Re: free blades

[smwwoody]

address ???

[sabre_tooth]

hi everyone just got latest sawmill and woodlot mag .on inside cover simonds is offering 5 free blades.all you need is is proof of pupurchase of any brand from current supplier.thought i would pass this info along.

[smwwoody]

Ok   how do we do this?  who do we call?  e-mail? snail mail?  what do the need from us?  do we need the coupon in the book?

Thanks

Woody
 :D :D :D :D

[steveo_1]

Does anyone have anymore information about this. Free blades where do i sign?

[Grawulf]

Hi everyone! This is my first post though I've been an avid reader for about half a year. You guys are the best! This forum is cordial and very friendly (not like another one which won't be mentioned :-/) The ad seems to be kind of misleading- it says five free blades but it also says one free sample box per address. But hey! - It's one free blade! I've been using Timberwolf and Munksfor blades and I'd never tried the Red Streaks. Received my sample blade yesterday and tied into some pignut hickory with a huge amount of stress in the log - boards lifted up off the log 4 to 5 inches in 12 feet. It did a very decent job -don't know about longevity yet. Do you guys like the Simonds blades? Thanks to the administrators here. At the risk of sounding redundant, I'll say it again. You guys ARE the best! 8)

[Grawulf]

Sorry guys, forgot to add that all you need is a copy of a bill for the blades that you're using now and you give them your blade specs - if the addy doesn't get posted today sometime, I'll post when I get home tonight. Blessings on your day! Grawulf

[Steve_M]

I sent in for mine today.  I have never tried Simonds before but I will be glad to give them an honest try.

Steve

[Grawulf]

Trial Blade Offer
P.O. Box 500
135 Intervale Road
Fitchburg, MA 01420

[smwwoody]

thank you sent for mine today
 8)
Woody

[pappy]

Simonds Red Streak is the only band blade I've ever used.

I do all my own sharpening and setting.  At the first sign of dullness I kiss grind and set every other sharpening.

I've sharpened most as many as 15 times.  I use them till they break.  The last 4-5 sharpenings I don't get the production as when they were new because I've gone past the hardened cutting edge but they still cut.  8)

I've gone through 17 blades so far and I will buy the Red Streaks again foe sho.

[steveo_1]

Thanks Grawulf,I'll be sending in for mine tommorow.

[steveo_1]

Has anyone gotten thier free blades yet? Still looking for mine, its been a week and still no blade.

[smwwoody]

None here yet

Woody

[Steve_M]

Nope


Steve

[LeeB]

three weeks and not a blade in sight. LeeB

[dail_h]

   I got a box of Simmons, and Monkeys from Cook's but thet waddn't free

[steveo_1]

Hmmm,guys i guess they will send em when they get a few extras just laying around???

[redpowerd]

ive got 20 blades to whoever wants them

must be used on my mill in my wood. ;D

[Huney_Red_Oak]

From my experience, Simonds is a leader in blades...  Along with Lenox and Starrett...  From a vendor standpoint, they are very easy to work with...

[Ed_K]

 Redpowered, bring em on over, I'd like to try em out  ;).

[shopteacher]

Received 5 free Red Streak Simonds today. Have never use this brand so it will be interesting to see if they work out as good as the monkey saver have.

[RMay]

I got my five Red Streak blades today is all Simonds blades blued steel .  ;D

[gmmills]

RMay,
   Those blades are hard back blades. THe body of the blade is heat treated. That is why it is blue in color.
    I think you will like them. I have been using one simonds blade along with 3 munks blades for the last couple weeks. Just took the simonds out of service after 10 sharpenings,it was getting too narrow . It still hasn't broken.  For me the 0.42 thickness is a little too thin . If they made them in 0.45's I would probably order more of them.

[RMay]

 Thanks gmmills for the info all I've run is WM blades . I will see what they will do this weekend . I got 3 jobs this weekend with lobloly pine & eastern red ceder  8)

[cut2size]

I got my five free blades this evening.  That is a company that is very sure of their product.  I like the thinner blades, less kerf, less blade bending stress on the mill and less hp required.  I used to use 0.36 when that was all that WM offered, but there is an advantage to using thicker blades in knotty pine.
David

[Mark M]

I got my free blades today. How about that?

