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The Bandsaw Store

Material guide

Bandsaw blades for tool steel

Annealed tool steel saws respectably on a premium bi-metal blade, but hardened and high-carbide grades need tungsten carbide tips to cut rather than rub. Match the blade to the state of the steel, not just the grade.

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The problem with cutting tool steel

Tool steel is made to resist exactly what a bandsaw tooth does to it. It holds an edge under abrasion, heat and pressure. The hard carbides in grades such as D2 grind at the tooth tip on every pass. Put a general purpose blade into the wrong grade and the edge rounds over quickly.

A dulled tooth stops cutting and starts rubbing. On hardened stock a high speed steel edge meets material close to its own hardness, so it cannot form a proper chip; it skids, glazes the cut and generates heat that finishes the edge off. The signs are fine dust instead of chips, cut times that stretch and a blade that squeals rather than saws.

The right edge changes with the state of the steel. Annealed tool steel saws respectably on a premium bi-metal blade; powder-HSS tooth grades give the edge extra resistance to heat and wear. Hardened and high-carbide grades need tungsten carbide tips, which stay hard far beyond HSS temperatures and keep forming chips where an HSS tooth would rub. Match the blade to the condition of the bar, not just the grade stamped on it.

Recommended blades for tool steel

Blades on sale today that suit this material, with the reason from each listing. Every one is welded to your machine's length.

Recommended blades for tool steel, from the current range. Prices are the lowest price offered for each blade.
BladeConstructionWidth rangeWhy this bladePrice
3859 EZX Extreme Easy-Cut EZX Bandsaw BladeBahcoTungsten carbide tips on an alloy backing, some further coatedCarbide-tipped blades guide27mm to 67mmEasy-Cut Xtreme EZX trimetal blade for structural and stainless steel, cast iron, high-temperature alloys and tool steel.From £28.55 ex VAT£34.26 inc VAT
3881 Carbide Multi Set THQ Bandsaw BladeBahcoTungsten carbide tips on an alloy backing, some further coatedCarbide-tipped blades guide34mm to 67mmMulti Set THQ carbide blade for titanium, aerospace alloys, stainless steel and tool steel.From £38.87 ex VAT£46.64 inc VAT
3881 Carbide Multi Set THS Bandsaw BladeBahcoTungsten carbide tips on an alloy backing, some further coatedCarbide-tipped blades guide41mm to 67mmMulti Set THS honed carbide blade for stainless steel, high-nickel-chrome and aerospace alloys.From £40.16 ex VAT£48.19 inc VAT
M-Factor GP Bandsaw BladeMorseTungsten carbide tips on an alloy backingCarbide-tipped blades guide34mm to 41mmGeneral purpose carbide-tipped blade for small ferrous billets in alloy and stainless steel.From £35.61 ex VAT£42.73 inc VAT
3854 Sandflex King Cobra PQ Bandsaw BladeBahcoHSS tooth edge welded to a flexible alloy steel backingBi-metal blades guide27mm to 67mmKing Cobra PQ production blade with a patented floating set for special and difficult alloys.From £14.53 ex VAT£17.44 inc VAT
3858 King Cobra P9000 PQ Bandsaw BladeBahcoHSS tooth edge welded to a flexible alloy steel backingBi-metal blades guide41mm to 54mmKing Cobra P9000 PQ production bi-metal blade for special and difficult alloys.From £20.80 ex VAT£24.96 inc VAT

Getting the cut right

General rules that hold across machines. Exact widths, pitches and options are on each product page.

  1. Check the steel's condition first

    The same grade behaves like two different materials depending on heat treatment. Annealed bar saws respectably on premium bi-metal, while hardened or high-carbide stock will blunt an HSS edge before it earns its keep. Ask whether the material is annealed or hardened before choosing the blade. Treat unknown offcuts as hardened until proven otherwise.

  2. Step up to carbide when needed

    When bi-metal starts rubbing instead of cutting in hardened or high-carbide grades, the answer is a harder edge, not a heavier hand. Tungsten carbide tips stay hard far beyond HSS temperatures, so they keep forming chips in steels that glaze an HSS tooth. On abrasive grades carbide usually repays its extra cost in blade life.

  3. Match pitch to the section

    Choose tooth pitch from the width of the section, not the grade. Solid tool steel bar wants a coarser pitch that gives each tooth room to carry a chip clear of the cut, while thin plate needs enough teeth engaged to stop snagging. Wide production blades resist twisting in deep, tough sections.

  4. Keep the feed positive

    Dwell is the enemy in tough steel. Feed firmly enough that every tooth takes a genuine chip; a blade allowed to ride the surface rubs, builds heat and dulls fast. Keep coolant flowing to the cut, keep feed pressure consistent through the section and give a new blade a gentle running-in period before asking for full production rates.

A bandsaw parting a rectangular steel billet in a steady stream of coolant with fine chips falling, a digital caliper and height gauge on a granite surface plate in the foreground and tooling cabinets behind

Industry guide

Tool, Die and High-Temperature Alloys

Cutting tool steel for a living? The industry guide maps the whole workload, not just this material.

Read the guide

Other material guides

From the blog

Frequently asked questions

What blade do I need for cutting D2 tool steel?

D2 is a high-carbide grade: the hard carbides in the steel grind at a high speed steel edge on every pass, even in the annealed state. Tungsten carbide tips stay hard far beyond HSS temperatures and keep forming chips where an HSS tooth would rub, so carbide is the recommended blade for D2 whatever its heat treatment. If the condition is unknown, assume hardened and pick carbide.

Can I cut hardened tool steel on a bandsaw?

Yes, with the right edge. Hardened grades sit close to the hardness of a high speed steel tooth, so bi-metal blades blunt quickly and start rubbing. Tungsten carbide tips stay hard far beyond HSS temperatures and keep cutting where HSS gives up. Expect a slower, steadier cut than in annealed stock and keep the feed consistent.

What blade should I use for annealed tool steel?

Annealed tool steel saws respectably on a premium bi-metal blade. Powder-HSS tooth grades such as Bahco's King Cobra PHX range give the edge extra resistance to heat and wear on big or difficult sections. Save carbide for hardened and high-carbide grades where an HSS edge cannot hold up.

Tell the blade wizard your machine and length and it will narrow the range for tool steel.

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