Carbide Blade Tips For Cutting Mild Steel

[Tool_Freek]

I’ve been unsuccessful in locating a supplier for the harder grades of carbide blade tips for circular saws used on mild steel. I’ve only been able to locate sources for softer grades used on wood. Can anyone direct to a source for the harder variety?

 

[LopezBart]

Google Diablo steel cutting blade.....

 

[Tool_Freek]

Thank you for your response. However, I’m not looking for the entire blade. Instead, I looking for a source for just the harder grade of carbide tips. I have a saw blade that needs the tips replaced on a few teeth. I have a lot of experience at silver brazing. Building a jig and brazing new tips on seems very doable for me.

 

[Steve_P]

A diablo blade for this is $34. You want to DIY it?

 

[GeoBruin]

A diablo blade for this is $34. You want to DIY it?

Labor of love...

 

[ALinCarolina]

After brazing the teeth on how are you planning on grinding them all flush with the other teeth?

 

[dnschmidt]

Unless it's a $200 blade, and you have a computerized automatic grinder what you want to do is pointless. You might be able to buy the generic chuck of carbide but after brazing how are you going to sharpen it?

 

[tarbellb]

Are they different grades of carbide... or different rake, tooth cut, teeth count, and other design factors that make it a metal specific blade?

Honest question?


Also, carbide tipped metal cutting blades are not long for this world, they ALL chip or loose teeth after lots of cut or mishandled. Not sure I would want to be testing my brazing skills at 1200 RPMS

 

[Tool_Freek]

I’m merely in the feasibility portion of the planning and design phases. I don’t have exact answers to your “how” questions. I was already aware of everyone’s concerns and, rest assured, they’re on the performance criteria list of my final design/approach/solution. At this point, I’m simply trying to find a good source for pre-formed, hard grade, carbide (or cermet?) blade tips.

 

[PCustoms]

I’m merely in the feasibility portion of the planning and design phases. I don’t have exact answers to your “how” questions. I was already aware of everyone’s concerns and, rest assured, they’re on the performance criteria list of my final design/approach/solution. At this point, I’m simply trying to find a good source for pre-formed, hard grade, carbide (or cermet?) blade tips.

How many?

 

[tarbellb]

Contact your local blade sharpening source, bet they can print you in the right direction

My dry cut blades use a triple cut tooth which means you'd need three unique profiles

 

[PCustoms]

My dry cut blades use a triple cut tooth which means you'd need three unique profiles

I believe the brazed blanks are the same, the grinding process is what makes the 3 profiles.

It's been a while since I worked in the industry, but buying carbide blanks wasn't ever really an issue from what I recall. It's not an Amazon item, but not hard...

Carbide Saw Tips | Burton Mill Solutions

burtonmill.com

Homepage - HB Carbide

hbcarbide.com

1100 Carbide Blank - TechMet Carbides

3/32 x 3/8 x 1/2 TMK-22. Series 1000 Standard Blank 1100, in Aluminum Specialist Grade TMK-22. Unground carbide blank with grind stock, well suited for all Non-Ferrous Materials, from TechMet Carbides.

www.techmet-carbide.com

Kenametal

Etc.

 

[tarbellb]

I believe the brazed blanks are the same, the grinding process is what makes the 3 profiles.

It's been a while since I worked in the industry, but buying carbide blanks wasn't ever really an issue from what I recall. It's not an Amazon item, but not hard...

Carbide Saw Tips | Burton Mill Solutions

burtonmill.com

Homepage - HB Carbide

hbcarbide.com

1100 Carbide Blank - TechMet Carbides

3/32 x 3/8 x 1/2 TMK-22. Series 1000 Standard Blank 1100, in Aluminum Specialist Grade TMK-22. Unground carbide blank with grind stock, well suited for all Non-Ferrous Materials, from TechMet Carbides.

www.techmet-carbide.com

Kenametal

Etc.

Now that makes a lot more sense!

Clearly I buy my blades from the store

 

[seber]

I can't swear this is true but I believe metal cutting carbide is softer than wood cutting. I know this is true with abrasive saws. The harder the material, the softer the matrix. Harder carbides are less impact resistant.

 

[neophyte]

Don’t metal cutting blades usually use “Cermet”, rather than the regular carbide ?

 

[RoninB4]

Are they different grades of carbide... or different rake, tooth cut, teeth count, and other design factors that make it a metal specific blade?

Honest question?