[Steve_M]

Me too.  Might just give them a try later today.

steve

[steveo_1]

Got my free blades just a min ago, now i gotta go pick up about 10 free logs to try them out on this weekend.

[LeeB]

Gee, I hope I got mine. I'm stuck out here in the Gulf at work :-[ LeeB

[shopteacher]

Hey LeeB: Don't worry, I got yours and man are they cutting good!  :D :D

[smwwoody]

still none here
 :(
woody

[Kirk_Allen]

Got mine today!

I hope to get to try them out next week.  Things have been hectic around here and I have not put a blade into the wood for a week now >:(

I did manage to get my whole cutting area cleaned up completly though.  Now I have some room to work.  

If my part for my sharpener comes from WM I will get my Monkey blade sharpened and compare them with these new Red Streak blades.

[Grawulf]

Hey guys  ???
Why is it that you guys get 5 free blades and I only get one???? Sumptin ain't kosher here .........Guess I've been a bad boy. Ah well. Least I didn't get coal in my stocking. Saw on!

[LeeB]

That's funny teach :D If you drove all the way to my place to get em your welcome to them. Haven't had time to do any milling in quite a while any how. Deffinately having withdrawals. LeeB

[Jeff]

I'm holding out for a free sawmill then I figure I'll buy my blades. ;D

[D._Frederick]

Hey you guys that got your blades, did they demand your "first born" before you can use them. I can't feature that they would give you 5 free blades without some strings attached.

[shopteacher]

No strings on my box, but it did have some of that nifty new polyester banding on it.

[Dugsaws]

Well gee guys wish I could have got some freebes but thats what kind I use, and ifn you like them as well as I do I'm thinkin youll be pretty happy withem too, dont forget to tell us if ya like them or not

[shopteacher]

Dugsaw, you might consider trying the monkey savers and sending the receipt to Simonds for the 5 free'un. That way you get to try another brand and get the 5 also.
  Haven't seen you post lately. What's happening in Green County?
   By the way, I think you have to give The Simonds Company credit for a great promotion for their product.  They must have a lot of faith and confidence in their product as this had to be one very expensive promotion.  I hope it helps to boost sale for them as it is always good to have a selection of company's and products to buy from.  Good products are getting hard to come by and to many companies that use to make great products and machines are no more. So best of luck to the Simonds Company.

[cut2size]

I have now tried the red streak blades and have been impressed thus far.  The blades come inside out and the first blade did not cut well until I turned it inside out and then the sawdust flew.  I cut a couple of 28-30" white pine and found them extremely sharp comparable to Monkey savers but I haven.t had to sharpen the first one yet.  The price is comparable to the MS blades too.  I agree with shop teacher that Simmons went out on a limb financially to let us try their blades.  I was really impressed with the packing of the blades.  Every blade was individually separated with cardboard and tied in two places.  The monkey savers are placed in a large carton with a thin piece of cardboard (like poster board)separating every second blade.
Oh yeah, I cut about 2 feet into the first log before I realized that the blades were backwards.  That had to be a sharp blade.
David

[wiam]

Dugsaws

The add says it as a thank you for those already using or a try us for those that are not

William

[Timbo]

I just ran a test last week on a mill with 18.75 inch wheel made of steel with a ground true rim. I did not cut anything I wanted to know the flex life. I ran a lennox and it broke in 10-1/2 hours. I then Ran a Simond Red Streak and it ran for 4 days  (32 hour) and it did not break. I stopped the test at the 32 hours .
The Simonds was by far more flexible.

TimBo

[D._Frederick]

Timbo,

Would like to know if the blades you tested for flex life were flex-back or hard-back blades? Do you ever do a Rockwell-C test on the backs of blade stock to determine the variation in hardness? I would think that a hard-back blade would have a longer flex life on a bigger diameter bandwheel. Which will give the longest flex-life for a blade, an all steel wheel or a Vee belt pulley with a Vee belt tire, both wheels the same diameter?

[gmmills]

Timbo,
   Last month I ordered 3 Munksforsagar blades and 1 Simonds hard-back blade form you. I've been sawing cherry for a month now and thought  I would  do a little test. The Munksforsagar blades, all 3, broke after 6 sharpenings. The hard-back has been sharpened 10 times and has still not broken. I'm IMPRESSED. Another impressive thing is, after all those revolutions this blade retained the original curvature that was rolled into it after welding. It showed no signs of anticlastic curvature.
    I ordered your blade video and would like to thank you. The best money I've spent in a long time. I'm very interested in your new blade roller. Hammering is getting to be a pain. Can you give us any more info on specs and availabilty?

