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.