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General Forestry => Sawmills and Milling => Topic started by: Geeg on August 04, 2018, 06:05:28 PM

Title: Woodmaster RazorTip Carbide blades
Post by: Geeg on August 04, 2018, 06:05:28 PM
Was wondering if anybody is using RazorTip Carbide blades. I heard that they may last 10 times longer? How about sharpening? Any pros or cons on these versus standard blades.
Title: Re: Woodmaster RazorTip Carbide blades
Post by: Beavertooth on August 06, 2018, 03:01:14 PM
I have not run any of the carbide blades but have been running some bi-metal turbo 7's from Woodmizer. They cost me exactly twice as much as the double hards cost and in my opinion I will save money in the long run. Reasons are that they do run 2 to 3 times as long before becoming dull, that means less time changing blades and less money spent on sharping them, they are suppose to have longer flex life because the entire blade is made out of a different material not just the tip (Woodmizer  told me that the carbides did have 5 times the flex life as the double hard) but did not have an exact number on the bi-metals but that it was longer. The only way you would lose money on them is to hit something that would tare them up but I am also sure that I have lost many double hard blades to nails that I would not have lost if the blade would have been a bi-metal so still better I think in the end with the bi-metal. And running the turbo 7's is definitely making more money for me than running any other profile since I can cut a very noticeable amount faster with them. I do not remember what profiles and blade thickness they make in the carbide.
Title: Re: Woodmaster RazorTip Carbide blades
Post by: Percy on August 06, 2018, 06:38:44 PM
On occasion, I have to cut a full container load of 1x6x13(metric). This involves a lot of resawing cants/2inch etc. For resawing, I will use the carbide blades. They are mega expensive but I can resaw a full container without changing blades. Double hards would be at least 10 blade changes. At 5 min per change, that's 50 miniutes or about 1600 bdft of resawing. With a full crew handling and packaging, ithe blades pay for themselves easily. As long as the wood is clean and no nails yadda, they are a good investment. Profit goes out the window on first nail nugget whatever.  Las Vegas 🤓
Title: Re: Woodmaster RazorTip Carbide blades
Post by: pineywoods on August 06, 2018, 09:17:40 PM
I tried a couple. Wider teeth require more hp. Cut nicely, but load down my 25 hp mill noticeably. 
Title: Re: Woodmaster RazorTip Carbide blades
Post by: Percy on August 06, 2018, 10:32:00 PM
Quote from: Percy on August 06, 2018, 06:38:44 PM
On occasion, I have to cut a full container load of 1x6x13(metric). This involves a lot of resawing cants/2inch etc. For resawing, I will use the carbide blades. They are mega expensive but I can resaw a full container without changing blades. Double hards would be at least 10 blade changes. At 5 min per change, that's 50 miniutes or about 1600 bdft of resawing. With a full crew handling and packaging, the blades pay for themselves easily. As long as the wood is clean and no nails yadda, they are a good investment. Profit goes out the window on first nail nugget whatever.  Las Vegas 🤓
Title: Re: Woodmaster RazorTip Carbide blades
Post by: Geeg on August 08, 2018, 11:04:12 PM
Thanks for the info Gents, I may buy both and like Percy mentioned, just use the carbide for the stuff that I know will not have any metal.
Title: Re: Woodmaster RazorTip Carbide blades
Post by: shenandoahsawmill on August 09, 2018, 09:44:04 AM
