Sean, for example, is a big proponent of sidewinders, and I have to admit that I see his point. Of course, a lot of folks prefer the simpler, cheaper, and certainly lighter sidewinder design. Note that the anniversary model 77 pictured above is loaded up with one of Skil’s titanium carbide blades. In the last few years we’ve seen significant improvements in circ saw blade design specifically, for a number of reasons: to handle the new materials, to increase battery life in cordless circs (since battery tech has finally caught up enough to make them somewhat feasible), and to improve life and performance.
Most of the innovation seems to have come in materials or design, which has led to some significant improvements in blade technology. We still build houses in much the same (basic) way we did 50+ years ago, at least in terms of framing. I suppose a lot of this is due to the fact that the role the circular saw fills in the construction business isn’t as different as it might seem. Certainly the Model 77 has seen a bit of innovation over the years in terms of motor and material technology, but it remains essentially the same in shape and function - and it’s still a pretty popular model, despite lots of heavy competition.
Think about it: Since 1937, mankind went from early aviation to jet flight to the moon. I know there’s a marketing blitz behind this, but I can’t help but enjoy the idea of a tool that survives without major functional changes for most of a century.