# Bandsaw blades

Blade construction, tooth engagement, machine fit and cutting-process controls for selecting and diagnosing bandsaw blades.

Reviewed: 2026-11-01

Tags: consumables, cutting-components, bandsaw, sawing

Starrett's **May 2, 2023** break-in guidance for softer materials such as carbon steel and aluminum uses **normal band speed** and about **50% of normal cutting rate for 50–100 square inches of cut area**, followed by a gradual increase. Match the actual blade and material. Verify band speed, feed and tension separately. [Starrett, break-in procedure](https://www.starrett.com/news-events/why-and-how-to-break-in-band-saw-blades)

## Specify the blade and the cutting job together

Specify band length, width and thickness, tooth geometry and pitch, material, section and machine. Starrett groups blades by material, construction and application. [Starrett, bandsaw blade range](https://www.starrett.com/products/band-saw-blades/)

Record the welded dimensions, blade family and tooth form. Give the supplier the alloy condition, solid or hollow section, bundle arrangement, cut orientation and required finish.

## Construction and tooth geometry

Common constructions solve different problems:

| Construction | Selection significance and manufacturer example |
| --- | --- |
| High-carbon steel | Economical options for appropriate workshop materials. Starrett Duratec Super FB combines high-carbon steel with a flexible back and lists applications including easy-machining steel, nonferrous metals, plastics and wood products. |
| Bi-metal | Combines a wear-resistant cutting edge with a fatigue-resistant backing. Starrett Intenss uses M42 high-speed-steel teeth and alloy backing for general-purpose profiles and small solids. |
| Carbide-tipped | Useful for selected difficult alloys or demanding production cuts; grind and tooth sequence remain application-specific. |
| Grit edge | An abrasive cutting edge rather than ordinary teeth. Starrett Advanz CG offers continuous or gulleted carbide-grit edges for hard or abrasive materials. |

[Starrett high-carbon construction](https://catalogues.starrett.co.uk/view/621853475/32/), [bi-metal construction](https://catalogues.starrett.co.uk/view/621853475/20/), [carbide selection](https://www.starrett.com/news-events/tips-on-specifying-a-carbide-tipped-band-saw-blade), [carbide grit](https://catalogues.starrett.co.uk/view/621853475/29/)

Tooth **rake**, shape, height and gullet govern how the edge enters the material and accommodates chips. A positive-rake design is different from a regular zero-rake tooth; a robust structural-cutting geometry is not necessarily the best choice for a large difficult-alloy solid. Tooth labels such as hook, skip and proprietary multi-chip designs need the supplier’s application description, not an assumed universal ranking. [Starrett, tooth shapes](https://catalogues.starrett.co.uk/view/621853475/8/)

**Pitch** and **set** are separate. Constant pitch has uniform tooth spacing; a variable pitch such as 4–6 TPI varies tooth spacing and gullet size to reduce repetitive vibration. Set describes how teeth project sideways: raker, progressive and wavy patterns differ. A carbide triple-chip geometry may use an edge wider than the backing instead of a conventional set pattern. [Starrett, pitch and set definitions](https://catalogues.starrett.co.uk/view/621853475/9/)

## Engagement, gullets and changing sections

TPI means teeth per inch. For constant pitch, spacing in millimetres is **25.4/TPI**. A first geometric estimate of teeth engaged is **contact length × TPI/25.4**, with contact length in millimetres. Thus, 25.4 mm of continuous contact at 6 TPI contains approximately six tooth spacings; at 12 TPI, approximately twelve. This arithmetic describes engagement, not a blade recommendation: tooth phase, variable pitch, chip formation and material behavior still matter.

