TS/HK blade clarification

[live4ever]

Just wanted to double-check...

From my understanding of various posts and videos, the HK/C can use TS/C blades, with the caveat being the riving knife of the HK becomes less effective since it is even thinner relative to the thicker (2.2mm) TS blade kerf.  I imagine the thicker and higher tooth count TS blades also drain the HKC battery much more quickly. 

However, the TS cannot use the 1.8mm HK blades since they are thinner than the TS' riving knife.

Is this all correct?

 

[awil66]

All correct. But you certainly could use the thinner hk blade on the ts saw. The riving knife will not fall into the kerf. Depending on the material being cut it may not matter.

 

[Stephen B]

[size=8pt]

All correct. But you certainly could use the thinner hk blade on the ts saw. The riving knife will not fall into the kerf. Depending on the material being cut it may not matter.

[size=13pt]
[eek] [eek]
The lack of a fully functioning kerf blade IMO will increase chances of  kick back with a TS. The exception, depending on the specific circumstances,  might be edge trimming. I thought kick back with a TS was a 'myth' until one day it happened.

 

[Cheese]

So here's my take on this...you're correct in everything you've stated, however as Untidy states the TS 55 will kick back, I just haven't figured out at what point that will happen. However it's happened to me while cutting Brazilian cherry on a number of occasions. It was a surprise...but it was also a lesson learned.

 

[live4ever]

Thanks all.  It's good to know that my stable of blades for the TS will work with the HK.  I don't intend to go the other way and tempt the kickback gods.

 

[Coen]

Can someone enlighten me on why Festool chose a different blade thickness for the HK?  [blink]

Does this also mean that putting a TS blade on a HK means you rip off another 0.2mm from the anti-splinter strip on the rails? Or is the increased width fully to the other side?

 

[Tom the Remodeler]

Can someone enlighten me on why Festool chose a different blade thickness for the HK?  [blink]

Does this also mean that putting a TS blade on a HK means you rip off another 0.2mm from the anti-splinter strip on the rails? Or is the increased width fully to the other side?

I assume the use of thinner blades is to allow for easier cutting through tough mateirals, particularly with the HKC. For reference, all of my Mafell blades for the KSS-400 and MT-55 are the thinner kerf style, so it's certainly not unheard of.

The majority of the extra kerf should be on the waste side of the cut. To get really picky you'd have to measure the thickness of the body of the blade, then compare it to the thickness of the teeth. My guess is that if it does cut into the guide strip it would be by such a tiny fraction of a mm as to be a non-factor for woodworking.

Regarding using TS blades on the HK saws, yes you "can" do it, but I think it's terribly foolish. The riving knife on the HK saws is design for a particular kerf of blade. For me, it's much more economical to buy a few extra blades than it is to risk a potentially career ending injury due to a kick back event.

 

[Michael Kellough]

I know why the HKC blade is thinner. Does the corded HK saw also use a narrow kerf blade?

 

[Tom the Remodeler]

I know why the HKC blade is thinner. Does the corded HK saw also use a narrow kerf blade?

Yes

 

[Rip Van Winkle]

Can someone enlighten me on why Festool chose a different blade thickness for the HK?  [blink]

Does this also mean that putting a TS blade on a HK means you rip off another 0.2mm from the anti-splinter strip on the rails? Or is the increased width fully to the other side?

The important dimension in regards to the anti-splinter strip, isn't the total kerf width of the saw blade, it's the difference between the dimensions of the saw blade plate at the arbor, and the total kerf cut by the saws carbide teeth. If the dimensional difference between the saw plate and kerf remains the same, thinner and thicker saw blades can be used without affecting the anti-splinter strip. The anti-plinter plastic insert that attaches to the saw would have to be switched out though, since a larger kerf blade would remove more material from the insert. The anti-splinter inserts cost less than the anti splinter strips. If you have your blades sharpened, the kerf will become thinner, and the saw bkades will not cut right next to the anti-splinter strip, if the strip was cut with a brand new blade. This could cause more tear out.