Band Saw Blades: The right tools for the job

| BlackHawk Team

As most of you know, a band saw is primarily used to smoothly cut irregular shapes and to turn lumber into thinner slabs. Add the appropriate saw blade into the mix and not only can it be used to cut wood but also several different types of metal.

Over the course of use a bandsaw blade, like any saw blade, will dull and require sharpening or replacing. This takes both money and time. Before sending the saw blade out for sharpening or replacing it, examine it for pitch and dirt. If you find grime, then cleaning might be the next best and least expensive step.

Most saw blades that are used for wood can become dirty or covered with pitch from cutting resinous woods. Pine is the likely culprit as it is especially high in resins. Signs of a dirty or dull saw blade are:

  • Cutting at a slower feed rate
  • More burning on woods that didn’t burn before
  • Increased difficulty in following a line
  • More tear out on cuts

There are many different types of cleaning agents on the market made to clean saw blades specifically. They include;

  • Rockler Pitch & Resin Remover
  • Sprayway Saw Cleaner
  • CMT Bit and Blade Cleaner

While these products are made especially for saw blades, my research found that many woodworkers found them to come up short against regular house hold cleaners. Not only do these products have better reviews, in most cases they’re much cheaper to buy. The list includes:

A good cleaning takes the debris off your saw blade and unfortunately, it also removes beneficial oils that were previously lubricating and protecting it. Before using the blade again, you’ll need to apply a lubricant to make sure that the blade cuts cleanly and rust doesn’t develop. Listed below are a few of the most popular products used for this task:

  • Bostic Dir-Coat
  • FLITZ Metal Wax
  • Pam Cooking Spray
  • Johnson's Paste Wax without silicone

No one wants to stop in the middle of a job to clean or replace a dirty or broken saw blade. The best rule to follow is to clean your saw blade daily. Before cleaning, always check to make sure that the saw blade is in good working condition. This assures peak performance and in the long run it will improve the blade lifespan.

Please see all of our saw blades and cleaning products on our website. Our trained professionals at BlackHawk Industrial are happy to help you with any of your saw blade questions. We welcome you to contact us here: https://www.bhid.com/ContactUs or call us TOLL FREE at (855) 610-1001.