 Thanks again

[smwwoody]

 8) 8) 8)

Got my five free red streaks and 10 mbf of mixed hard wood logs today.  I'll be giving them a try Monday after I get those logs scaled tomorrow.

Woody

[LeeB]

Finaly home from work. Found my blades have indeed arrived. As luck wood have it it's raining thoough. Still don't get to try them out. :-/ LeeB

[shopteacher]

Phew, had a hard time getting them blades back to Texas beforing you got home LeeB. 8)

[LeeB]

 :D :D :D ya did a perty good job o boxin em back up :D :D :DLeeB

[rbarshaw]

I just sent for some,  8) can't beat the price, Tho' they'll have to be prety good to beat the MS blades ;D ;D

[sparks]

Sounds like they are trying to build a competetor data base on sizes and pricing. That's why they want a reciept. Wood-Mizer will give 2 free blades to anyone who has not used them before. No competetors receipt required. Just your name and address.

[Jeff]

Do I have ta have a mill? ;)

[smwwoody]

No mill needed Jeff ...  just get them in 14' 10" long and 1.5" wide and I will  pick them up at the pig roast :D

[cutterboy]

Paying attention to the forum has really paid off. I sent for my free blades two weeks ago and they arrived today. Thanks sabre_tooth for the heads up.

[Gary_B]

As far as the free blades, do you have to send them a receipt for the purchase of 5 blades? In order to receive 5 blades or just any receipt.

[chet]

I recently bought 3 boxes of blades, and didn't keep a single receipt.   :'(

[smwwoody]

I sent them a slip for one blade and got 5 free 8)

Woody

[rbarshaw]

I can't complain about the price, Did anyone send off and not get any blades? I sent the info on 24 Apr and have gotten no reply of any kind.

[Neil_B]

I sent my receipts in on Apr 28 or close to the post marked date they had. Haven't seen or heard anything yet myself.

I'm hoping they included Canada in that promotion  :-/.

[cut2size]

I would like to report on my free redstreak hardback blades.  Out of the box, they cut like razors.  I increased my feed rate and was very impressed with both speed and sharpness.  I cut about 500 ft of white pine with no debarker with each blade.  I sharpened the blades without setting the teeth and they cut as well as new.  Sharpened a third time  and as the set was still in tolerance did not set.  The blades still performed admirably.  After the third sharpening the blades needed to be reset.  This is when I found a problem.  I use suffolk machinery's dual setter and the teeth snapped off.  I lost an average of ten teeth on each blade.
My conclusion:  The Simmons hard back redstreak blades are too brittle to set the teeth on a dual setter like mine, but for the price of $13.80 can cut 1500 bd feet and can be cost effective in my application.  But for the same price the munksford sager blades will cut more lumber and can be resharpened in excess of 10 times without the tips of the blade snapping off in my setter.
This is only my experience and might have no relevance on a setter like woodmizer's or cook's.
In conclusion I would like to thank Simmons for giving me the opportunity to try their blades for free and I still might buy some in the future.  I think that they are sharper than monkey savers out of the box and they come packaged with thick corrogated cardboard separating the blades instead of posterboard from Kennesaw.
David

[steveo_1]

  I also had a problem with the teeth breaking off,but this happened from my negligence.I back the saw a few times and the blade came off the wheels,broke 5 teeth and it was still cutting like new.Then I hit my dog,thought I ruined the blade but it was still cutting, then as I  was loading a new log it just snapped :(.   The second blade broke after 300bf,no reason I seen cept I may have had the tension up too high. Both blades broke right after welds.Seems like these blades are very stiff,but hold their sharpness well.

[LeeB]

C2S, what kind of sharpener and which cam are you using to sharpen theese blades? LeeB

[FeltzE]

I've got mine, They cut well out of the box, resharpened several times without problem, I have had some problem with setting as the teeth are heat treated and brittle and will snap off easily. I hit some light tramp metal a soft nail and it peeled off a tooth which took the next 2 with it leaving teeth stuck to the lumber and ruining the blade. (Not impressed there) I tend to cut into a lot of tramp metal with my saw as I get a lot of residential timber.


