What makes a bandsaw blade right for the job depends on the material you’re cutting, the type of saw you own, and whether the cut is straight or curved. Blades are sold by their length, in inches, which varies from machine to machine. There are carbon steel, bi-metal, and carbide blades to choose from, as well as a variety of tooth configurations and blade widths.

What Counts:
• Number and configuration of teeth
• type of metal

Blade size matters
For straight-line cuts, the best choice is the widest blade that your bandsaw can tension correctly, which is probably 1/2 in. for most mid-size bandsaws found in small woodshops (you may want to replace a worn tensioning spring on an older saw). A wide blade offers the most stability for resawing. Narrow blades are used when cutting a curve; the tighter the radius, the narrower the blade. A 3/8-in. blade, for example, will handle a radius of about 1-1/2 in. while a 1/8-in. blade will handle a 1/8-in. radius.

Teeth configuration affects the cut
Blades are designated by the number of teeth per inch (tpi) as well as width and length. Finer-tooth blades make smoother cuts, but coarser blades cut more aggressively. For resawing, a 3 tpi or 4 tpi blade hook or skip-tooth blade is a good choice. Skip-tooth blades have wider spacing and won’t clog as easily. Hook-tooth blades cut faster than skip-tooth or standard blades, but the cuts aren’t quite as smooth.

Steel quality affects sharpness
Blades made from carbon steel are the most economical, but they also dull rapidly when they get hot enough. Bi-metal blades are made mostly with ordinary steel blades but have teeth of high-speed steel, which stays sharp even when it gets hot. The most expensive blades have carbide-tipped teeth just like tablesaw blades. They stay sharp much longer and are probably worth the money if you intend to do a lot of resawing in dense, hard woods.

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