Blade Durability

[plaindriver]

Does some wood, like red oak, wht oak, or maple have a tendency to dull blades quicker than some other softer woods? Red oak seems to retain moisture really well. Does the wetter wood dull a blade quicker as well?
Have mercy om me, Im a newbie.

[drobertson]

Not for me, all about the same, I am thinking that knots are the main culprit on excessive wear on the cutting edge, not counting mud, rocks, nails, and the usual debris that comes with some logs, white oak can be hard if they are seasoned, not fresh cut, but then again, some dead pine has shown a dulling card, so really I would say knots are the killer of blades,  david

[beenthere]

plaindriver
Are the logs clean that you are sawing? No imbedded dirt in the bark?
Do you have the "debarker" ahead of the cut where the blade enters the wood through the bark?


The wetter wood should saw easier, not dull the blades quicker.

[Andy White]

Plaindriver
Most of my logs don't lay around long enough to get seasoned. Some bands have been perfect thru four logs, and some would dive and struggle on the first cut. I think I am setting up the same every time, and am thinking it has something to do with blade set or lack of same, even on new ones. I just install another one, and the problem goes away until a bolt or nail finds it.  I am using the last of the Woodmaster C blades that came with my mill, and looking forward to using the Woodmizer Doublesharps thru Resharp. Will let you know if any differences in performance...      Andy

[plaindriver]

plaindriver
Are the logs clean that you are sawing? No imbedded dirt in the bark?
Do you have the "debarker" ahead of the cut where the blade enters the wood through the bark?


The wetter wood should saw easier, not dull the blades quicker.

I am unaware of what a debarker is. I thought is was a whole nother machine that rolls or spins the logs and has a head that takes the bark off. Please enlighten me. Havent hit a nail or any debris yet. I brush all victims w/wire brush prior to sawing.

[barbender]

Bark is abrasive, even if it looks clean. Saw until the sun begins to set and watch the occasional spark come out of the cut. The "debarker" on Woodmizer mills is probably more properly called a mudsaw, it cuts a kerf through the bark ahead of the blade. It really saves on blades. Low moisture woods seem to be hard on blades- the worst I have sawn has been Green Ash, only very sharp blades will saw it straight. If I get 200bf out of a blade I am happy with that stuff.

[customsawyer]

I have had some hickory and white oak both take the sharp off of a blade in very short order. I don't know if there was something in the ground where these trees were taken from or what but even after I would get the logs squared up it they just seemed to take the sharp right off of a blade. I got so frustrated I even called WDH and was asking him about it.

[pineywoods]

Looks to me like one of the hardest things for a new sawyer to learn is how to tell when the blade is dull. After a long time of blaming the mill and tweaking on adjustments, here's my way of telling. If you can rub your finger across the tip of a tooth toward the gullet, away from the face, it needs sharpening. A sharp-enough tooth will dig into your skin, you can't rub your finger across it.
If the mill was cutting OK, then you start getting climbs/dives/won't cut, what changed. Assume it's the blade until proven otherwise and don't go tweakin on the mill.

[bandmiller2]

Barring sand, stones and mud hard wood will dull a band faster than soft.Dry hardwood will dull bands faster than wet.Strange but I can cut a pine and get the wave then put an oak log on and cut perfectly straight boards with the same band.Changing density has a lot to do with it. Frank C.

[JustinW_NZ]

I agree with pineywoods, that's often how I check which a quick "finger swipe" other than that you start getting the feel for it while sawing..

Another thing I notice is I seem to get more wood "tear" and wood slivers sticking in the gullet/tooth face on the band, hardwood eucalyptus seems good at this and that's usually a good sign of things are getting dull and tearing more than cutting.. - in my view anyway, anyone else see this?
Worth noting with the larger powered mills you can power a dull band through for quite a bit longer and see this sort of thing more.

Dirt in bark is a very quick way to see sparks and dull a band really quick. - even better when there's some gravel in the mud.  :( (I love my debarker)
If your static milling at home or the likes a good high pressure hose and some tools to strip bark is the next best thing.

Cheers
Justin

[barbender]

When I first put a fresh blade on, it is very sharp and I can hardly tell the blade is cutting. That only lasts a few cuts, then the blade gets to what I think of as a "working" edge, the blade maintains this sharpness for 500-1000bf most of the time. Some difficult woods, only the "very" sharp blade will cut it, I have used a blade a log on green ash. I hate that stuff. We don't have hickory, and I've only sawn a little bur oak (the white oak we have), so I can't comment on that stuff. It was definitely easier to tell when I had a dull blade with a 13hp manual mill over the 40 horse diesel.