83--they have never been resharpened yet.

And Jstpssing...I have a Craftsman tool catalog that is a 1956 vintage...it lists carbide tip sawblades there. But what you say about technology is true...remember back in 1998 when memory cards for digital cameras were something like $50 for 256mb and today you can get 16gb for $10....

Remember what you were making in '56

I have several 10 & 12 in blades from building my house. Took the lot of them to local sharpening guide. Only the pricey blades were worth redoing. I appreciated that he was honest with me.

 

[JDgreen227]

Remember what you were making in '56

I have several 10 & 12 in blades from building my house. Took the lot of them to local sharpening guide. Only the pricey blades were worth redoing. I appreciated that he was honest with me.

In '56 my allowance was probably 50 cents a week !!!

 

[Jstpssng]

Remember what you were making in '56

I have several 10 & 12 in blades from building my house. Took the lot of them to local sharpening guide. Only the pricey blades were worth redoing. I appreciated that he was honest with me.

I have several old hand saws that probable haven't been used since before 1956... I'm wondering if they are worth having touched up.

 

[JDgreen227]

I have several old hand saws that probable haven't been used since before 1956... I'm wondering if they are worth having touched up.

"Hand saw...." :laughing: I have a whole bunch of those both rip and crosscut and I rarely if ever use any of them except for the"Short Cut" type.

Picture shows the cover of my 1956 tool catalog, they were selling the 10 inch, 8 carbide tooth blade for $10.95 back then. A 10 inch steel rip blade was $3.29.

 

[smstonypoint]

I have several old hand saws that probable haven't been used since before 1956... I'm wondering if they are worth having touched up.

I still have my Dad's saw set and his crosscut, rip, and miter hand saws. Every time I watch the Woodwright's Shop (Series Desciption . About Series . Woodwright's Shop with Roy UnderHill | PBS), I am tempted to try sharpening them. The host, Roy Underhill, is the anti-Norm Abrams. Roy and his guests are truly old school -- they never use electric tools. So far, I have been able to resist the temptation.

Steve

 

[Jstpssng]

"Hand saw...." :laughing: I have a whole bunch of those both rip and crosscut and I rarely if ever use any of them except for the"Short Cut" type.

Picture shows the cover of my 1956 tool catalog, they were selling the 10 inch, 8 carbide tooth blade for $10.95 back then. A 10 inch steel rip blade was $3.29.

That's about what I paid for my last carbide blade, also.
Funny thing, they don't cut nails any better than a regular blade.

If I was an artist, I could put those old saws of mine to good use. I'm not an artist, can't even draw a straight line.

 

[radioman]

That's about what I paid for my last carbide blade, also.
Funny thing, they don't cut nails any better than a regular blade.

If I was an artist, I could put those old saws of mine to good use. I'm not an artist, can't even draw a straight line.

:laughing: no need to be a drawing artist. just convert them old blades into a clock for shop. :thumbsup:

 

[JDgreen227]

:laughing: no need to be a drawing artist. just convert them old blades into a clock for shop. :thumbsup:

Know what is funny, back when I got my first carbide blades I really wanted one of the Craftsman sawblade shop clocks but they cost something like $30-$40 so I never got one and today they are much cheaper but I don't really want one now.

There are all kinds of things I wanted when I was younger (Corvette, Sportster, fishing boat, etc) but could not afford. Today I can afford those things but don't want them anymore.

Story of my life, I guess....:laughing:

 

[CompactTractorFan]

Know what is funny, back when I got my first carbide blades I really wanted one of the Craftsman sawblade shop clocks but they cost something like $30-$40 so I never got one and today they are much cheaper but I don't really want one now.

Those clocks are junk.

 

[JDgreen227]

Those clocks are junk.

And a retardee oops, that's RETIREE, really doesn't need a clock to begin with. When I was working, many people would make the observation "Bill loves his watch, he is always looking at it...." Sad to say, that was true....always in a hurry, always trying to be on time....the good old days....:laughing:

 

[300UGUY]

I have a old Craftsman skill saw, from the 50's. Thing must weigh about 10 lbs. All metal, still runs good.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

I have an old 3/4" drill motor from the 1940s that still runs good too. You need a derrick to haul it into position, and it will rip your arm off if the bit jams up, but it's quite a tool. My dad used it hanging by a spring from a chain fall to run cylinder hones while rebuilding engines.

 

[magicheater]

I have a number of those cordless circular saws, and after a while I hit a nail or something that breaks a tip or two off, and it's easier to buy a new blade than have one repaired and resharpened.

I was at Menards this morning, they were having a sale on Skil brand 5 3/8" 18 tooth carbide blades, $7.93....a $2 savings off the regular $9.97 price. What baffles me is just why a few feet away on the rack, they have a 60 tooth carbide 10" Delta blade for $14.97 everyday. The steel and carbide used in the bigger blade would make several of the smaller blades, as the cordless saw blades are very thin.

I began buying carbide tip sawblades back in 1983, and remember paying a buck per tooth for a Craftsman branded 40 tooth cut-off standard (not thin rim) blade. Adjust that $40 for inflation, and the same blade today should cost about $75. Makes me wonder.

I watch Menards like a hawk. Often they have carbide tipped saw blades for free. So I stock up on them, I'm sure others do too.

 

[sandman2234]

You guys collecting the carbide blades, are you doing it as an investment, due to what the price of scrap carbide is at these days?
David from jax