Something else to consider as a plus to the carbide or stellite tipped blades is that they do stay sharper, two to three times as long as standard blades which leads to fewer thick/thin cuts over the life of the blades. Some of us change blades when the blade on the mill starts cutting thick/thin boards. With the blades staying sharper longer, it means more good boards over the life of the blades.
Title: Re: Woodmaster RazorTip Carbide blades
Post by: woodyone.john on August 09, 2018, 02:21:03 PM
Another advantage of tipped blades is the set lasts so much longer as the tip provides the clearance.Sharpening blades is easy [with a cbn sharpener] accurate setting takes me longer.As any body who has used them will tell you striking metal is the pits.  
Title: Re: Woodmaster RazorTip Carbide blades
Post by: Stephen1 on August 21, 2018, 03:51:34 PM
Quote from: Geeg on August 04, 2018, 06:05:28 PM
Was wondering if anybody is using RazorTip Carbide blades. I heard that they may last 10 times longer? How about sharpening? Any pros or cons on these versus standard blades.
I know Joe's sawmill service in Barrie (now Metalwood) uses them on his widened mill. He sawed my 45" red oak. Those are the only blades he uses. He swears by them, At 1504 a blade i have a hard time justifying them. I hit metal all the time. He metal detects in wood he feels will have metal and can usually dig out the metal ahead of time. I tried one years ago when I was first starting out cleaning large douglas fir beams, it lasted as long as the rest of the blades....until i hit the first metal in the wood, and all the beams had been scanned twice with a metal detector.
 I find customers do not mind paying $35 a blade when we hit objects, but would defiantly kick at the 150$ price.
Title: Re: Woodmaster RazorTip Carbide blades
Post by: Geeg on August 22, 2018, 12:52:10 AM
Quote from: Stephen1 on August 21, 2018, 03:51:34 PM
Quote from: Geeg on August 04, 2018, 06:05:28 PM
Was wondering if anybody is using RazorTip Carbide blades. I heard that they may last 10 times longer? How about sharpening? Any pros or cons on these versus standard blades.
I know Joe's sawmill service in Barrie (now Metalwood) uses them on his widened mill. He sawed my 45" red oak. Those are the only blades he uses. He swears by them, At 1504 a blade i have a hard time justifying them. I hit metal all the time. He metal detects in wood he feels will have metal and can usually dig out the metal ahead of time. I tried one years ago when I was first starting out cleaning large douglas fir beams, it lasted as long as the rest of the blades....until i hit the first metal in the wood, and all the beams had been scanned twice with a metal detector.
I find customers do not mind paying $35 a blade when we hit objects, but would defiantly kick at the 150$ price.
I actually just met him last month and he was sawing using those blades. I did talk a little about the blades which made me interested in using them (small world). I just wanted to see if others had any input or advise as to if they are worth the price and any performance issues, etc. I just picked up the Garrett hand held wand detector as a start, but ya 150 a blade is quite expensive. I may pick up some for sawing logs that I know for sure do not have any metal, like my own :laugh:
Title: Re: Woodmaster RazorTip Carbide blades
Post by: PA_Walnut on August 22, 2018, 07:13:49 AM
I run WM Carbides on my 40Wide. I consider them ESSENTIAL for full width cuts on hardwoods...unless you want a roller-coaster. If you are cutting wide, forget Turbos...no deal.

