Had a band saw blade snap mid-cut on a frozen pork shoulder

I was breaking down a 40-pound case at the shop in Spokane last Tuesday. The blade just popped and the whole piece shifted, nearly taking my thumb with it. I shut the machine off, put on my cut gloves, and finished the job with a hand saw. Has anyone found a good way to tell when a blade is about to go, besides just checking for nicks?

3 comments

3 Comments

emmawood23d ago

Yikes, that sounds scary... I read somewhere that a weird high-pitched whine or a change in the cut's sound can be a sign. Glad you had your gloves on.

the_oscar14d ago

Those high pitched whines are usually blade related in my experience. Had a circular saw start singing like that on a framing job a few years back, turned out the arbor nut had worked itself loose just a hair. Caught it before the blade wobbled enough to bind, which wouldve been a bad day. The sound change is definitely your first clue something mechanical is off, not just a dull blade. I keep a cheap mechanic's stethoscope in my bag now for diagnosing weird noises on the job site. You can pinpoint exactly where the sound is coming from without sticking your face near the blade.

sageadams23d ago

Had a saw start making that exact noise last year. Shut it off right away and checked the blade guard, it was sticking. A little cleaning and lube on the pivot points fixed it. Never ignore a new sound, it's the tool telling you something's wrong. Good catch on the gloves, wood chips are one thing but a kickback is a whole different story.