Starrett gives a general rule of thumb of at least three and no more than roughly 10–14 teeth engaged, while stressing material effects. Soft, chip-loading materials can fill gullets and favor a coarser selection; difficult alloys may need more engaged teeth to take a viable chip. Treat that range as the manufacturer’s selection aid, rather than a mandatory limit for every blade technology. [Starrett, material and engagement guidance](https://www.starrett.com/news-events/sawing-starts-with-the-material)

For a tube, the outer diameter alone does not describe the cutting contact. The blade transitions through walls and interrupted regions; a bundle adds both individual sections and an overall packed section. Starrett’s tube/profile chart uses **outside dimension and wall thickness**, separately from its solid-section chart. Consult the appropriate chart and consider the complete cut, not just the easiest point of entry. [Starrett, section-based pitch selection](https://catalogues.starrett.co.uk/view/621853475/10/)

## Machine compatibility and a named example

Use the machine manual for permissible length, width and thickness, tension and guide setup. Starrett explicitly directs users to the machine specification for length and width; contour work on a vertical saw also requires a width compatible with the intended radius. Do not assume that a larger blade fits merely because its welded length is correct. [Starrett, blade dimensions and contour guidance](https://catalogues.starrett.co.uk/view/621853475/10/)

**Starrett TENNAX-PRO** illustrates a bounded structural-cutting choice: it is an M42 bi-metal family aimed at pipes, tubes, structurals, small solids and bundles. Its product page lists a **1 inch × 0.035 inch** size with pitches including **4–6 and 8–12 TPI**. Those are available configurations, not a recommendation for an unspecified tube. Select length for the machine and pitch from the actual section and application. Supplier metric descriptions are nominal product sizes; do not replace the ordered catalogue designation with an arithmetic conversion. [Starrett, TENNAX-PRO configurations](https://www.starrett.com/products/band-saw-blades/bi-metal/tennax-pro)

## Speed, feed, tension and break-in

Band speed is the blade’s linear travel speed; feed is its advance into the work. Both interact with pitch, material, section and blade construction. Bahco’s **March 2026 catalogue** provides different speed-selection tables for bi-metal and carbide blades and distinguishes material groups and section sizes. Start with the applicable supplier data and machine capability, then assess the cut. Do not copy a carbide speed into a bi-metal process or treat a feed-pressure dial as a measured cutting rate. [Bahco catalogue, technical information](https://media.bahco.com/media/media-download/catalogue/2026_Bahco_Metalsawing_Bandsaw_Catalog.pdf)

Tension is likewise machine- and blade-dependent. Bahco calls for measurement with a tension meter, checking actual band speed, correctly adjusted chip brushes and suitable coolant concentration and delivery. These controls belong to the cutting system; a more expensive blade cannot compensate for a worn guide or ineffective chip removal. [Bahco, process checks, p. 18](https://media.bahco.com/media/media-download/catalogue/2026_Bahco_Metalsawing_Bandsaw_Catalog.pdf)

Starrett gives different break-in guidance for hard materials. Use the procedure for the actual blade, especially carbide or specialty blades. Track accumulated cut area. [Starrett, break-in procedure](https://www.starrett.com/news-events/why-and-how-to-break-in-band-saw-blades)

## Diagnose the system before replacing like for like

Starrett’s **Bulletin 1037, footer 08/17**, maps similar symptoms to multiple possible causes:

| Symptom | Checks supported by the guide |
| --- | --- |
| Crooked or wavy cut | Feed, tension, damaged set, blade condition, guides and unsupported span |
| Tooth loss | Pitch, feed/speed, break-in, trapped chips, hard scale and movement in the vise |
| Backing breakage | Tension, excessive feed, guide pressure, wheel contact and alignment |
| Chips retained in teeth | Chip brush, cutting fluid, pitch and cutting data |

The symptom narrows an investigation; it does not establish a single cause. Record where the damage began, its relation to the weld or tooth edge, workholding, chips and recent process changes. [Starrett reference guide, troubleshooting](https://www.starrett.com/docs/default-source/user-guides/band-saw-blades/starrett-band-saw-blade-reference-guide_bulletin-1037.pdf?sfvrsn=c54b61a5_1)

## Related reference

[Cutting and shaping processes](../../processes/shaping/index.md)