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?

2 comments

2 Comments

emmawood1d 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.

sageadams1d 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.