Welcome back as we continue discussing the anatomy of a blandsaw blade. With a better understanding you will be able to select the right bandsaw blade for the job at hand.

Hook angle

Is the angle between a line drawn parallel to the front edge of the tooth and a line drawn perpendicular to the back of the bandsaw blade. The larger the hook angle the more the blade attempts to pull the material into the blade. In effect the tooth acts like a chisel by trying to split out the wood fibers.

With smaller hook angles or even a negative hook angles the tooth acts more like a plow or scraper. When cutting dense hardwoods or very knotty wood these saw blades are ideally suited for the job. (more…)

Bandsaw blades come in a plethora of styles, number of teeth per inch, alloys and tooth shape. For the home woodworker which of the many different types of bandsaw blades is the best one to use when cutting hard wood lumber?

Anatomy of a bandsaw blade

Let’s first start out discussing the anatomy of a bandsaw blade. Unlike a circular saw blade, a bandsaw blade must be able to with stand being flexed repeatedly while being used. Bandsaw blades are made from spring steel. Steel that has the ability to flex a certain amount and then bounce back to its original shape. Stretch the blade beyond the certain amount will cause the tooth to fail (rip off the blade) or the blade to break. Both are bad for the operator of the bandsaw. (more…)