Finally tried a different saw blade . . . . . .

[TexasTimbers]

I have been using only Woodmaster blades from Minominee on my Norwood mill. I won't say I have been unhappy with them, but I have never used anything else so I decided a few weeks ago to try those new Cooks Supersharps. So I put one on the other day, set the tension to about 1/2 like the instructions said, and eased it into the walnut log. Youy would have thought I put the blade on with the teeth pointed the wrong way. i had to push with all my might so that the blade was going to come off the bandwheels.
So I pulled the powerhead back a little so i could step between it and the log, and I looked to make sure I had not put the blade on wrong. No kidding. I had never done that before, except the one time I did a short time after I go the mill, but I was seriusly thining that was the problem, that I had done it again.
Nope. So I cranked down on the tension all the way. Same difference.
Now I know DanG well that this is not the fault of the blade. Soeomthing is NOT set right. So to make sure something had not been knocked out of alignment (I put my powerhead in the shop everynight to keep the meth-heads from stealing my gas and engine; that's another story) while transporting it, i put a brand new Woodmaster blade on and tightened the tension to 1/2; cut like a hot knive through butter.
i know I need to call Cooks and I am going to today, but I wanted to get some feedback from y'all before I do so i am not so ignorant as I currently am.

Both are 1 1/4" blades. Don't ask me the hook angle I don't know. I should pay more attention to these things I know.

[ely]

sounds to me like the band. did you only buy one of the supersharps. if not try another one.

[TexasTimbers]

No I have another one. Bought a 2 blade sample pack. I don't know how it could be the blade the teeth feel sharp, but I will do as you say. If it ever stops raining.  :

[Fla._Deadheader]

  Blade won't cut in the rain ???   ;D

[TexasTimbers]

No Harold - there is an explicit warning stamped right on the blade which states in part . . .

"This blade will not perform in a high humidity environment except below the Tropic of Cancer;  Optimal Rain Performance is realized anywhere below the 15th parallel . . . "

I have no idea where Costa Rica is though so I don't know if you need these blades or not . . .  : ;D

[mike_van]

I don't know Kev, i've never had a blade from Cooks do anything but cut - silently i might add - They go into the log, you don't hear anything, they just cut.  Allmost sounds  as if theres a neg hook angle?  Or no set?  Tough call without an eyeball -

[TexasTimbers]

Yes I know it os not normal obviously. I mean when I say pushing with al my might that would only be a slight exaggeration to get my point across. Any harder and I really would have pushed the blade off the wheels.

I haven't called yet because I am still at the house. Gonna head out to the mill in a while and call them when I can have the blade in hand.

[Fla._Deadheader]

The island of Costa Rica has VERY high Hunidity. That's why I plan to use Monkey Blades on the Bandmill down here. 

[ely]

which sharpener do you use harold.

[Fla._Deadheader]

WoodMizer sharpener

[ely]

i was wondering which cam to use on the monkey blades, with a cooks sharpener.

[GF]

Ely,
   Cooks built me a cam for the Monkey blades for my Cook sharpener.

Gary

[ely]

i just used the simmonds cam on the monkey blades. they were close because i did not move much materiael before it was a full grind. i guess they are different enough to warrant a different cam.

[Fla._Deadheader]

All the cam does is regulate the depth of the gullet and height of the tooth. I ground a very little off the cam, to get a little deeper gullet. Grinds WM blades just fine. I do have 2 --1 1/2" WM blades that I use occasionally. I just didn't care for the nearly square edge in the gullet of the WM blades. We were sawing softwood, wide, and carrying a LOT of soggy dust out of the cut.

 

[Jeff]

The island of Costa Rica?

[Fla._Deadheader]

Surely you remember the Geography thread about the Island of Costa Rica
??? ??? ???  You even posted on that thread  ??? ??? ???

[Minnesota_boy]

I gotta get a different map.  Mine doesn't show the body of water surrounding Costa Rica. 

[jpad_mi]

I bought one of those Cook's SS bands to try as well. It sure was sticky sharp and cut very well. You say that you verified that the teeth were pointing the right way, but it sure sounds like that is the problem. Twist that sucker inside out, put it back on mill, and try again.

[Fla._Deadheader]

Re: Island of Costa Rica

  From the"jeff and Tammy to visit the Deep South" or sumpin like dat

 

You can't get to Costa Rica on a mule or horse since it is an island .  I learned it was an island here on the Forestry Forum.