A note on the blade test noted earlier. There is a formula that I have since lost that coorelates the thickness of a band blade to the radius of bend appropriate to the sawmill. The thicker the blade the larger the required diameter. I would like to know if the blades that ran longer were a thinner blade than the ones that broke  sooner. (I suspect so)

Also:
The harder the rockwell hardness the stiffer the blade resulting in a reduced flex life. Hence the advantage of heat treating the cutting edge of the teeth and not the body of the blade. This will create a greater flex life balanced with a harder cutting edge and better cutting life.

Eric

[cut2size]

I use a woodmizer semi auto sharpener and the same cam as I use on the monkey savers.  My sharpener is old and the cam just has a J on it.  I suppose it is the cam for 7/8" blades.
David

[Rod]

I am still on my first red streak,it's still cutting great after a bunch of board feet.I lost count after the 6th day of cutting,but it must be will over 2000 feet.Maybe it cause all I have been cutting is hemlock..That hemlock cut like butter.

[LeeB]

Thanks C2S. I have a 96 model woodmizer sharpener and I'm pretty sure I have that cam if I have'nt modified it. Did it cut the same profile, or is it a little diferrent? LeeB

[big_sid]

  I got my red streak blades awhile back, they cut great,I had to run to keep up with the saw head :D :D......but anyway I was wondering about setting after sharping,do the teeth break off or not? I send my blades to wood-mizer,seeing how I thought that was the only blade made,untill now, will they sharpen other blades? if so what about the teeth breaking off :(

[shopteacher]

Big Sid you just send them blades to me ta sharpen. If'n the teeth break off I won't bother to send them back and that will save you all that postage. ;D  I suspect near every blade will have a multitude of broken teeth so send lots.  :  The ones I send back I'll only charge you half price for sharpening. :D

[RMay]

I;ve used two of the free red streak blades on lobloly pine cut 700 bf and 650 bf before they started to dip . I get 800 to 1200 bf. on the WM 045 in 10% with 25 th. set . The red streaks looks like WM 9% blades . they my be hardwood blades  :

[rbarshaw]

Got my free blade today. The shipping manifest says "Quanity 5, revised to 1". Well one Free blade is better than none! I'll try it out tomorrow and let y'all know. I guess these guys must of got swamped, it only took 5 weeks to get here.

[Gary_B]

 I could not believe it, I sent away 2 weeks ago for my free blades and received them today, all 5 blades, and of course I had to try one out, and was really surprised to how well they cut.

[rbarshaw]

   Ok, I've tried the red streak blade, cut about 300 bdft of syp. The only blade I can compare it to is the MunkforSagar, as thats the only useable blade i've used before. I use 1.14" x .035 x 3/4pitch x 14' 2", the only differance between the two blades is 1.14" MunkforSagar vs; 1.0" red streak. The red streak tends to wander a little at the knots, where the MunkforSagar did not. Both have a 10 deg. hook angle, the red streak felt like it required more power to cut the same wood, Ie; it slowed the engine more. The red streak also tends to rust up fast where the MunkforSagar has very little or none over night.
   I cut 21 10' x 2" x 4" and 3 1" boards froom 1 log and took it to our Church yard sale as a donation, they were able to get $45 for them all and they sold fast. Everyone was amazed at the lumber!

[dmcc]

RBARSHAW,
 Any particular reason you used 1" red streaks? Just curious because I cut alot of SYP and was wondering how the 1 1/4"  x 7/8 pitch red streaks were doing compared to monks in SYP.
 I sent a "monks" reciept off to get the free red streaks about two weeks ago along with a request to buy 5 more at the same time. No word yet. Anybody know how much red streaks cost each?

[rbarshaw]

RBARSHAW,
 Any particular reason you used 1" red streaks? Just curious because I cut alot of SYP and was wondering how the 1 1/4"  x 7/8 pitch red streaks were doing compared to monks in SYP.

The only reason I used Red streak is that is what they sent me. I so far prefer the monks blade. I am using a 1" roller guides from Cooks mills. I'm thinking about going to a .041 to .045 thick and 1 1/4" blade.

[rbarshaw]

   I see a box setting in my living room, it has 4Red Streak  blades in it  8) 8) 8) 8). Now I've got to take back my words in the earlier post since they have sent all 5 . What can I say, they work.

