How to Prevent Chipping and Get Cleaner Cuts (Using Scoring Blades)

Chipping can easily ruin an otherwise perfect woodworking project. If you are struggling with tear-out at the bottom of your cuts, the solution lies in pairing your main table saw blade with a matching scoring blade.

Here is a breakdown of how scoring blades work, why they prevent chipping, and how to maintain them for flawless results.

How Scoring Blades Work

To eliminate chipping on the underside of your material, a smaller scoring blade is aligned precisely with the main blade.

• The Mechanism: The scoring blade spins in the opposite direction of the main blade.

• The Process: It makes a shallow, preliminary cut on the bottom surface of the material before the main blade passes through.

• The Result: Because the outer fibers of the wood or laminate are already cleanly scored, the main blade can complete the cut without causing tear-out or chipping.

The Sharpening Dilemma: Maintaining the Kerf

To work effectively, the scoring blade's cut must perfectly match the width (kerf) of the main blade.

This becomes a challenge when it's time to sharpen. Each time a main blade is sharpened, it becomes slightly narrower. If you don't adjust your scoring blade to match this new, narrower kerf, your cuts will lose their clean edge.

Depending on the type of scoring blade you use, you will solve this dilemma in one of two ways:

1. Conical Scoring Blades (Adjust by Depth)

Conical blades feature V-shaped teeth. Because of this geometry, a deeper cut results in a wider path, while a shallower cut results in a narrower path.

• With a new/wide main blade: Set the conical scoring blade deeper to create a wider cut.

• As the main blade is sharpened (narrower): Raise the scoring blade to make a shallower, narrower cut.

• Note: Conical blades should only be sharpened on the face of the teeth to preserve this adjustable geometry.

2. Split Scoring Blades (Adjust by Shims)

Split scoring blades consist of two halves separated by spacers or shims.

• Adjustment Method: Instead of changing the depth of the cut, you physically adjust the width of the blade.

• As the main blade is sharpened (narrower): Simply remove shims from between the two halves of the split blade to narrow its kerf and match the main blade.

Invest in Clean Cuts That Last

Achieving flawless cuts requires high-quality tooling. Popular Tools offers premium scoring blades designed for a wide range of machinery and kerf widths. Built with thick, advanced grades of carbide, Popular Tools blades ensure an exceptionally long tool life and yield razor-sharp, chip-free cuts on every single pass.