Best Band Saw Blade Reviews
As far as blades used for a saw go, it can be very difficult to determine the best band saw blades for you. Band saw blades have to cut wood and metal the way you need to, and must last a very long time before you have to buy another. You can use band saw blades to cut unique shapes out of materials, but some blades to this better than others.
Which band saw blades are the best? We will review six band saw blades from some of the biggest names in hardware tools today, including Bosch and DeWalt. We will then determine which blade is the one we recommend the most to you
Our Top 6 Band Saw Blade List for 2019
Product Name | TPI | Length | Material(s) | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Bosch BS80-6H Heavy Duty Band Saw Blade (Editor's Choice) | 6 | 10.9 inch | Wood, Metal | |
DEWALT DW3984C Band Saw Blade (Best for the Money) | 24 | 14 inch | Metal | |
SKIL 80151 59-1/2-Inch Band Saw Blade Assortment | 6, 15 | 9 inch | Wood, Metal | |
Bosch BS6412-24M Metal Bandsaw Blade | 24 | 10.8 inch | Metal | |
Lenox Tools 8010838PW185 Wolf-Band Portable Band Saw Blade | 18 | 18.5 inch | Metal | |
POWERTEC 13181X Band Saw Blade | 6 | 9 inch | Wood, Metal |
The 6 Best Band Saw Blade In Depth Reviews
1. Bosch BS80-6H 80-Inch Heavy Duty Blade
Bosch is known to make some great products outside of their power saws and drills. The BS80 is known to be one of the best band saw blades on the market today.
It is great for cutting wood, metal and many other materials. It also has a design that makes it super-resistant to heat, in which the blade will never melt or lose quality over time. It is capable of cutting wood like butter with nothing to hold it back.
If you want to cut lines as straight as possible, it can do that. It can also make very tight curves cuts, which will be useful for when you are making furniture such as a rocking chair.
It has enhanced tooth geometry, with its six tips per inch, so you know that it is capable of doing tough cutting jobs well. The teeth on the BS80 are very sharp, which is why the blade is extremely reliable and heavy-duty.
This blade is almost 11 inches long, and it is capable of working with most band saws that accommodate common blade sizes. This also is a featherweight item as only 4.2 ounces heavy. Check more about Best bandsaw for resawing here.
Pros
- Teeth are sharp
- Can cut wood and metals
- Can withstand extreme heat from cutting
- Can make curved cuts well
Cons
- N/A
2. DEWALT DW3984C 24 TPI Portable Band Saw Blade
DeWalt is a name that millions of customers trust in the industrial industries for many good reasons. Their reputation with blades, however, is often hit or miss. But is the 3984C a winner or loser?
For one, this blade is a very tough durable one. It can flex, but it will not break under intense pressure or stress. It can withstand many forces of resistance by having two key features: It’s patented steel edge and it’s alloy steel backing.
The steel backing makes it so that is can last a long time without showing any signs of wear and tear. Its high-speed steel edge keeps it from becoming overheated, which would cause it to deteriorate over time. These are some very useful features to ensure that the blade is always strong and effective.
At 24 TPI, this is clearly a blade for cutting metal. Compared to the first Bosch blade, however, this blade is capable of cutting metal of many different thicknesses. It can cut sheet metal as well as thick metal that is inches thick. I would only trust the previous blade to cut sheet metal. The 3984C is 14 inches in length.
With this considered, this is not really a blade used for cutting wood. It will take you a lot longer to cut lines with blades with more TPI, as blades with 6 TPI are more effective.
Pros
- Can cut thick metals
- Has a durable body
- Can withstand extreme heat from cutting
Cons
- Not ideal for use on wood
3. SKIL 80151 59-1/2-Inch Band Saw Blade Assortment
This band saw blade from SKIL is actually a three pack, so you pay three blades for the price of one. One blade is ⅛ inches long with 15 TPI, one is ¼ inches long with 6 TPI, and one is ⅜ inches long with 6 TPI. Not only do you have more than one blade, but you are given options.
These blades should work with most scroll saws in nine and ten-inch sizes. Each blade is made of premium quality steel that is meant to last a long time and withstand the heat that comes with cutting materials.
To further optimize performance, each of these blades come with fixed tooth geometry, so that every area of the blade is effective to use when cutting. These blades are also each made to be used with almost any types of band saw.
These blades are 15 TPI or less, and with that said, these are not the best blades to use on metal. These are more suitable for wood, but they cut very smoothly and accurately, regardless if you want your cut straight or curved.
Pros
- Extra blades included
- Has a durable body
- Can withstand extreme heat from cutting
Cons
- Not ideal for use on metal
4. Bosch BS6412-24M 24TPI Metal Bandsaw Blade
The second of Bosch’s band saw blades, this one has 24 tips per inch, but we have been very impressed with what this 4.8-ounce blade is capable of. But first, let’s go over what this blade has in common with the BS80.
This blade is made of high-quality steel. This steel is flexible for accurate curved cuts, yet still strong and durable for use for a number of years.
Just like the BS80, the BS64 has optimized tooth geometry, so that you get the best cutting performance possible each and every time. No teeth are missing, nor are they out of place. You can guarantee an effective cutting as always.
The BS80 will also work fine with most band saws. Whether you have a fairly new band saw, or one that still works like a charm after 40 years, this saw is highly versatile.
Because of its high TPI, it can cut metal of any kind effortlessly. Even as you cut nearly a hundred different types of sheet metal, it will not show any signs of slowing down, which is what you would happen expect with the average band saw blade.
The BS80, however has some sort of quality control error that the BS64 does not seem to have. There are a small percentage of blades that come with some sort a defect, whether the teeth come off, the steel cracks, or it breaks during use. When buying online, you need to hope that the blade that you get is not a defect.
