Bandsaw Blades: An Ultimate Guide for Beginners [2025]

The band saw is a common power tool used for cutting materials in production and processing, featuring high efficiency and good flatness. Among the working parts of a bandsaw, the blade plays a crucial role in the whole process.

Bandsaw blades are sharp, continuous bands of toothed metal that stretch between two or more wheels. They have the ability to make most cuts, including irregular or curved cuts on wood, metal, plastic, and various other materials.

This comprehensive guide introduces basic knowledge of bandsaw blades, including the blade types and the teeth configurations. You can also learn how to use and choose the bandsaw blades. Just keep reading and get something.

Types of Bandsaw Blades

Band saw blades can be categorized into three types based on their material: carbon steel, carbide tipped, and bi-metal. In this part, we will show you the features of the three. Here is a simple table to give you a quick overview.

Carbon Steel

The carbon steel blade is the cheapest of the three and is made from high-speed steel (HSS). They are tougher but less wear-resistant. Most beginners will start with the carbon steel blade to get through most woodworking with ease.

However, when using it for long periods or facing a large amount of processing work, the problem of poor durability may increase the time and cost of blade replacement.

Carbide Tipped

Compared with the carbon steel blade, the carbide bandsaw blade has a great improvement in capability. It improves the durability of the teeth and ensures the overall flexibility of the blade by welding the carbide onto the HSS base. It performs well when it is used to process the larger thickness of the arc workpiece.

Bi-Metal

Bi-metal band saw blades combine carbon steel and carbide through laser welding, which integrates the various characteristics of both. They have outstanding performance in toughness, wear resistance, durability, and so on.

Teeth Configuration

The working principle of band saw blades is to utilize the continuous cutting of saw teeth to complete cutting tasks through a high-speed cyclic motion. The design of a band saw blade has a direct impact on cutting performance, and the number of teeth per inch (TPI) is the core measure of tooth density.

The common configurations of saw teeth and their TPI are listed below. Here is a simple table to give you a quick overview of each shape’s features.

Standard (Regular)

The standard-teeth blades have equally spaced, straight-sided teeth with deep gullets at a 0° rake angle. They typically have 6-14 teeth per inch, suitable for cutting thin sheet metal, plastic, or hardwood. However, the small gullets can clog up quickly when moving large amounts of dust, so they are not good choices for heavy ripping or resawing.

Skip

Skip-teeth blades have shallow gullets and wide-space teeth with a 0° rake angle. The TPI is usually 4-8 for materials prone to clogging, like softwood and some plastics. The wide-spaced teeth help clear away dust more effectively.

Hook

Hook-teeth blades have deep gullets and wide-space teeth with a 10-degree rake angle. They have 3-6 teeth per inch, suitable for cutting hardwoods, hard nonferrous alloys, and plastic. This type can effectively remove the materials and promote a fast cutting rate, but the cut surface is rough.

Variable

Variable pitch blades have alternating groups of teeth that vary in size, angle,  gullet depth, and spacing. These blades reduce vibration to provide fast, efficient cuts and smooth surfaces. They also feature high heat, wear, and shock resistance, making them last longer than other saw blades.

Ways to Use Band Saw Blades

Before using a band saw, you need to know how to use it to avoid injuries, especially if you are just a newbie. The first and foremost thing that you need to do is install and set up the band saw blade properly. Then, you can use it with confidence and ease.

Step 1: Install the Bandsaw Blade

Before installation, disconnect the power for safety and loosen the band saw blade tensioner slightly so the old saw blade can be easily removed. Use a cloth to clean the wheels where they come in contact with the old saw blade to avoid any visible wear that could affect subsequent use.

During the installation, make sure the blade snaps into place to prevent the top and bottom parts from being out of plane.

After installation, adjust the tension according to the length of the saw blade and the equipment model. Too loose tension will cause slippage; too tight tension will easily cause the saw blade to break.

Step 2: Make a Cut

Since band saw blades are thin, push the material at an even speed in your desired direction when cutting without shifting from side to side.

You should adjust the rotational speed and feed amount according to the different materials. When cutting harder metals, reduce the rotational speed and increase the feed amount to reduce the unnecessary friction between the saw blade and the material. When cutting softer wood, the vice versa, to ensure the flatness of the cutting surface.

When making curved cuts, it is recommended to use a band saw blade with a narrower width to improve flexibility, resulting in smoother curves. Conversely, a wider band saw blade will provide better stability when cutting a straight line.

Step 3: Power off. Remove the Blade and Fold It

When finished cutting, remove it from the bandsaw and fold it. Remember to power off the bandsaw and then remove the blade.

Bonus Tip - Fold & Maintain Bandsaw Blades

How to fold a bandsaw blade?

If you want to store bandsaw blades better, folding them is a good choice. Here is a simple guide on folding a bandsaw blade:

1. Hold the blade in front of you with one hand, keeping the teeth facing away from you. Wear gloves if you have them.
2. Place the blade on the ground and step on it with one foot inside the loop to hold it.
3. Hold the top of the blade, twist it, and push it straight down. Then you can get a perfect fold.

How to maintain a bandsaw blade?

1. Clean off wood dust from the saw blade to ensure smooth operation.
2. Pay attention to the wear and tear of the blade teeth. Replace saw blades that are excessively worn or at risk of breaking in time.
3. Maintain the band saw, especially the wheels. Regularly lubricate the bearings to ensure smooth operation.

Consideration for Choosing a Bandsaw Blade

Selecting the right band saw blade can improve work efficiency & work quality, and reduce the probability of problems during use. If you don’t know how to choose the bandsaw blades, here are two key factors to consider:

Workpiece Material

Different workpieces require different band saw blades due to their hardness and density. 

• For metal, carbide and bi-metal blades are good choices that can cope effectively with the hardness and toughness of the metal. 
• For wood, carbon steel blades are suitable for small-scale tasks or beginners. However, if you are an experienced woodworker and for larger jobs, carbide blades will be the preferred choice for most jobs.

TPI

Teeth configuration and pitch are crucial elements. The right choice can significantly improve cutting efficiency, saw blade life, and process quality. Generally speaking, skip teeth are ideal for rip-cutting; standard teeth are suitable for cross-cutting.

• Fewer teeth per inch (3-6 TPI) have a large tooth pitch and more room for chips. This type is ideal for cutting thick materials quickly, but the cutting surface is rough.
• More teeth per inch (10-24 TPI) have a small tooth pitch for finer cuts. Ideal for thin boards or jobs requiring smoothness, but it has slower cutting speeds.
• The variable pitch has uneven density, which can reduce the vibration generated during cutting and is suitable for cutting irregularly shaped materials.

For general-purpose cutting, you can choose a blade of about 6 TPI. When determining the appropriate TPI, it is important to note that there must be at least three teeth on the workpiece.

Also Read: Different Types of Woodworking Cuts Explained