[Crex]

Last much longer with non-hardened steels - annealed is best, but well normalized can make a pretty big diff.
Already hardened steel will tell you pretty quick it's not going to cut well, so just ease into the blade and if it doesn't bite in back away. Avoid trying to pressure into curved cuts. You can do a wide radius cut but much curve will dull or chip teeth. Never jam into the blade and use a backup "push stick" (I use aluminum angle). These saws are like any others - meat and bone mean nothing to them. Feed slow and steady and resist the urge to push hard...just think back to doing the same thing with a hacksaw and it's easy to back off the pressure and let her work.
Not sure how many "blades" I'd get out of a blade. Usually I'm just ripping strips from larger stock like a circ. saw blade that's been "softened", WI for guards, leafsprings, and resizing stock for students to work with.
More precise cuts and less waste than the side grinder and it won't make holes in your clothes or start fires.
I think once you get one set up and working, you'll do a mental kicknthbutt.