[Neil_B]

Coming up on 6 weeks now and still no sign of mine.  :'(

I guess maybe it wasn't open to Canadians.  :(
Too bad, cause I really wanted to try them out.

[Jaws]

Neil b.
I'm Canadian from Québec country and I receive my five RED STREAK free blades after five weeks.

[Neil_B]

Maybe I'll just pretend to give up on them and it'll be a big surprise when/if they arrive.  ;)

[rbarshaw]

worked for me!!!

[Neil_B]

Ha! It worked. Showed up today so guess what I'll be doing this afternoon.

Only problem is they sent me more .035 flexback.   Oh well, can finally compare them to the Lennox and see what happens.

Thanks Simonds  8)

[Grawulf]

Hi Gentlemen!

Thought I'd bring this back to the top - now that you've had time to use and abuse the Red Streaks, what are your thoughts about them? I got about 650 bf out of the one blade they sent me - very knotty red pine. Have been using Suffolk blades and been pleased. Need to order more blades and thought I'd give the Simonds a chance. What you guys paying per blade (13' 2")?

[Grawulf]

Just another thought .......I have to use them while they're fresh - otherwise they slip away :D. You that are using Woodmizer blades - how do they stack up against the Suffolks and Munkfors'?

[beerguy]

They never did send me any. I sent a receipt for my size, (221 X 1 1/2 x .045) two months ago, and never heard a thing. I guess I will go buy some munks. I sent a request for info and 'maybe' a sample or two, and I got a quote for a blade from Menomee saw. Better than the red streak folks did!

[Kirk_Allen]

I have not been impressed with the Suffulks blades.  I have only tried one Munkforsager blade and was pleased with its performance.  I need to resharpen it and give it another go.  That old Hickory did a number on it ;D

I've been pleased with the free blades other than every one of them was inside out and had to be turned around.  I think they could be sharper out of the box but thats just my humble opinion.  I will compare them again after resharp ;D

[Gilman]

Beer Guy,
I called Simonds and talked to their narrow band salesman about a month ago.  I asked about the 5 free bands promotion and he said that promotion had expired.  He did however send me a couple bands to try out.  I don't remember the name or number, but I know I got it off the simond's website.

Good luck

[Swede]

In Sweden nothing is for free so I´ve not asked Munkfors about any free blades.

Sent them an e-mail 10 days ago or so, asking for  prices. Today I got an answer.
1-1/4x39  1t/" 10* and
1-38x.31  1t/" 10*
Both costs ~$27 + freight cost, if I buy 10 or more.

I´ll ask them if I´ve better buy them in USA,  ;D

My band wheels are Ø 20" and are  V-belt B type. My engine 18hp Vanguard (works nice now), I´m sawing most softwood but also some oak, aspen and birch.
 Think my old monkeys are more than .042 and this new blades is a little thin.......... or are they the blades I need? Perhaps they´ll never breake or breake very fast?
Am I saving any power using this thin blades?
Can I feed faster using them?
What Monkey blades do you guys with a saw mill like mine use?

Swede.

[Fla._Deadheader]

1.25 X.042 X .875 P ;D ;D

[beerguy]

I ain't so, ... uh... dumb. I see on their website that they do not offer a 1 1/2 inch ...  uh  ... blade. Is that it Deadheader? if it matters to you guys, I am currently a student. Maybe they have a class for paying attention that I could take.

[Fla._Deadheader]

Don't quite get yer question  ???

[Terry]

Purchased my first Simonds Red Streak, 1.25 x 144, .042, 7/8. Sawed a 28" x 8' white oak that had been dead for a year. Was using the Norwood blades that came with my saw. The Simonds cuts much better. Good Blade

[Furby]

WO cuts really easy anyways.
Have ya tried them on another wood?

[DR Buck]

I recommend testing blades on a nice gnarly hickory.  ;D

[Terry]

Would Beech be a good test subject? I do have some Hickory too. I will try them both.

[Tom]

The best thing to test equipment on is the kind of woods that you will be sawing most of the time.

I cut pine and cypress, usually.  A blade that cuts hickory or Live Oak may not work very good in  my typical, everyday products.  Just remember that the acid test may not be the most difficult thing you can throw at it.