The Sawing Cut
This is the last post in our series on the different types of cuts, but you can check out slicing cuts here and ripping cuts here. The sawing cut is the most aggressive cut and are made with set tooth blades that create a kerf. Kerf is the amount of material that is removed by the blade. Some common applications for sawing blades are: wood, closed cell foam, cardboard, metal, bone-in meat, and Styrofoam. Depending on the style of blade, they may or may not be heat treated. A couple of other key features are the hook angle and type of set. The hook angle is how far over 90° the tip of the tooth is. Some common hook angles are 0°, 7°, and 10°. The most common sets are every tooth set (ETS) and Raker set. The ETS tooth pattern is left, right, left, right... while the raker set pattern is left, right, straight, left, right, straight... This post will look at our Conventional Tooth ETS (CTETS), Packaging ETS (PKGETS), Flex Back, Butcher Band, and Timber Slitter Blades.
CTETS and PKGETS
These blades are the perfect choice for cutting medium to heavy foam, polyethylene foam, bubble wrap with a cardboard core, and Styrofoam. They both have an ETS set pattern. The main difference is the CTETS blades have a more aggressive angled tooth shape and the PKGETS blades have a V-Tooth Shape. The standard version of these blades are not heat treated but can be to increase durability. They are also available in double edge for cutting both directions. You can get more information including sizes here.
Flex Back and Timber Slitter
Precision Blades Flex-Back is perfect for general wood processing including contouring, furniture frame cutting, cardboard/packaging material, bubble wrap, and polyethylene foam. The teeth are heat-tempered to a high Rockwell hardness, leaving the back of the blade more flexible. This dual process provides a precision sharpened, hardened tooth that cuts quickly and efficiently through the wood, while the flexible blade back provides greater elasticity, dramatically extending the life of the blade. For the furniture cutting process, it is recommended that every tooth be set (ETS). Precision Blades Timber-Slitter blades are a high carbon, heat tempered blade that are perfect for timber slitting applications. They easily cut through both soft and hardwoods, and may also be used for portable sawmills or fixed multi-head sawmills, pallet manufacturing, fencing, crates, and timber boards.
Butcher Band
The most common “Butcher Blade” applications include beef, pork, fish, and poultry. However it can also be used for dense foams, corrugated cardboard, tubes, packaging materials, polyethylene/polyurethane foams. The “Butcher Blade” has a set tooth configuration (one tooth left, one tooth right) with one straight (raker tooth) every third tooth. The teeth are heat tempered, to provide a harder cutting surface while the back is left untreated to provide elasticity to the blade structure. You can get more information including sizes here.
We Can Help!
If you need assistance in selecting the right blade, have any questions about your blades, or the material you are cutting, we're here to help. Our experts can provide guidance and recommend the best blades for your specific needs. You can also use our free of charge Blade Efficiency Analysis to confirm you are using the best blade for the job. Contact us today to learn more about our range of blades and accessories that can make your operations run smoother!
