Rigid Saw Blade Rots

[Bruce Cohen]

Not being able to control my tool buying (maybe we should start a 12 step program, and call it "Friends of Sam C"), I just couldn't resist getting the "newish" Rigid 90 tooth Ti 10" saw blade.

Got it home and tried it out. It made the strangest cut I've ever seen. Glass smooth on the left side of the blade, and raggy as all get out on the right. I checked the blade for broken teeth, bad tooth setting and found nothing. Tried it again on Baltic Birch 3/4" ply, the first cut was 3/4 pine, still awful.

I'm at a loss for an intelligent explaination, great cut on one side of the blade, piss poor on the other.

Anyway, I returned it and got my refund.

I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has this blade as one of the Rigid's was the top scoring blade in one of the magazines tests.

Bruce

[kwgeorge]

I don’t know much about Ridgid blades other than the one that came on my saw looked scary so I never used it but the one that I recently bought from Holbren works great! Cuts like the Woodworker II and have no issues. I really have never seen what you are talking about so I am not much help.


Ken

[messmaker]

A ridgid blade was ranked in the very top in the last review I read.

[Knottscott]

A ridgid blade was ranked in the very top in the last review I read.

That review included price as a factor. Actual performance ratings were less stellar without the price factored in.

[Thom2]

I have no idea what that Ridgid cost, nor do I have any experience with it.

However, I can attest to the Ridge Carbide that Holbren sells. I was never a believer in expensive blades and could never pull the trigger on a WWII, but I did pull the trigger on the TS2000 and BOY HOWDY has it made a believer out of me. If the WWII is any better than this blade, it would have to be a miracle. Considering that I can get these from Brian anytime for $72 (with the BT3 10% discount), I doubt I'll ever own a WWII now.

[bigsteel15]

I think we should clarify that the Ridge Carbide blades from Holbren are NOT the same company as Ridgid sold by HD.
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

[LCHIEN]

Almost sounds to me like there's an alignment problem with the saw.

[jabe]

Sometimes the silver solder that bonds the carbide tooth to the body of the blade could be defective/distorted and cause what you describe. Only way to see this is check the blade under magnification. Or during the soldering of the carbide tooth to the blade, too much heat was used and it distorted the blade gullet. In my 30+ years as a woodworker/teacher, I've had 1 carbide tooth fly off the blade while cutting some Koa wood and it punctured the light fixture above the tablesaw. Anyway, you did the right thing b4 any bad accident happened and got your money back.

[91FE]

I don't know... I still have the factory blade on my 12" Ridgid CMS and I'm very pleased with it. I've had it for 2-3 years and it cuts like glass every time.

[ironhat]

Almost sounds to me like there's an alignment problem with the saw.

I agree with Loring because of a similar experience. In my case the trunniuon screws had become loose - just slightly - and it was enough to give me an intermittent problem. Check your alignments.

[Bruce Cohen]

Nope, the saw's alignment is fine.

After the Rigid "surprise" I made test cuts with the other 4 blades I own, they were all on the button. And I tried a few types of stock. Had to be the blade. I just think I got a defective one, I just can't believe that Rigid would be dumb enough to try to sell something as bad as this blade and the price was in the mid $60 range.

Bruce

I even gave the return person a cutoff to send back to Rigid when they RTV (return to vendor) the blade.

[ironhat]

Glad it was that and not the saw itself. Good sleuthing.