# Forrest TS blades Vs Freud TS blades?



## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

I am which do you guys pefer? I been using TK Freud TS blades in my Unisaw. But I may switch to all Forrest blades once I have a wired woodworking shop.


----------



## ShaneA (Apr 15, 2011)

I like Forrest, expensive but long lasting edge. Great sharpening service. Only have limited experience w/freud. Use them on circular saw, and they are very good. I do want to try the freud rip blade on the TS. I think they both are quality blades from what I have seen and read. But if I was forced to have only one, it would be forrest.


----------



## Woodwrecker (Aug 11, 2008)

Forrest Woodworker II combination blade Charles. 
You won't be sorry.


----------



## jack1 (May 17, 2007)

Freud Premier Fusion. The best all around blade for the$$. I got one when they first came out and am still using it. Liked it so much I bought two more! 
;0)
Jack


----------



## mattg (May 6, 2008)

Forrest WW2.


----------



## Dusty56 (Apr 20, 2008)

Hello my friend , have to wonder why you're using a thin kerf blade on a Unisaw ? How many horse power is it ?
For the money , I will stick with my Freud blades. I was very disappointed with the cut quality of the WWII that I paid over $100 for . Some folks swear by them , I swear *at* them ! I took the wwII off and put the Freud right back on , and there it stays. Now I have a $100 dust collector hanging on the wall.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours : )


----------



## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

I have a 1-1/2hp Rockwell Motor in my Unisaw. And I use and extension cord, since my current shop is not wired.


----------



## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

Why are you limiting yourself to just these two choices?


----------



## Dusty56 (Apr 20, 2008)

Make sure your extension cord is properly sized / rated for the draw you're putting on it .The longer the cord , the heavier the gauge it must be. You don't want to have a fire or burn up your motor with insufficient current.


----------



## doncutlip (Aug 30, 2008)

Have a Freud on my mitre saw and never really liked it. Had some runout I could never cure. Have a Forrest WWII on my TS and love it.


----------



## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

I hope to build a 12×18 shed thats wired next year.


----------



## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

I use a 12 guage extension cord.


----------



## lwllms (Jun 1, 2009)

We have Forrest and Freud blades in use in our shop but the best all-around blades we have are the Tenryu Gold Medal 40 tooth blades. We still use some Forrest blades because we need some 8" blades with a custom 1" bore and Forrest is the easiest supplier to deal with for custom bored blades. The Freud blades are rarely used, I had one on the table saw the other day because I was cutting pine and didn't want pine pitch all over the Tenryu blades.

CJ, get a 10 gauge extension cord, your motor will like you for it.


----------



## MedicKen (Dec 2, 2008)

Freud fusion is head and shoulders above the WWII. I have had both and preferred the fusion. It had a much cleaner cut and did not run as hot as the WWII. The fusion is also quieter than a WWII, at least to me, not that that really matters as I wear hearing protection while cutting. Mind you BOTH blades performed well and did a good job but with a ZCI is where the fusion really shines. I also noticed the Freud blade to last longer between shaprenings


----------



## Dusty56 (Apr 20, 2008)

Depending on the length , you should be safe. 
If you're using the thin kerf blades because your saw seems underpowered , get a 10 gauge extension cord…your motor is starving for the proper current flow and the 12 gauge might not provide it under a load. : )
Always use the shortest cord possible.


----------



## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

Its and 100 ft.


----------



## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

I'l ask again. Why are you limiting yourself to these two manufacturers?


----------



## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

The Freud Fusion combo was recommended as the best cutting blade tested by Woodsmith magazine in their most recent issue.
I have owned and used Forrest blades, Tenryu blades and Freud blades, as well as a passel of other brands. My choice of them all is the Tenryu, followed closely by the Freud. Long lasting and great cuts. 
IMO, for a SCMS and circular saws, the Tenryu just cannot be beat. For TSs, either the Tenryu or Freud combos would be great choices.


