5 Tips to Extend the Life of Your Saw Blade

1.Use The correct Blade

Using the wrong saw blade for the material you are cutting will cause it to become dull faster, and in return will require it to be sharpened more often. Being able to re-sharpen your blades instead of having to purchase new ones is a definite value, but needing to sharpen because of improper use will significantly shorten the overall lifespan of your saw blades.
 

Tip: Use a fine-toothed blade for thinner material and a coarser tooth blade for solid or thick-walled material.

2. Properly install The Blade

Proper installation of your saw blade is simple, yet your attention to detail and cleanliness is critical. Make sure the backlash is "taken-up" to decrease the probability of the blade breaking through a pinhole. Be cautious to remove any debris between the saw spindle, the blade, and the flange during the blade installation. A dirty flange will lead to pick-up, which can cause your material to slip in the vise.

3. Let The Blade Do The work

Knowing the proper force required to make a cut is important. Letting the saw blade do its job by not forcing it into the material will make a huge difference in not only the life of the blade, but the quality of the cut. Applying excess pressure does not yield a better OR faster cut...it only adds unnecessary stress on the blade. It is essential to listen to your machine and understand its RPM & cut speed options, feed rates, and chip load to get the most out of your saw and its blades.

4.Lubricate The Blade

Your circular cold saw can perform without lubrication, but it is NOT recommended. Using lubricant (coolant) while cutting, relieves stress on the blade by reducing the friction between the blade and the material. Lubrication aids in removing/flushing away the chips, which helps prevent material from being bonded to your blade, aka "pick-up." Failing to use proper lubrication will result in pointless friction causing the blade to generate heat and become dull faster than normal.

5.Automate The process

Using a semi-auto or fully-automatic cold saw can increase the life of your blade by approximately 30 percent over a manual feed machine. Manual feeding machines are more susceptible to operator error and unnecessary wear due to improper use. By adding automation to your process you should be able to extend the life of your blade dramatically and increase efficiency & productivity.