[jpgreen]

-subscribe-

[SwampDonkey]

I think there is some creative editing going on Harold. ;D :D :D

[Fla._Deadheader]

All's I's knoo's is,  : : ;D :D Pigman did it.

[Flurida_BlackCreek]

I haven't noticed ANY difference in the standard Red Streaks and the Super Sharps other than price.

[jpgreen]

Whar can ya by a Pigman blade..  ??? :D

[Gipper]

kevjay, I too, have been having difficulty with the super sharps.  For over four years I had used nothing but the red streak Simmonds blade and was satisfied with them.  Then tried a case of the pre-sharps with marginal success.  Then came the super sharp and I'm on my second case of them .  The first case gave me so much problems, they replaced the entire case.  This box has been a little better, but I have destroyed more boards and cants with these two boxes of blades than I did in the last four years with the standard red streak blades. >:(  These are much harder to set and sharpen than the standard red streak blade.  They feel extremely sharp, but out of the box they pull my engine harder than some standard blades I had sharpened 7 times or more. One of the new ones out of the box was waving, diving, cutting horrible; I changed to an older blade I had sharpened 11 times and it cut better than the new one.  (I know 11 sharpenings is hard to believe - it's now been sharpened again, but not used yet) ;D

I had tried a free sample WM blade last year and it did excellent in poplar, pine and softer wood, but struggled in the oak, especially white oak.  However, I just received a box of WM I ordered and will try one of them tomorrow.  Unfortunately, I will be sawing red oak tomorrow, but at least it will give me something to compare to.

[ely]

gipper, do you resharpen the supersharps with the same cam as the others or did you get a special cam built for the supersharp band.

[Gipper]

ely, I use the same cam, but shape the stone differently, according to the special instructions that came with the blades.  It calls for sharpening only the face of the blade the first couple of sharpenings, then go back to the regular sharpening process, getting the gullet and back of the tooth as well as the face.  I have a cam for the monk blade, but haven't tried them yet.  Plan on trying the Lenox and Monk later, depending on how the woodmizer does in the oak this week.

[TexasTimbers]

I still have only tried the Lenox Woodmaster and the CSS. I am ready to try the Monks.

[TexasTimbers]

For those of you who convinced me (in Pms and other threads over the years) to try Munksforssagar Blades I want to extend my deepest gratitude. I am now a dyed-in-the-wool Monkey Man. I have used them long enough now to say I finally found a blade that has a noticeably better longevity, and seems to cut easier in the hard and dense woods which grow here in my neck of them, than any others I have tried and I have tried at leasy 6 or 7 other brands and configurations now.

I am using the 1.5" x 0.43 x 7/8" for everything. I realize that may not be optimal but I have a hard time not getting all my blades mixed up and have just been sticking with this size and have no complaints in any species. I have not kept meticulous data so don't aks me to prove my perception I just know I am no longer having occassional diving or riding high issues that dissapear when i put on new blades after only a few hundred board feet. And these things stay sharper longer without question (in my perception). I know I should throw 100 logs on the rails and compare the monkeys to other blades but just also know I never will.

Anyone who may have been contemplating giving them a try but hasn't , I say don't delay. I am sure there are many of you who have tried other brands including the Munks and have found for you, Woodmizers or Woodmasters or Lenox or Red Streaks, Timber Wolf or Cooks etc. work the best for you and I am sure that's true. I realize some blades are private labled and so arguably the exact same blade but I don't know who by who etc. I like some of the other blades of those as well, but for whatever reason I am having noticeably better results with the monkeys and wanted to pass it on FWIW.

Now I have to figure out how to convert my Woodmizer sharpener to sharpen them. I understand ineed to have the correct cam? First I need to come up with both motors as those are fried.

[Ironwood]

Well, isn't this timely. I am trying to figure out which way to go myself, the folks at WM are sending me a few to try. I hope they work as there Resharp may be good for me, but the Munks are good I know, as my one sawyer used to use them on his mill when I would hire him. Good info, thanks

   Ironwood

[ely]

i use the simmonds cam to sharpen the munks band and they do very well. at least thats what the monkey tells me that used to have me sharpen his munks bands.

[ladylake]

I think the Cooks supersharp are set up to cut hard fozen wood with not much hook ( hard to push) and not too much set. I tried a couple, they worked Ok but I had to add more set after 1 sharpening to keep them cutting straight. Back to Simmonds which I get locally for $14.79   Steve