--
I`ve never broken a blade, but I have had several come off the wheel.

If you get into a cut that you have to back out of, careful...it's
easy to pull the blade off of the wheel...I shut off power, let the
wheel stop, and work the wood backwards. Then restart.

I mention this because if you do pull the blade off the wheel, the
upper wheel spins very fast for a long time. IF it were to catch the
blade as you had yer fingers in there....

In other words, if the blade comes off, or breaks, use caution...that
upper wheel is still spinning, fast.

~D