If you are considering a replacement blade for your table saw, miter saw or radial arm saw, Craftsman has some enticing new options. They feature blade plates that are tempered and heat transferred, and tensioned to industrial standards. The hardened carbide teeth are triple silver brazed to the blade bodies, then given an advanced grinding geometry for cleaner cuts. Craftsman coats the blades with an e-coat electrostatic finish that reduces friction and prevents resin buildup and is also, according to company literature,”nonpolluting.”
There are three 10-in. blades with 5/8-in. arbor holes. The first is Craftsman’s 50-tooth Master Combination Full Kerf Blade (item 17029; $59.99), intended for general ripping and crosscutting. A 60-tooth Finishing Full Kerf Blade (item 17545; $64.99) is suited for cutoff and crosscutting applications and features an alternative top bevel (ATB) tooth design with 15 degrees of positive hook. Craftsman also offers a Finishing Thin Kerf Blade (item 17032; $69.99) with 80 hi-ATB teeth that pitch backward at a -5 degree hook angle for superior cutting smoothness in veneered plywood and coated sheet materials such as melamine.
The three 12-in. blades have 1-in. arbor holes to fit larger saws. Craftsman’s 60-tooth General Purpose Thin Kerf Blade (item 17565; $69.99) is suitable for hardwood, softwood and chipboard. Its teeth pitch forward 15 degrees for more aggressive cutting action. An 80-tooth Finishing Thin Kerf Blade (item 17547; $79.99) has ATB teeth with 15 degrees of positive hook angle to cut hardwood, softwood and chipboard. The 96-tooth Fine Finishing Thin Kerf Blade (item 17544; $89.99) has Triple Chip Ground (TCG) teeth and a 10-degree hook angle for making ultra-fine cuts on MDF, fine laminates and coated sheet goods.
All six styles are made in Germany and are available on craftsman.com as well as Sears stores nationwide.