The carbides are the bomb for cut quality too...excellent surface. Looks like its been planed! 
Title: Re: Woodmaster RazorTip Carbide blades
Post by: Geeg on August 22, 2018, 04:01:06 PM
Quote from: PA_Walnut on August 22, 2018, 07:13:49 AM
I run WM Carbides on my 40Wide. I consider them ESSENTIAL for full width cuts on hardwoods...unless you want a roller-coaster. If you are cutting wide, forget Turbos...no deal.

The carbides are the bomb for cut quality too...excellent surface. Looks like its been planed!
Thanks for the info, guess I will put an order in and get some blades ordered. Question, would you use them on softwood? 
Title: Re: Woodmaster RazorTip Carbide blades
Post by: Stephen1 on August 28, 2018, 09:09:44 AM
Quote from: Geeg on August 22, 2018, 04:01:06 PM
Quote from: PA_Walnut on August 22, 2018, 07:13:49 AM
I run WM Carbides on my 40Wide. I consider them ESSENTIAL for full width cuts on hardwoods...unless you want a roller-coaster. If you are cutting wide, forget Turbos...no deal.

The carbides are the bomb for cut quality too...excellent surface. Looks like its been planed!
Thanks for the info, guess I will put an order in and get some blades ordered. Question, would you use them on softwood?
Yes they work great on softwood!
Title: Re: Woodmaster RazorTip Carbide blades
Post by: Geeg on August 28, 2018, 09:19:38 AM
Quote from: Stephen1 on August 28, 2018, 09:09:44 AM
Quote from: Geeg on August 22, 2018, 04:01:06 PM
Quote from: PA_Walnut on August 22, 2018, 07:13:49 AM
I run WM Carbides on my 40Wide. I consider them ESSENTIAL for full width cuts on hardwoods...unless you want a roller-coaster. If you are cutting wide, forget Turbos...no deal.

The carbides are the bomb for cut quality too...excellent surface. Looks like its been planed!
Thanks for the info, guess I will put an order in and get some blades ordered. Question, would you use them on softwood?
Yes they work great on softwood!
Just got a couple in the mail yesterday 8) can't wait to try them out. I have a large white pine job in a week or two
Title: Re: Woodmaster RazorTip Carbide blades
Post by: PA_Walnut on August 30, 2018, 07:45:56 AM
Quote from: Geeg on August 28, 2018, 09:19:38 AMJust got a couple in the mail yesterday can't wait to try them out. I have a large white pine job in a week or two


You will not regret it--unless you discover metal in your log! :o 
Scan, scan, scan!!
Title: Re: Woodmaster RazorTip Carbide blades
Post by: sam-tip on March 21, 2020, 09:19:58 AM
Tried the carbide tip blades last weekend.  They are the real deal.  Completely destroyed one blade.  But we hit the wheel covers and kept sawing.  Hit one nail kept sawing.  The nail #5 finally finished the blade.  Second day using a new carbide blade we used the one blade for the entire day.  Cleans out the dust great and cuts very flat and smooth.  The blade no longer wonders when we hit knots in hard oak.  Best cuts I have ever seen with this LT40 hydraulic with diesel.
Title: Re: Woodmaster RazorTip Carbide blades
Post by: Stephen1 on March 21, 2020, 07:29:14 PM
Quote from: sam-tip on March 21, 2020, 09:19:58 AM
Tried the carbide tip blades last weekend.  They are the real deal.  Completely destroyed one blade.  But we hit the wheel covers and kept sawing.  Hit one nail kept sawing.  The nail #5 finally finished the blade.  Second day using a new carbide blade we used the one blade for the entire day.  Cleans out the dust great and cuts very flat and smooth.  The blade no longer wonders when we hit knots in hard oak.  Best cuts I have ever seen with this LT40 hydraulic with diesel.
They cut the best. They can even take hitting nails, if you slow down.  :D
I can sharpen them with the diamond blade on my sharpener.  They just do not have a long life as they can only go around those band wheels so many times. I find them expensive for what I do, urban sawing. 
I was sent a sample bimetal blade from WM to try this winter. I hit 7 nails in a big 30"pine log I was slabbing. I slabbed all that log with no waves in any slab. I was missing 12 tips  when I put that blade on the CBN sharpener. I used that blade to saw 500 bd ft of 4/4 1x8 cherry for my flooring project. 
I am so impressed withthat 1 blade I am going to order a box of bimetal this week for the coming season.
Title: Re: Woodmaster RazorTip Carbide blades
Post by: stihltoomany on November 16, 2020, 12:16:04 PM
I have used carbide tipped WM blades. Love the cut quality and performance. My problem is they break before they dull. And not at the weld. They cut enough logs make price equal to 3-4 regular blades. I was hoping for that bonus life out of them. Any one with experience with them.
Title: Re: Woodmaster RazorTip Carbide blades
Post by: Peter Drouin on November 16, 2020, 09:37:13 PM
For me there only good to recut cants into one bys
The sand and dirt was a killer for them. I won't by anymore.