TCT or not?

May be a silly question, but is there an easy way to tell if a circular saw blade is TCT or not? obviously if it says TCT on it, it may well be. But if it doesn't, are the teeth a different colour?

Ta J

Reply to
J
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On a TCT blade you'll see small pieces of tungsten carbide brazed onto the end of each teeth, usually a few mm in each dimension. They are usually slightly wider that the steel disk where they need less "set".

Hope this helps.

Reply to
Fred

TCT is slightly darker than steel, but still appears metallic. The big giveaway to me is that the cutting edges of the blades are somewhat broader than the blade disc. Should you know a handy geologist/minerologist, he can test the hardness on the Mohs' scale. Hard steel runs about 6.5 tops, TC 9. In fact, now I think about it try filing a tooth. If you leave no impression, it is TC.

John Schmitt

Reply to
John Schmitt

If it were HSS then the teeth would be part of the blade. With TCT you will see little blocks of sharpened carbide braised in place for each tooth position. The teeth are usually a lighter grey colour and less shiny than the rest of the blade (unless it is painted!)

You can see them quite clearly here:

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Reply to
John Rumm

You can see the tungsten carbide tips brazed onto the saw teeth.

Reply to
Chris Bacon

Somewhat OTT when it's so very simple to do.

If it's TC it will have shagged the file. If the teeth aren't hard it may have shagged the saw tooth.

Reply to
Chris Bacon

I wasn't suggesting he should attack it /summa virtute/ merely a single stroke, possibly 2.

John Schmitt

Reply to
John Schmitt

Go to any DIY store and compare them. It's a very obvious difference. An ordinary blade is made from one thickness of steel. TCT blades have wider tips welded on.

However, just because it is tipped doesn't make all TCT blades the same in quality. Cheaper ones will almost certainly have more run out and not last as long.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

In article , John Schmitt writes

Indeed, an excellent tip, I shall remember that.

Reply to
fred

It'll still eff up your file, don't use a good one. You can *see* whether it's TCT, anyway. It would be easier to see whether you can easily scratch a piece of glass with the tip, blade, or whatever.

Reply to
Chris Bacon

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