Bandsaw Blade Types

The bandsaw blades stocked by NLS Tools are split into 5 types:

Hobby/Thin Gauge

Thin-gauge blades are used on smaller machines and usually have a blade length of 72" or less. They use thin-gauge (.014"/0.36mm) carbon steel because thicker gauges are not flexible enough for the smaller radius of drive wheel and tend to crack on smaller machines. Otherwise, they are the same as the carbon steel type with hardened teeth and a flexible back, suitable for general purpose cutting of wood and metal.

Stocked Types

Hakansson Hobby

Starrett Thin Gauge

Dakin Thin Gauge

Morse Thin Gauge

Carbon Steel

Carbon steel flex-back bandsaw blades are used for general purpose cutting of most materials, wood, plastics, steel etc. They have hardened teeth with a flexible back and are available in a wide variety of widths and tooth pitches. For machines taking blades of 72" long or shorter, a thin-gauge blade should be used (see Hobby blade type above).

Stocked Types

Hakansson Silco

Starrett Duratec SFB

Dakin Flexback

Bi-Metal

Bi-metal blades are typically used for cutting tough steels such as stainless steel. They have a high speed steel cutting edge welded to a flexible carbon steel back and give much longer life than an equivalent carbon steel blade. For that reason, some people prefer using bi-metal blades to cut mild steels and other metals because of the extra blade life they get. Similarly, bi-metal blades are also used for production cutting of hardwoods and for pallet-cutting.

Stocked Types

Hakansson Matrix 2 & M42 Bimetal

Starrett M42 Bimetal

Morse Matrix 2 & M42 Bimetal

Meat & Fish

NLS stock the Hakansson 'Citu' blade for cutting fresh and frozen meat and fish. Made from corrosion resistant, spring-tempered steel, they are available in 5 thicknesses to minimise waste.

Band Knives

Band knives are suitable for cutting soft and fibrous materials without tearing or leaving ragged edges. They are single sided, with a straight, scalloped or wavy edge.

Stocked Types

Hakansson Band Knives