-Very much so. Carbide comes in different grades. It also can be in a different matrix for reinforcement of the carbide itself. Different tooth profile and geometry? Absolutely. There's also different coatings for carbide but that's a different discussion. A brief look through any of the insert suppliers (Kennametal for example) catalogs will show some of the differences besides shape/locking. I don't see the point in replacing a few tips as all of the tips will need grinding but maybe the OP needs to discover this firsthand.

 

[Tool_Freek]

Thank you for the links to potential suppliers for tooth blanks. I appreciate everyone’s replies and concerns. Like most all contributors to this thread, I too bought blades for years and took them in for sharpening. However, things have recently changed. With the closure of my local shop, dropping a blade(s) off and picking it up has turned into 220 miles of driving and shipping only adds complexity, risk, and expense.

Unfortunately I was cutting in low light conditions and advanced a new blade ($150) too fast into a cut and the blade snagged the material and broke the carbide/Cermet tips off of a couple of teeth. With the round trip expense and inconvenience, my experience with silver brazing, my welding and machine shop, I feel it’s time for me to simply expand my skill set in a new direction, gear up, and enjoy the independence it will provide.

 

[PCustoms]

Thank you for the links to potential suppliers for tooth blanks. I appreciate everyone’s replies and concerns. Like most all contributors to this thread, I too bought blades for years and took them in for sharpening. However, things have recently changed. With the closure of my local shop, dropping a blade(s) off and picking it up has turned into 220 miles of driving and shipping only adds complexity, risk, and expense.

Unfortunately I was cutting in low light conditions and advanced a new blade ($150) too fast into a cut and the blade snagged the material and broke the carbide/Cermet tips off of a couple of teeth. With the round trip expense and inconvenience, my experience with silver brazing, my welding and machine shop, I feel it’s time for me to simply expand my skill set in a new direction, gear up, and enjoy the independence it will provide.

What blade are you using that cost $150?

How are you going to balance/sharpen the blade after you replace the insert?

Sorry, but this is a fools errand for personal repair. Have you considered mailing your blades in for service?

 

[dnschmidt]

I've mailed my woodworking blades back to Forrest and Ridge Carbide for sharpening, balancing and the occasional tooth replacement for decades now and they are on the other end of the country from me. What's the big deal. UPS goes everywhere. I live within half of mile of a UPS Store but do whatever floats your boat.

 

[Mark_17]

I have no input on where to get the tips, but I think its neat and am curious how you eventually make out. I'd appreciate an update whenever you may have one.

The nay sayers are hilarious. Everyone has their own rabbit hole they chose to go down, which is fine. They just don't see the value in your rabbit hole, which is also fine, but they can't keep their opinions to themselves. Such is life on a forum.

 

[PCustoms]

I have no input on where to get the tips, but I think its neat and am curious how you eventually make out. I'd appreciate an update whenever you may have one.

Glad my practical experience is a source of amusement for you.

but they can't keep their opinions to themselves.

 

[mike93lx]

I really hope you have a way to properly balance and safety test this work... The blades are turning awfully fast to have either of those not perfect.

 

[Tool_Freek]

As I previously mentioned, I’m merely doing the feasibility study of my design. Access to necessary components could preclude further design efforts. I intentionally kept my original question simple in hopes of a simple answer. However, heretofore unknown awarenesses were obtained from the tangential discussions.

So I’ll conclude with my thanks to all for your contributions to this thread and leave you with a belief that has served me well for 71 years. Intelligently facing adversity with the intent of learning is not a “fools errand.” It’s an opportunity for self-improvement. Never shy away from an opportunity to expand your horizons when you have everything to gain and nothing to loose. I eagerly look forward to learning what else the resurrection of my currently unusable saw blade will teach me.

 

[PCustoms]

As I previously mentioned, I’m merely doing the feasibility study of my design. Access to necessary components could preclude further design efforts. I intentionally kept my original question simple in hopes of a simple answer. However, heretofore unknown awarenesses were obtained from the tangential discussions.

So I’ll conclude with my thanks to all for your contributions to this thread and leave you with a belief that has served me well for 71 years. Intelligently facing adversity with the intent of learning is not a “fools errand.” It’s an opportunity for self-improvement. Never shy away from an opportunity to expand your horizons when you have everything to gain and nothing to loose. I eagerly look forward to learning what else the resurrection of my currently unusable saw blade will teach me.

That's a lot of big words.



Don't kill yourself doing something dumb.

I really hope you have a way to properly balance and safety test this work... The blades are turning awfully fast to have either of those not perfect.

 

[PCustoms]

Did you ever finish your PVC airlines?

