Saw Blades

With the help of the right cutting blade, your hand-operated or power saw will become a versatile and powerful tool that can effectively tackle a variety of cutting jobs. A must for woodworking, metalworking, construction, and demolition purposes, properly chosen saw blades will last longer and work faster. Easily cutting through metal, wood, fiberglass, masonry, and other materials, a quality saw blade is indispensable for professional and casual cutting projects.

The variety of saw blades available on the market nowadays is immense. That does not however make the matter of choosing the right blade an easy task. Saw blades have a range of significant characteristics that have to be taken into account to ensure that the purchased blade will deliver the right result. Before shopping for saw blades, consider what kind of saw you will be using and assess the planned job. There are all-purpose blades and specialty blades suited for tackling specific tasks. Most commonly, saw blades are chosen depending on the blade dimensions, material, and teeth arrangement.

Reciprocating saw blades are offered in numerous length, width, and thickness configurations. Depending on the depth of the cut you require, their length ranges from 3” up to 12”. The stability of the saw blade greatly depends on its width and thickness. For light-duty everyday applications, pick saw blades that are 0.035” thick, while heavy-duty use requires up to 0.05” blade thickness to prevent bending and wobbling. Most reciprocating saw blades are made from carbon steel that is flexible and relatively inexpensive. Other commonly used saw blade materials are high-speed steel, carbide grit, and extra hard bi-metal.

The number of teeth is crucial - the more teeth the blade has, the smoother the cut is, while blades with fewer teeth produce rough cuts known as rip cuts. The number of saw blade teeth is determined by TIP (teeth per inch) that usually ranges from 3 to 24 TIP for reciprocating saws. Depending on the blade’s TIP and tooth configuration (shape and grouping of teeth), blades are divided into ripping, crosscutting, and combination types. Ripping saw blades produce rough cuts, crosscutting blades will come in handy for creating smooth and clean cuts, while combination blades are the in-between type used for general purpose tasks.