Carbide Saw FAQ

What causes a broken carbide tooth?

A tip can break from the face all the way to the braze if it impacts something. Acute points are likely to fracture compared to low durable angles, and a narrow pointed corner may break off. If blades are piled up, sliding around can cause a broken tooth. It's not uncommon to drop or damage one mounting it. Don't set it directly on a table saw or lean it upright without padding beneath to protect tips from breaking.

A carbide tip is attached by silver soldering. Brazing melts a strip of metal between a tip and its seat. The solder in a good braze has no lumps or voids. If brazing is adequate, it is unlikely for a whole one to break completely away from its attachment. During impact, it is not unusual for a corner to break off while most of the tip remains firmly brazed.

A chipped tooth doesn't cut much, but it may not be a total loss. It can still carry out dust. It stops the next one from biting too deep, unless an entire tip is missing including the steel. Even if you never replace a broken tip, it's not as bad as a bent tooth demanding an immediate fix. To detect bent tips, unplug it and sight along the rim. Slowly turn it manually, giving special attention near the expansion slots. If you see a damaged one, put a bold mark next to it. Sometimes a single slightly bent tooth can be re-aligned.

Some tips are brittle, and you may notice top edges chipping. Abrasive materials can cause problems. It is not always so practical to replace a broken tip as it is to take effective steps to dampen vibration. Expose fewer tips above the stock. As a thin gauge plate vibrates, its tips are vulnerable to getting cracked. A thick, tensioned industrial one is stable; this helps to avoid broken teeth. After hitting a nail, you might get a few broken or missing teeth in a row. It's possible to retip a broken tooth, but if several fracture, replacing tips may not be worthwhile.

Protect blades

If you stack circular saws between uses, take care to protect them with layers of cardboard so they can't touch. If humidity is high, a light coat of paste wax or WD-40 gives protection from oxidation.

An individual rubber ring can protect it while not in use. It is easily homemade out of 1/2 in. dia. tubing. Cut a length to circle it, adding a generous overlap. Slit it lengthwise and wrap the circumference. The overlapped ends cling together.

Another way of protecting the edge is to dip it in melted soy plastic. The coating is tough, but you can peel it off by hand like wax. Save it to re-melt and re-use.

Homemade carrier

To carry saws, you can make a homemade tote. Measure the largest one, and get a board 2 in. wider and 5 in. taller. For a handle, cut out a 4 by 1 in. slot one in. from the top. Locate the board's midline. Add 2 inches to the radius. Then, starting at the bottom, go that far up the center line to drill a 3/8 in. hole. You will need a 3/8 bolt as tall as the pile, plus at least 1 inch. Insert it through your carrier and secure the stack by a washer and wing nut.