Post in thread 'PVC Pipe Heater' https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/pvc-pipe-heater.528464/post-10537267

 

[dnschmidt]

As I previously mentioned, I’m merely doing the feasibility study of my design. Access to necessary components could preclude further design efforts. I intentionally kept my original question simple in hopes of a simple answer. However, heretofore unknown awarenesses were obtained from the tangential discussions.

So I’ll conclude with my thanks to all for your contributions to this thread and leave you with a belief that has served me well for 71 years. Intelligently facing adversity with the intent of learning is not a “fools errand.” It’s an opportunity for self-improvement. Never shy away from an opportunity to expand your horizons when you have everything to gain and nothing to loose. I eagerly look forward to learning what else the resurrection of my currently unusable saw blade will teach me.

A lot of dead cavemen that thought they could take on a saber tooth tiger felt the same way. Why try to reinvent the wheel? People have known what it takes to braze, balance and sharpen carbide blades for at least 70 years now. The two sources I've provided you with have it down to an art form. If you were trying to invent some new invention that would be different. This is simply wasting time because you apparently have nothing better to do.

 

[mike93lx]

Did you ever finish your PVC airlines?

Post in thread 'PVC Pipe Heater' https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/pvc-pipe-heater.528464/post-10537267

Bro, It was only low pressure

 

[PCustoms]

Bro, It was only low pressure

It was only a small explosion

 

[American Locomotive]

A lot of dead cavemen that thought they could take on a saber tooth tiger felt the same way. Why try to reinvent the wheel? People have known what it takes to braze, balance and sharpen carbide blades for at least 70 years now. The two sources I've provided you with have it down to an art form. If you were trying to invent some new invention that would be different. This is simply wasting time because you apparently have nothing better to do.

...and what's wrong if he wants to learn how to do it himself? If he owns a surface grinder and a dividing head, he basically has everything he needs to do this. Just slap a diamond wheel on the grinder (not that expensive), set up some fixtures and get to work. If his blades cost $150, just fixing that one blade would probably pay for the diamond wheel. If he's retired, his time has no dollar "value" attached to it at all.

Now if he's talking about buying thousands of dollars worth of equipment to do this, that's a different thing.

 

[neophyte]

A lot of dead cavemen that thought they could take on a saber tooth tiger felt the same way. Why try to reinvent the wheel? People have known what it takes to braze, balance and sharpen carbide blades for at least 70 years now. The two sources I've provided you with have it down to an art form. If you were trying to invent some new invention that would be different. This is simply wasting time because you apparently have nothing better to do.

Are Saber Tooth Tigers still around nowadays ?

Also, various manufacturers have in the past, and possibly still do, manufacture grinder sharpening systems for circular saw blades.
Makita was one company.
Belsaw was another.
Most of the systems were fairly simple, with less adjustment an setting for precision than I used to think was necessary.
I suspect the systems were originally designed for steel sawblades with hardened steel teeth, rather than carbide, but diamond grinding wheels were made, at least for the Belsaw, so they likely were also used for that purpose.

 

[RoninB4]

-I don't have any idea what the intent of the OP is but I do have a bit of knowledge/experience with what his/her post is inquiring about. For me, I wouldn't bother with it and I have two cutter grinders, a surface grinder, and a bit of tooling. For ONE blade....lotta time and trouble and not worth my time for the few foreseeable projects I have on my plate.

For the OP? The safety warnings were warranted, if you've never had a cutter/grinding wheel explode or shatter it's a scary event you will not have time to react to. An instant death may not be the worst thing that will happen to you. The OP may either have too much time and curiosity at hand or may just want to explore a commercial aspect. Perhaps the area the OP is located in has a number of cabinet shops, genuine cabinet makers, and/or just a market to make a few hundred bucks twice a year. If retired (I am) that's a nice little side gig for holiday cash or what they used to call "beer and tobacco money" down here. I knew an old man in the swamps below New Orleans that only had a saw tooth set and a triangular file that sharpened hand saws for locals. It seemed more a social thing than monetary as he was only getting $3 per saw. I wouldn't mind a side gig if I didn't have to repair everything that malfunctions or needs remodeling around here.

To the OP: You've been advised of safety and should be aware that safety glasses and a full frontal face shield may not be enough to stop shrapnel that's launched. Fracture migration is a silent assassin. Also be aware that grinding particles are very damaging to the lungs, carbide particulates are even worse. Special ventilation precautions are strongly advised. I've been around grinding for decades and will testify that you don't want to do that to your lungs at retirement age. Beyond those advisories for safety I say go for it if it really has you curious. Report your conclusions/results when convenient.