Haven’t bought a kapex bladw in awhile. Wow

[PA floor guy]

146 dollars.  What!!!!  I could not believe it.  Where do you guys send your blades for sharpen.

 

[tjbnwi]

Quinn.
http://quinnsaw.com

Tom

 

[Brian Livingstone]

Try $ 218 plus 15 % tax in Nova Scotia,Canada.

If I happen to cut myself with it, I do have free health care to get stitched up.

Nothing like a new blade !

 

[Mario Turcot]

Brian, check out ToolsToday.com They sell AmanaTools blades made for the Kapex. I would not be surprised the blades are from the same manufacture then the Festool ones.

Kapex Blade They have TCG and ATB configuration. The TCG is on my whish list  [big grin]

Oh and their price can be displayed in CAD, shipping is pretty cheap and fast. I usually get the order the next workable day.

 

[peter halle]

Festool blades are manufactured by Leitz.  When choosing a sharpening service make sure that they can sharpen the Festool blades - particularly those of the Kapex.  Some can't due to the variable tooth spacing.

Peter

 

[rst]

I'm with Mario, I buy all my blades and most of my router bits from Toolstoday.  Their Electroblu aluminum cutting blades are amazing.  I've been cutting different thickness' of aluminum for 38 years using everything from plywood blades mounted backwards, to Sears carbide wood cutting blades to standard aluminum blades but these are the best...I really have trouble any other blade could work better.  In the past I would use WD-40 as a lube for cutting every thickness, now I only lube if the thickness is .375 and up.

 

[PA floor guy]

I checked out that place.  Can someone tell me which blade they buy.  I feel weird cheating on tool nut. But 146 for a blade is out of control.

 

[Cheese]

When choosing a sharpening service make sure that they can sharpen the Festool blades - particularly those of the Kapex.  Some can't due to the variable tooth spacing.

I know Forrest will not sharpen Kapex blades.

 

[peter halle]

By the way item 203150 is still a available here in NA.  1 60 tooth and 1 80 tooth.  Current price is $210 USD.

Peter

 

[Tracky]

Two suggestions:
[list type=decimal]
[*]Harbor Freight circular saw blade sharpener. Don't use the index system, but slowly touch each carbide face to the diamond blade. That is how I sharpen my blades, even the regular spaced ones.
[*]Handheld diamond sharpener? Unless chunks of carbide are missing, you should be able to use a fine sharpener such as DMT diasharp. Use those for router bits too. Just be careful not to change the the angles. Same amount of strokes on each tooth, like a chainsaw.
[/list]

 

[RKA]

[member=63238]Tracky[/member]
What grit do you use/suggest for a final pass on carbide bits and blades?  I'm finding some say 600 but others suggest 1200.

I just mangled a dovetail bit (clamp slipped - bit meet washer).  DMT makes a diamond flat file (V shaped) but the finest grit is only 600.  Their rectangular flat files go up to 1200, maybe higher, but the form factor isn't ideal for some router bits. 

 

[Tracky]

[member=63238]Tracky[/member]
What grit do you use/suggest for a final pass on carbide bits and blades?  I'm finding some say 600 but others suggest 1200.
I just mangled a dovetail bit (clamp slipped - bit meet washer).  DMT makes a diamond flat file (V shaped) but the finest grit is only 600.  Their rectangular flat files go up to 1200, maybe higher, but the form factor isn't ideal for some router bits.

Saw blades don't seem to have a super fine finish from the factory. I've been using 600 (fine). Router bits probably would benefit from 1200 (xfine), but I've mostly been recovering low-$ router bits after use on MDF and 600 has been fine.

Regarding the form factor. You may want to look at the 'credit card' models. Just bought one, but haven't tried it yet. They are a lot thinner and also come in 1200. See here. I got a 600 as part of a set.

 

[RKA]

Thanks, I'll give it a go.  Hopefully the backing material is stiff enough. 

 

[Bhend18]

Festool blades are manufactured by Leitz.  When choosing a sharpening service make sure that they can sharpen the Festool blades - particularly those of the Kapex.  Some can't due to the variable tooth spacing.

Peter

and you can send them to Leitz to have them sharpened. I have

 

[tjbnwi]

Festool blades are manufactured by Leitz.  When choosing a sharpening service make sure that they can sharpen the Festool blades - particularly those of the Kapex.  Some can't due to the variable tooth spacing.

Peter

Quinn sharpens the Festool blades. They do a great job (equal to or better than what I get back from Leitz) with less hoops to jump through then sending the to Leitz.

Tom

 

[fshanno]

By the way item 203150 is still a available here in NA.  1 60 tooth and 1 80 tooth.  Current price is $210 USD.

Peter

For both?

 

[Cheese]

By the way item 203150 is still a available here in NA.  1 60 tooth and 1 80 tooth.  Current price is $210 USD.

Peter

For both?

You got it...it’s a deal. I’m ordering a set before the March price increase.

 

[peter halle]

I was surprised to find the set in the catalog and on the website.  I thought that it had been discontinued before.  If I remember correctly it was a North American only set.  Before I posted I did confirm with Festool USA that it was still correctly available.  Funny thing is that I bought a set years ago and have never even tried the 80 tooth blade.  I've been happy with the 60 tooth blades for going on 8 years now.

Peter

PS.  The price increase on this sky is $10 on March 1, 2018.

 

[fshanno]

I'm running the original 5 year old blade in my Kapex.  Never been sharpened.  Time for something new.  The set looks like a good deal.

But I'm curious about the Oshlun blade I see on Amazon for $55.  At that price it's worth experimentation.  If it proves to be inadequate it can always serve as a backup blade for cutting questionable stuff.

I bought the $25 Oshlun 48 for my 55 back in May and it's never been off the saw.  New out of the box rips were just as good as the Festool 48 tooth.  Crosscuts were very close, not quite as good as a new Festool but acceptable.  I figured I'd get one kitchen out of it.  I did get that one large kitchen but it's still going strong.  Very nice rips and respectable crosscuts.

 

[ear3]

The set is a good deal -- just got another one a couple of weeks ago.

I have the Oshlun for doing aluminum cuts on the Kapex -- which I do only rarely -- and it has performed just fine.  I also have a few Oshlun for my tracksaws when I know I'm going to be dealing with embedded nails/screws in the material.  They do what I need them to do.

I'm running the original 5 year old blade in my Kapex.  Never been sharpened.  Time for something new.  The set looks like a good deal.

But I'm curious about the Oshlun blade I see on Amazon for $55.  At that price it's worth experimentation.  If it proves to be inadequate it can always serve as a backup blade for cutting questionable stuff.

I bought the $25 Oshlun 48 for my 55 back in May and it's never been off the saw.  New out of the box rips were just as good as the Festool 48 tooth.  Crosscuts were very close, not quite as good as a new Festool but acceptable.  I figured I'd get one kitchen out of it.  I did get that one large kitchen but it's still going strong.  Very nice rips and respectable crosscuts.