CMT 10" 40T Full Kerf Blade - No Joy

Thanks for the review. I’m considering a 10” 60 tooth Makita blade for my SCMS, either the premium ultra-coated or the more expensive micro polished. Has anyone had any experience with either of these? I’ll post a review if I get one of course.

-- Dale Manning, Carthage, NY

Thanks for the review, I was wondering about the CMT saw blades… seemed to be comparable to the other high end blades, but at a lower cost – apparently theres a reason for that.

how hefty is this blade compared to a forrest blade?

-- When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.

Carbide is about the same size, the plate on this particular CMT blade is 0.130 vs Forrest’s 0.125” full kerf. The CMT blades are made in Italy, and seem more similar to the Freud line than Forrest’s, although I’ve never had a Freud blade that performed poorly. I have other CMT blades that are fine…CMT 30T Glue Line Ripper, CMT 80T ITK Hi-ATB, but this one was a disappointment, especially because it would have seen a lot of use.

Dale – Lord knows I’ve tried several, but I haven’t tried any Makita blades yet. The only advice I can offer is to get a blade with a low to negative hook angle for your SCMS.

I’ve used CMT, but no longer. I’ve yet to experience a Forrest blade, though I am confident it will be the best. I experienced poor cutting with the CMT and through thorough inspection found the blade to be significantly warped. I replaced with a high end Freud and have been extremely happy. Still dreaming about the Forrest.

-- Just 'cause a cat has kittens in the oven, it don't make 'em biscuits.

I have that same blade and have used it for the last 3 years and love it. I recently purchased a Woodworker II (Forrest) to see what all the hype was about and I am NOT impressed with the difference over my cheaper CMT.

Have you checked your table saw for alignment recently? This could be the cause of your problems with the CMT.

-- Brian http://www.garagewoodworks.com

Hi Brian – Glad your blade delivers as expected. I really wish the problem had been the saw. The first thing I did when the CMT performed poorly was to remove it and check for debris and a good seat between the blade and arbor. No change. After looking for a few other obvious problems, and finding none, I switched blades and got good results from a $25 Oshlun 40T that’s very similar design as the CMT. Back to the CMT, and got poor results again. I made several attempts to get it right before accusing the blade. I’ve also been getting good cuts from a 50T DeWalt DW7640, a 30T CMT 203.030.10, and a 30T Delta 35-7653 recently, all with the same pieces of lumber, so I think I’ve eliminated the saw as a cause. I suspect I just got a bad one, which can, and apparently does happen to all manufacturers.

The 4 blades from Forrest (2-40T WWII, 1-30T WWII, 1-100T Duraline) that I’ve tried have all been impressive, though not necessarily the only blades capable of top performance….Infinity, Ridge Carbide, top Freuds, and the Tenyru Gold are in that same league.

Guys, stop wasting you money. Forrest is the only way to go. They are American made and best that money can buy. Their sharpening service is topnotch as is their customer service.

-- Festool4

Dale,

Go 80T for the SCMS for ultra fine cuts. I can highly recommend the Forrest Chopmaster. As a bonus, it cuts melamine as clean as whistle when mounted on a table saw.

-- - Please help keep Lumberjocks an enjoyable escape by refusing to participate in political discussions. Simply spit out the bait and ignore the thread...

i have this blade and i love it. although it says its a combo i really use it mainly for crosscuts. you have to remember that this blade is not made to rip. it has 40 teeth which generate a lot more heat than a 24 tooth ripping blade which causes the wood to distort and when it comes in contact with back of the blade you get those bad resluts. i have found that sneaking up on the cut helps a lot. if you need a 3” piece. start by cutting it at 3 1/4” then flip it and cut to 3 1/8. then just flip it again cut at 3 1/16” and finally 3. it makes sure your piece is super straight and will give you a very good cut

i have the CMT general and the woodworker II ( and some cheaper ones) i have hade good luck from both,
the thing i found is if i keep them sharpened they work about the same.

-- I HAVE CUT THIS BOARD 3 TIMES AND IT STILL TOO SHORT!!!!!!!!!

I have had good luck with combination blades I really wouldn’t expect much from a 24 tooth blade. as it seems T-chisel seems to feel that his manufacturer of custom blades made the best blade out there. since he’s a Ljer you could ask him the name he uses. I have always used some pretty stock blades and have not found I need any thing special other than a thin Cerf 60 or 80 tooth blade that is Sharp and clean. thanks for your reveiw

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop, custom furniture ,maker, woodworking school, heirloomwoodshop.com