How To Choose The Right Jigsaw Blade?

We know the importance of selecting the right blades for the appropriate task. Jigsaws come with a multitude of blade-choices. Therefore, the point of this article is to guide you as to how to choose the right jigsaw blade. Jigsaws are known for their versatility. With a suitable range of blades, a jigsaw is an ideal multi-tasker.

Contents

How To Choose The Right Jigsaw Blade – Step By Step Guide

Step 1

The first step is to identify the type of blade that is compatible with your jigsaw. T-shanks are vastly used for jigsaws. Sometimes they even work for u-shank jigsaws. T-shank blades are known to be an upgraded version of the u-shank. This does not mean that u-shank blades are out of use. U-shank stands for the universal shank. They are slower than t-shank blades. We suggest that you pick a saw that is compatible with both the blades. This eliminates the hassle of finding the right blade type.

Step 2

The second step of choosing the right blade is for the job. Jigsaws are used for various reasons. There is no rule that you can use jigsaws only for cutting wood. Based on this, there are different blades available for other materials.

Step 3

1. Plaster: These are delicate items. You need a blade that is sharp and yet precise. Choosing the wrong edge for this will crumble is more comfortable to cut. If you need to cut plastics like polycarbonate and PVC, you can use the multipurpose jigsaw blade. These blades do not leave loose ends. You get sharp cuts with a smoother finishing.

2. Metal: Here comes the heavy work. Metal is the most difficult to cut. Factories have individual machines to cut heavy metal. We do not have the finance or the place to afford this. Therefore we go with a simple jigsaw blade that helps cut metals. To cut metals, you need a hard and firm blade. These blades are specially made from hardened alloy. Make sure you ask for this particular material while purchasing the blade. If you have a wide range of metals, you can also use a carbon steel blade. Carbon steel blades are known for smoothly ripping apart aluminum, brass, and copper.

3. Soft Materials: If your material is easy to cut, we suggest dumping a jigsaw altogether. Try using a circular saw for this instead. Delicate materials like carpet and leather need low-pressure blades. You can specifically ask for blades that are used for soft materials. If you think that you can use any blade for soft materials, you are wrong. The work will be shabby, and you will probably even end up hurting yourself.

4. Wood: This is an entirely different area of carpentry. Most of our work is associated with wood. The wood itself has different sub-types. Jigsaw blades for cutting wood have teeth that are widely distributed. The distribution of teeth is how you select the right blade. If the teeth are small and fine, the blade is used for cutting thin wood. For anything else, you will need wood with spaced out and huge teeth.

Step 4

The next factor is the blade material. Blades are made of carbon steel, bi-metal, tungsten carbide, and high-speed steel. They usually perform the same work but differ in prices and accuracy. High carbon steel is cheap and commonly available. Bi-steel is a mixture of high carbon steel and high-speed steel. It is used for heavy cutting. Tungsten carbide is the highest priced blade material. It is best to cut heavy metals. High-speed steel is very flexible, but it is not feasible to cut hard materials.

Step 5

Once you have finalized the type of material you’re working with, you move on to choose the right blade teeth. The whole force of a blade lies in its teeth. Professional carpenters calculate the TPI (Teeth Per Inch) before selecting a blade. If the material is hard, you need a high TPI. If you are handling soft material, you need a lower TPI. TPI determines not only the precision but also the speed of cutting. It is important to note that one standard TPI may not be used for all types of materials.

Step 6

After the previous step, you are required to choose the style of the blade-teeth. Jigsaws have four broad types of blade-teeth: taper, wavy, reverse, and side.

Tapered blades are straight in shape. They are used to cut straight and fine items. As the name suggests, wavy blades are in the shape of waves. These are excellent for cutting corners and difficult material. Reverse blades are used for materials like plaster, drywall, and plastic. It is used for weak materials. Side-styled blades are excellent for fast cutting.

There is no detailed procedure to choose the right blade. Jigsaw blades are usually bought in bulk, with one type of each blade. The points above will help you select the straight blade for your work. Once you have narrowed down which blade you want, you can go ahead and purchase the same. Online stores have pre-made sets of blades available. These kits have the essential blades that are used for most materials.