----------



## Dusty56 (Apr 20, 2008)

*knotscott* , I think CJ is familiar with these two product names. Perhaps you can PM him with some of your vast knowledge about saw blades and find out what his needs really are in a blade and how he can get the most bang for his buck : )
For me , with all of the blades I have experienced to date , the Freuds just keep winning : )


----------



## sawdustphill (Jan 13, 2011)

I USE A WWII for quality cuts in plywood and cross cuts in hardwood 
I use a freud glue line 30 tooth rip blad for quality ripcuts in hardwood and softwood.
I have good luck from both blades.

Phillip from Ky.


----------



## jusfine (May 22, 2010)

I also vote for Forrest, using thin kerf on my Unisaw to cut strips of inlay, WW2, 30 tooth rip blade, etc.

I also use the chopmaster on the SCMS.

The LU series of Freud blades worked well for me and I still have a stack of them, but I find I have cleaner cuts with the Forrest.

I did see another brand that was available on line that I wanted to try, but they don't ship to Canada…


----------



## Loren (May 30, 2008)

In the past you could lay a straightedge anywhere on the side of
a Forrest blade and it would be flat all over. They had specialist
employees who were real proficient with tensioning the blades 
to flat. I haven't bought a new Forrest blade in a long and I don't
know if the quality has fallen. Forrest used real hard carbide in the
past, so it would take a sharp edge and stay sharp but it was a little
brittle. A tougher carbide tends to be softer so it doesn't keep a
super keen edge as long, but the teeth are tougher.


----------



## Dusty56 (Apr 20, 2008)

Loren , I agree 100% about the brittle carbide . The first Forrest blade that I bought had 4 teeth broken off completely and 3 others chipped inside the package from the factory. Can only imagine that someone had dropped it along the way and lucky me got to open the blade. Thankfully the good folks at WoodCraft exchanged it for me with no questions asked . : )


----------



## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

Scott, thats the only two brands I ever used. I dont know much about saw blade brands.


----------



## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

I'm not a big fan of buying based solely on brand name, or trying to stick with a particular brand….there's really no benefit unless each blade from a given brand happens to be the best blade for the task at hand (rarely the case). Sticking with a single brand is also rarely the most cost effective method of buying blades. IMHO, you're better off determining which type of blade best suits your need, then buy either the best blade for that job or the most cost effective blade that's capable of doing the job suitably well. Make a list of the suitable candidates from all the premium brands you can think of, research their offerings, and buy the best deal. The more brands you include in your search, the better the chance of finding the best blade for the job at a good price.

Forrest has some excellent blades, as does Freud. There are pros and cons with the offerings of each. Forrest only offers a premium line, while Freud offers multiple lines that include some good value choices (Diablo) and some premium blades (their Premier and industrial lines). Forrest blades tend to be very expensive. Some of the Freud blades can be expensive too, but Freud can be more easily found on sale. As an apples to apples comparison, the Freud P410 Fusion is an excellent direct competitor to the Forrest WWII 40T or WWII 48T…these 3 blades have a similar operating range, but each has some inherent pros and cons…none is clearly better in all aspects. Which is best depends a lot more on your needs and your situation than the brand.


----------



## juniorjock (Feb 3, 2008)

I use the WW2 and I like it a lot. I've never used a Freud blade, so I really can't say anything about them. Either way, it's a lot of $$ to fork out. One thing to remember, it doesn't matter what type blade you use, if it's not clean, it will give you trouble.


----------



## richgreer (Dec 25, 2009)

I've always said the best blades have a name that begins with an "F".


----------



## jack1 (May 17, 2007)

I've used an adjective that started with "F" to describe some of the cheaper blades I've used (none of em were red)... Stick with quality and keep it clean like juniorjock said. The magazine "Shop Smith just had an article about blades and recommended the freud Premier Fusion, especially if you do a lot of different cuts (rip, cross) and hate to change blades a lot. They also were kind to Forrest. ;0)
As far as runout, sounds like an installation problem or wrong blade. I've had super results with mine. Good luck.

jack


----------



## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

freud industrial full kerf 50 tooth combination blade.


----------