Pros
- Teeth are sharp
- Can cut wood and metals
- Can withstand extreme heat from cutting
Cons
- A few blades are defective
5. Lenox Tools 8010838PW185 Wolf-Band Portable Blade
Lenox may not be as popular as Bosch or DeWalt, but do not count their band saw blades out, because they do have nice features in store for their blades. You buy five blades at once, however, they are all the same blade, so these are more like spare rather than options. These blades are super long; 18 and a half inches to be exact.
These blades are made of high speed steel to provide a long life for each copy. Each of these blades also have very sharp teeth, and can cut materials with minimal resistance.
These blades are also shatter-proof. They all have bi-metal construction that will keep them from caving into pressure and breaking or cracking. They will bend in order to cut in curves, but will not break.
You can cut through most types of metal with these blades, but if you are thinking about using these on wood, you will be disappointed with how slow they will cut. Furthermore, these blades cannot cut anything thicker than a quarter of an inch in diameter. This greatly limits you with what you can cut with these blades.
Pros
- Extra blades included
- Has a durable body
- Are shatter-proof
- Teeth are sharp
Cons
- Cannot cut anything thicker than ¼ inches
- Not ideal for use on wood
6. POWERTEC 13181X Band Saw Blade
This last band saw blade is from Powertec. There is only one blade in this package, but they make sure it is one that delivers with optimal results. They make blades in 3, 6, and 14 TPI, but this blade in particular is just 6 TPI. This blade also weighs eight ounces and weighs nine inches long.
For just 6 TPI, this blade is advertised to cut many different materials, including wood, metal, and plastic. 6 TPI blades will not cut that metal all that well, but depending on whom you ask, you will always get a different answer for “Will this blade cut metal?”.
You can try to cut metal with this 6 TPI blade, but if you need a blade exclusively for cutting metal, choose one with a higher TPI.
This blade is made of high carbon steel, so it is a fortified blade that is bound to last years upon years of projects.
This blade will wear evenly, so you do not end up with an area being duller than another. All the teeth are also evenly spaced so that you can cut wood at any thickness well.
The one thing to look out for during this blade is that these blades will only fit 10-inch band saws, especially ones that are created by Craftsman. It is uncertain whether or not this will fit inside a 9-inch band saw.
Pros
- Can cut wood and metals
- Has a durable body
- Blade will wear evenly throughout
Cons
- Will only fit on 10-inch band saws
Information for Choosing the Right Band Saw Blade
You might still have some questions about best band saw for resawing. If you are still looking for more information about these interesting blades, read on further before we get to our final verdict on which blade to buy.
Width
The width of the blade is measure from the back edge of the blade up to the point of the teeth that it has. If you cannot determine how wide the blade it, the packaging or manual that comes with the blade should be able to let you know. If you bought a blade without instructions or packaging, refer to these following guidelines.
For cut-off sawing, the blade should be as wide as your band saw will permit. The wider the band is, the more straight you cut will become. You can also feel wood and metal faster with a wider blade.
For contour sawing, the blade should be as wide as your band saw will permit, just like cut-off sawing. However, it should still be narrow enough so that you can cut wood in the shape you would like. The minimum radius of a one-inch wide blade is 7 inches. In comparison, the minimum radius of a one-eighth-inch wide blade is 3/16 inches. Is you are looking to use your blade to make tight curved cuts, get one that is very thin.
TPI
The amount of tips per inch (TPI) is necessary so that you can obtain the desired finish and best feed rate. A blade with coarse tips should be used for sawing wood and thick stock that is up to eight inches thick. A blade with fine tips should be used for cutting metal and plastic that is a quarter inch or thinner.
When choosing a saw blade based on TPI, it is important to remember that more TPI will offer you a cut that is smoother, but also will cut at a slow rate. Fewer TPI will allow you a fast cut, but the finish will also be rough.
As a cardinal rule, every workshop needs blades with three different TPI, so that you have a blade that can do a specific job, and not a one-size-fits-all blade. The least TPI that a manufacturer can make is 2. These blades will cut material that is an inch and a half thick. In comparison, the most TPI that a manufacturer can make is 32. These blades can only cut materials that are as thick as a piece of paper.
Durability
Many blades are made of high-grade steel that can withstand pressure, heat, and flexibility. Steel is practically the only material that can be thin and powerful enough to cut woods and metals without damaging either separated piece.
Professionally made blades should not break when in use, nor should their teeth grow dull or fall out when cutting materials. The blades used should be intact and fairly sharp at the end of their life cycle.
Blades that are not resistant to heat are known to deform over time. This creates problems when cutting materials with the blade in the future.
As far as quantity goes, packs of one individual blade tend to be more durable than packs of more than one. If you see a pack of one blade, you outta know that it is sturdy and will last a long time. Blades that are part of a “value pack” tend to not last as long. While some people believe the true value is buying more blades at once, other people find that one blade that can last as long as every blade in a “value pack” is more worth the investment.
Final Verdict
The Bosch BS80-6H is hands down our most recommended blade to buy for many reasons. Firstly, this blade, while at six TPI, is engineered to cut any kind of material from wood to metal.
If you are looking for a blade that can only cut wood or metal, consider buying one that is capable of cutting both, so that you will not need to replace your blade every time you want to cut something different.
There are many blades that come in three or five packs, but you can only buy one blade each of the BS80. It may be one blade, but it’s a very durable and long-lasting blade that will not succumb to wear and tear or heat over time.
If you are not happy with using the first blade in a pack of three or five, these would be extra blades that you would be stuck with.
The BS80 blade, however, that we know you will be satisfied with, as we have not found anything we would like to change about this band saw blade.