Top 3 Jigsaw Blades

1. Bosch T244D Jigsaw Blades (5 pcs.)

Sale

Bosch T244D Jigsaw Blades (5 pcs.)

Designed for curved and fast cuts in hard and soft wood, OSB, plywood 1/4 In. to 2-3/8 In. thick
6 TPI tooth profile and high carbon steel blade body for exceptionally fast cutting and long life in wood
4 In. overall length, 3 In. usable length

These are the cheapest blades available online. Bosch is one of the top brands. This is a real steal deal! The blades come in a set of 5. It is made of high carbon steel. It uses the t-shank blade model. It is best used for cutting wood. These blades are compatible with the newer jigsaw models too. It comes with no warranty due to its subsidized price.

2. Makita 5-piece T-Shank Wood Blades

Makita 5-piece T-Shank Wood Blades

✅ 5 BLADE, Fast Straight T-Shank Jigsaw Blade Set with 8 TPI (Teeth Per Inch) blade design for Soft & Engineered Wood...
✅ CUT WOOD & PVC FASTER, LONGER & MORE AGGRESSIVELY, without compromising blade or material application integrity due...
✅ CUT EASIER, Straighter, Flatter & Consistently even after continued use due to Makita’s proprietary High Carbon...

Makita offers the same deal as Bosch. These blades are smaller in size. They have a 6 TPI design. Makita blades are usually compatible only with Makita jigsaws. These blades can cut through wood and PVC at a fast pace. It provides easy removal. It uses high carbon steel. Makita blades are useful for DIYs and home projects too. This works on many soft materials, as well. Wood-like cedar, fir, pine, and redwood. In addition to engineered wood like plywood, fiberboard, and construction lumber.

3. Khadija 10 pcs Jigsaw Blades

The blades help in skilled and efficient woodcutting. Along with being sturdy, with these blades with T shanks for more excellent grip and stability. The T 144D blades are suitable for cutting softwood, chipboards, wood core plywood, and fiberboards. The teeth distribution is varied for all ten pieces. This means you can change the blade as per your requirement.

Tips To Remember While Choosing Jigsaw Blades

Know your material: Go the extra mile and find out what material you’re using.
Do the math: Yes, math is scary. But you should know the TPI you need for the best results. Sometimes, shopkeepers themselves will tell you which blade is suitable for which material.
Keep your options open: Jigsaws can be used in many ways. However, for jigsaws to work their magic, you need the right blade. It is smart to buy at least three to four different blades.
Try in-store purchases: You can check for the quality, material, and blade strength in stores. If you have doubts, you can even clarify them with the store owners. If you are buying blades for the first time, try going out and exploring it for yourself.
Buy the right jigsaw: No amount of precaution while buying blades will help if you have the wrong jigsaw. Make sure you have a quality product.
Try using the same brand blades as your jigsaw. This is a smart thing to do. Makita, Bosch, and Dewalt have good jigsaws, as well as blades.

FAQs

1. What is the first thing I should see while buying a blade? The blade material or the teeth distribution?

The primary thing you look for is your requirement. Besides that, you should check the teeth distribution. Blade materials are usually either high carbon steel or high-speed steel. Very rarely, people use tungsten carbide blades.

2. How often should I dispose of my blades?

Due to rust, corrosion, and other factors, blades might render useless in a few years. There is no fixed answer as to when you should throw away your blades. Do not wait for your blade to rust before you change it completely. As soon as you notice that the speed and quality had lowered, you can change the blade.

3. How many blades should I buy with a new jigsaw?

You should buy at least three to four different blades. The TPI, size, blade-style, etc. should be different. This will help you experiment with blades and materials.

Final Thought

To buy the right blade, you should have the right jigsaw. Read the previous articles on jigsaws to get an idea about the best ones in the market. Make sure that you do not spend too much on blades. Jigsaw blades are affordable and accessible. All you need to do is pick the right ones!