Replies

1. 
   Jeff_J._Buck | Jul 30, 2000 10:44am | #1

   *
   LENOX....nothing else matters.

1. 
   Phat_Bastard | Jul 30, 2000 11:10pm | #2

   *Lenox is a superior blade! interested or not.If one of my helpers can't figure out for himself that the blades with the tiny little teeth are for metal, and the ones with the big teeth are for wood, then he gets to run the broom until he grows a bit smarter from watching others do things higher on the skill ladder.

1. 
   RichMast_ | Jul 31, 2000 12:06am | #3

   *What's important, in order:1. Number of teeth compared to thickness of stock - use as few as possible generally. Too many is too slow, too few will strip them off, or just grab and not cut.2. Length of blade - don't waste a long blade on short stock, use a long blade for inaccessible or flexible situations3. Thickness of blade - least important, but a thicker demo blade goes a lot faster through thick stock than a standard one.sometimes shape of blade matters, but not that often in what i've seen. i suppose you could add blade material in there if you wanted, but if you buy good stuff for the business you're in, you'll get good material. life is too short for cheap blades.That's what I think, at least...Rich.

1. 
   TLE_ | Jul 31, 2000 02:15am | #4

   *I really like Lenox blades for most applications.But my hands down favorite heavy duty demolition blade is The Ax by Millwakee. It's thicker, stiffer and will cut more nails than anything I have used.You flat out will not bend this blade in any way. It is available in three lengths.

1. 
   David_Ericson | Jul 31, 2000 05:26pm | #5

   *Thanks for the answers. And sorry to suggest that Regarding Rick's first priority--1. Number of teeth compared to thickness of stock - use as few as possible generally. Too many is too slow, too few will strip them off, or just grab and not cut. --Starrett makes a 3 TPI blade that I plan to test out. Not having done so, yet, though, I'm wondering what 3 tpi gets you. Certainly it should work great for really big stock--say you're building a pole barn or cutting off an 8"-thick beam. But I wonder, with the teeth that far apart, if it wouldn't get hung up on nails, just slamming into the side of them. (It might, however, work well for rescue workers cutting a car door off to free an accident victim!)I'm going to put together a few test cuts and will let you know what happens.Has anyone used Magna's "progressive tooth" blades, with smaller teeth, about 12 per inch, on one end of the blade and bigger teeth, about 6 per inch, on the other?

2. 
   David_Ericson | Jul 31, 2000 05:32pm | #6

   *That unfinished sentence was supposed to be...Sorry to suggest the silly scenario of standing around watching while the apprentice cut through heavy stock with the finer teeth. Didn't mean to take the discussion down before it took off!

3. 
   David_Ericson | Jul 31, 2000 05:33pm | #7

   *And it's Rich, not Rick! Excuse me while I go get coffee...

4. 
   Little_Joe | Aug 01, 2000 06:21am | #8

   *I'd definitely tell an apprentice NOT to pick up any of the Milwaukee bi-metal blades with the combo metal/wood teeth pattern (alternating every 3/4" or so). Wouldn't want 'em on the job site! Haven't used "The Axe" but have been meaning to try one out.

5. 
   Nick_Markey | Aug 01, 2000 02:05pm | #9

   *My first preference is Lenox, especially their Demo Blades. However, I do like the Axe blade by Milwaukee - it's the only blade that I've found that will stand up next to a Lenox blade.

6. 
   David_Dansky | Aug 03, 2000 05:04am | #10

   *David I think boschs progressor(SP?) is the same as the magna, if not it is an excellent blade. Lasts long and cuts fast, thru anything.David

7. 
   Jeff_J._Buck | Aug 03, 2000 05:55am | #11

   *Hey, can I be the "accident victim" for the test cuts? You were going for "realism" weren't ya? Jeff

8. 
   GACC_DAllas | Aug 04, 2000 04:24am | #12

   *Axe.............God uses these.Ed. Williams

9. 
   nathan_wegemer | Aug 10, 2000 08:19am | #13

   *Don't let him change blades as soon as the paint is worn off.

10. 
    Sylvan_Marks | Aug 12, 2000 09:08pm | #14

    *Nuther vote for the Ax. Cuts it allSylvan

11. 
    Mad_Dog | Aug 19, 2000 03:35am | #15

    *I love the axe. It's thick and tough. Thick is really great for demo and heavy rough cutting. If you're cutting timbers with a thin kerf blade in a skilsaw and finishing off with a sawzall, the ax can be too thick, and bind. It's something to think about before leaving the shop.The thick blades don't bend when you get the tip banging straight into solid objects. Very frustrating to bend a blade like this.Bimetal blades don't snap.

12. 
    Scooter_ | Aug 24, 2000 09:07pm | #16

    *Phat Bastard has the best idea.I use only two. Bi-Metal for (you guessed it), Metal; and wood blades for (God you are smart), Wood.I have tried them all and Lennox lasts longer than any other blade. Don't know why. I have actually wondered why, but hands down, Lennox.

13. 
    Gabe_Keway | Aug 25, 2000 04:37am | #17

    *I usually keep my blades till the teeth are about all gone. if i'm cutting fresh wood i start with a fresh blade. I usually only buy the longest bi-metal blades i can find then as i reuse them, i just work my way along the entire length of the blade--hit a few nails, jump to a different section of blade. this method seems to get the max life out of a single style of blade. by having fewer styles in my inventory, they seem to better stay in MY inventory.

14. 
    Gabe_Keway | Aug 25, 2000 04:40am | #18

    *SOME COMPANY SHOULD MAKE "CLEAN WOOD ONLY" BLADES WITH SOME GOOD CARBIDE TIPS OR SOMETHING.

15. 
    Bill_S | Sep 12, 2000 06:11pm | #19

    *The Starrett King-Cut works well. Just tried it and I swas able to cut the rough opening for 5 new windows on a remodel and didn't break the blade. Maybe lucky?? But maybe not!!

16. 
    Coolflow_ | Oct 13, 2000 10:54pm | #20

    *I just used the Ax blades to demo a 20X20 addition. They weren't bad but I think I'll try the Lenox next time-JLC had a review a while back and gave them high marks. Also had a few of the Starrett 3 tpi in the box-they beat the hell out of my wrists by the end of the day but that's all I had left and wanted to finish.

17. 
    Vincent_Carbone | Oct 17, 2000 05:50pm | #21

    *I've used the AX blades many times and always thought it was the best.But we cut a new door into a log cabin resently and nobody had an ax blade.The lumber yard had some Dewalt demo blades,cut lenthwise through 20p galvinized nails and didn't know it until we were done.I was impressed.Vince

2. 
   David_Ericson | Oct 17, 2000 05:50pm | #22

   *
   I'm not interested in comparing one brand against others, at the moment. But what do you want your apprentices to understand about choosing recip blades? How many 4x4s do you let them cut with a 24-tooth per inch blade before handing them a 6 tpi?