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.
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
Constructions and ranges from the manufacturers' published data, with the honest reason each blade makes the list. Every one is welded to your machine's length.
| Blade | Construction | Width range | Why this blade | From price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy-Cut Xtreme EZX Trimetal Bandsaw BladeBahco 3859 | Tungsten carbide tips on an alloy backing, some further coatedCarbide-Tipped Blades guide | 27mm to 54mm | Bahco rates this trimetal carbide blade for tool steel alongside stainless, cast iron and high-temperature alloys, giving carbide life with general purpose range. | From £45.00 ex VATsample pricing |
| Carbide Multi Set THQ Bandsaw BladeBahco 3881 | Tungsten carbide tips on an alloy backing, some further coatedCarbide-Tipped Blades guide | 34mm to 67mm | An advanced multi-chip carbide blade rated for tool steel, titanium and high-nickel-chrome alloys, built for production cutting in aerospace and energy subcontract work. | From £65.00 ex VATsample pricing |
| Sandflex King Cobra PHX Bandsaw BladeBahco 3854 | HSS tooth edge welded to a flexible alloy steel backingBi-Metal Blades guide | 34mm to 67mm | Powder-HSS tips give this production bi-metal blade extra resistance to heat and wear, earning its keep sawing tool steel in toolrooms and engineering shops. | From £29.50 ex VATsample pricing |
| Sandflex King Cobra P9000 PHX Bandsaw BladeBahco 3858 | HSS tooth edge welded to a flexible alloy steel backingBi-Metal Blades guide | 34mm to 67mm | Higher-grade powder-HSS teeth than the 3854 aim this production bi-metal blade at big, tough tool steel workpieces where tooth wear sets the pace. | From £32.50 ex VATsample pricing |
Getting the cut right
General rules that hold across machines. Exact widths, pitches and options are on each product page.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Suggested image
Action shot: recommended blade cutting tool steel, cut face visible
materials/tool-steel/cutting
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.
Frequently asked questions
Tell the wizard your machine and length and it will match tool steel to a blade that fits.
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