Figured out the trick to stop my circular saw from binding mid-cut

Was ripping some 2x6s for a deck repair in my backyard and kept getting the blade stuck in wet wood. Tried cutting slower, clamping tighter, nothing worked until I ground a slight bevel on the back of the blade teeth with a file. Has anyone else tried modifying their own blades like this, or is it a dumb idea I shouldn't repeat?

3 comments

3 Comments

grace_fox31mo ago

Rough break man, wet wood is the worst to deal with.

ward.piper1mo ago

Wait actually I have to jump in here - wet wood isn't always the worst if you know how to handle it. I've had good luck splitting wet pine if I get to it right after a rain, before the water really soaks in. The trick is to make sure your maul or axe head is really sharp, like razor sharp, otherwise it'll just bounce off. Also pro tip - wet wood usually splits cleaner than dry wood because it hasn't had time to check and crack, it just goes straight along the grain.

grantl9420d ago

Four years running my own crew and I've gotta say I think sharpening the back of the teeth is asking for trouble down the road. That bevel changes the hook angle and throws off how the blade pulls through the cut. You're basically making a ripping blade into something it wasn't designed for, and it'll probably burn through wood faster once you hit dry material. If you're fighting wet lumber, grab a blade with more carbide and wider gullets to clear the sawdust. I've had good luck with the Diablo framing blades on pressure treated pine that's still dripping, they just push through without binding. Modify your technique not your blade, that's my two cents.