Best General Purpose Bandsaw Blades 2023

October 4, 2023

If you often shift from cutting one type of material to another type using the bandsaw, it will be best to equip your bandsaw with a general-purpose bandsaw blade. With a general-purpose bandsaw blade, you can make most cuts using a single saw blade. 

The use of a general-purpose saw blade can also spare you from the hassles of resetting the tracking, guides, and tensions of the saw blades. Such processes can take more time and effort. But if you use a general-purpose saw blade, you can skirt around these tedious processes.

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Most Recommended General-purpose Bandsaw Blades

After knowing the important factors to consider when choosing a general-purpose bandsaw blade, you can narrow down your list of options. Yet, to zero in on the perfect general bandsaw blades, it will also help to know the following most recommended general-purpose bandsaw blades in the market today:

Last update on 2024-08-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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1) JET 707203

One excellent option if you like a replacement blade for your bandsaw is the JET 707203. This general-purpose blade features 6 TPI. You can buy it separately. Moreover, this saw blade can handle different types of applications. 

The JET 707203 is thin at .025 inches, giving you a fine finish while allowing you to make rough cuts. It will provide you with enough versatility. Moreover, it will save you from having to change your blades whenever you would make different cuts.

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2) Timber Wolf Bandsaw Blade

Another excellent option if you’re looking for a general-purpose bandsaw blade is the Timber Wolf Bandsaw Blade. Timber Wolf fashioned this bandsaw blade out of high-silicon and low carbide steel. Thus, it will stay cool even under extreme pressure and heat. For this reason, you can expect this bandsaw blade to last longer. Plus, its teeth will not dull quickly. 

This bandsaw blade is perfect for woodworking because it features an excellent tooth pattern with a rounded gullet. It also features a thin kerf with a 6.5° rake. Moreover, it offers sixty percent of hook blade’s speed. It also provides the skip blade’s added finish. The only downside of its use is its price. Thus, if you are on a budget, you might not choose this bandsaw blade.

Pros:

• Features a thin kerf
• Durable enough
• Comes with a 6.5 degree rake 

Cons:

• More expensive than other blades

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3) Milwaukee Band Saw Blade

Another general-purpose blade option is the Milwaukee blade. It is wrought in excellent steel and 8% cobalt to create a durable saw blade. Its teeth points are welded using electron-beam for enhanced durability of the teeth. Thus, you can expect its teeth not to dull quickly. 

The design of the Milwaukee Bandsaw Blade features deeper gullets and tooth angles for reduced vibrations. This design results in a more precise cut. Its 14 TPI also allows it to cut through stainless steel, aluminum, and bronze. 

But it truly excels when resawing wood. It can cut straight without wavering. Moreover, this saw blade is also reasonably priced. You can also get three of these blades in a single pack.

Pros:

• Features a bi-metal blade
• Runs quietly
• Offers reduced vibrations
• Three in a pack

Cons:

• Materials might be from China, but US-made

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4) BOSCH BS80-15S

The BOSCH BS80-15S is another excellent option if you’re looking for a general-purpose bandsaw blade. It features a 15-TPI saw blade that is perfect for general cutting works. You can use it for various types of cutting, though it is made for scrollwork. 

The BOSCH BS80-15S features a narrow blade width that lets you engage in intricate cuts. Thus, with this saw blade, you can cut tight curves and angles. 

The BOSCH BS80-15S is wrought in carbon steel. It is heat-treated for increased durability of its teeth. Moreover, you can expect the teeth of this saw blade to last longer than other carbon steel blades. Yet, it is less durable than the carbide-tipped and alloy-tipped blades. 

Pros:

• Offers 15 TPI
• Designed for scrollwork
• Features narrow kerf
• Reasonably priced

Cons:

• Might not fit other bandsaws

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5) POWERTEC 13183

The POWERTEC 13183 features a 14 TPI saw blade. It is an all-rounder saw blade that you can use for cutting various types of materials. Its teeth feature a raker design that lets it cut cleaner and faster. 

The 13183 is a 70.5″ band saw blade. It is of quality carbon steel, and it is heat-treated. You can use it to cut hardwood and softwood. You can also use it to cut plastics and metals. 

The POWERTEC 13183 is less expensive compared to the Timber Wolf. If you’re on a budget, this bandsaw blade would be a perfect choice.

Pros:

• Reasonably priced
• Offers enhanced durability
• Comes with 14 TPI

Cons:

• The teeth might dull quickly

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Factors to Consider When Selecting General-purpose Bandsaw Blades

When selecting general-purpose bandsaw blades, you might get confused as to which saw blade to choose, given the myriads of options at hand. Yet, if you are familiar with the following essential factors to consider, you can go through the choosing process with ease:

Teeth Per Inch (TPI)

The TPI is a crucial consideration when choosing a general-purpose bandsaw blade. As a rule, the higher the TPI, the finer a saw blade will cut. The lower the TPI, the rougher the result of the cut. Pitch also refers to the TPI. When you cut thinner wood sections, you need higher TPI. Cutting thicker wood sections requires lower TPI. 

For example, if you want to rip lumber, you can use a coarse blade with three to six TPI. You can also use this coarse blade for making short crosscuts. On the other hand, a saw blade with eighteen to thirty-two TPI is perfect for sawing thinner metals and plastics. The higher TPI creates a smoother edge, allowing the saw blade to slice through your material instead of ripping through it. 

So, if you’re searching for a general-purpose saw blade, you need to find the saw blade with the right TPI. You can go for saw blades with 14 TPI. This saw blade is best for all-around cutting. Bandsaws with six to eight TPI also get categorized as general-purpose bandsaw blades. Hence, you can use saw blades within this range of TPI.

Blade Tooth Type

Another essential factor to consider when searching for a bandsaw blade is the blade tooth type. You need to figure out the proper tooth configuration for the material and the cut type you would like to make. 

Bandsaw blades come in three major types: hook, regular, and skip. The regular tooth saw blades are those considered general-purpose saw blades. 

Moreover, they got straight-faced teeth. The teeth are also evenly spaced. They also have deep gullets. You can use this blade type to cut most metals and wood.

Material or Make

Bandsaw blades come in different material types. You can find bandsaw blades made of flex-back carbon, specialty, hardback carbon, bi-metal M42, and Bi-metal matrix. The flex-back carbon is made of high-carbon steel. It also features hardened tips. 

You will also find unhardened flexible back saw blades. These saw blades are more resistant to stress and fatigue when cutting curves. These blades are best for cutting wood. You can also use it to cut non-ferrous metals and aluminum. The flex-back carbon is also inexpensive. 

On the other hand, hardback carbon features a stiffer saw blade because of its tempered and hardened back. You can use this type of blade for making straight cuts or when you need to apply heavier pressure. 

Hardback carbon blades are general-purpose saw blades, perfect for cutting wood, cork, plastic, plywood, composition, low alloy, and non-ferrous metals. 

Bi-metal matrix, however, is perfect for use in small fabricating shops. Blades made of this material are often general-purpose blades. You can use them for medium and small-size bandsaws.

Conclusion

As mentioned above, replacing the bandsaw blade might take time and effort on your part, especially if you want to shift to cutting different materials. The resetting of track, guides, and tensions might take up to thirty minutes. Thus, it is time-consuming and effortful. Yet, you can avoid such tedious processes by opting for general-purpose saw blades.

As a newbie, finding the ideal general-purpose bandsaw blade might get confusing. Yet, suppose you know the essential factors to consider and narrow down your options to the abovementioned most recommended general-purpose bandsaw blades. In that case, you can quickly zero in on the ideal bandsaw blade for your use.