Your jigsaw is only as good as the blade. 70 percent of the saw’s performance rests on your choice of blade. If you want the neatest outcomes with the least amount of errors, you need to take the subject of jigsaw blades seriously.
We look at the best jig saw blades so that you can make an informed choice. We show what the difference is between each blade type and which varieties are better for cutting specific materials.
- Bi-metal blades
- High tooth count
- T-shank
- Suitable for wood
- 5-piece set
- Bi-metal blades
- High-carbon steel
- Long blades
- Low tooth count
- Assorted blade set
- Ultra-smooth finish
- 10 TPI
- 20-piece set
- Universal
- High-carbon blade material
What Are the Different Types of Jigsaw Blade?
There are several ways to classify the different types of jigsaw blades.
1. Shank
The shank is the part of the blade that locks into the power tool. There are two types of shank:
Universal Shank
Don’t be fooled by the name, because while it may be a U-type shank, it doesn’t follow that it fits all jigsaw models. The U shape characterizes the shank, with a cut out at the top. Many older jigsaws use this type of blade, but with the advent of the T-shaped blade, their use has declined.
T-Shaped Shank
As we’ve said, the T-shaped shank is the most common in use today and is the most compatible blade. The majority of jigsaws accommodate this type of shank. They are easier to change and have a tang that fits into the tool-less blade clamp of the tool.
2. Blade Material
Jigsaw blades come in three types of material:
High-Carbon Steel Blades (HCS)
High-carbon steel blades are the best choice when making curved designs in wood. They are inexpensive and flexible. The low cost of these blades means they can be bulk-purchased, keeping your costs down further.
The downside of this material is these blades can wander off course easily, and they dull quickly.
Bi-Metal Blades
These blades are an amalgamation of carbon steel bodies with high-speed steel teeth. It gives them the advantage of being flexible for curved cutting, but they are more robust and dull a lot slower than high-carbon blades.
These blades are suitable for cutting wood, as well as metal, making them an excellent all-round blade choice.
Tungsten Blades
Tungsten carbide blades are highly resistant to heat, so they are more durable than other types of blades. They have no teeth, instead getting their cutting strength from a coating of tungsten carbide grit along the cutting edge.
These blades are suitable for cutting through ceramics, steel, and fiberglass.
How Do I Choose the Best Jigsaw Blade?
There are a number of factors at play when it comes to choosing the right jigsaw blade, such as the type of material you are cutting, the type of cuts, and the type of blade you select.
Type of Material
Wood
High-carbon steel blades are for cutting through wood. They are flexible, which enables you to create intricate cuts with ease. As we said before, carbon steel blades are inexpensive, especially when bought in bulk. They also dull quicker than other more robust blades, which is why they are better suited to hard or softwood.
Plastic and Hard Metal
To cut through harder material, look for a blade that has either tungsten carbide or high-speed steel. Also, the number of teeth is a crucial factor when determining which blade is suitable for which material.
Aluminum
Aluminum is a softer metal, which typically comes in sheet form, so requires less teeth per inch. For that reason, many aluminum blades have eight or ten teeth per inch.
Number of Teeth Per Inch (TPI)
The number of teeth per inch is crucial if you want the best outcomes in the material you have, as they determine the cutting speed and performance. The lower the TPI, the faster the blade cuts. Also, a lower tooth-count means the cut is rougher.
For Wood
You should consider a low tooth count because wood is a soft material. You could try for between 6 and 8 TPI. This enables the blade to move faster and cut more rapidly. However, on some wood, you could easily get away with a blade with a tooth count of between 4 and 6 TPI.
Also, the wider the gullets, the easier it is for the blade to scoop out excess sawdust, which reduces the heat build-up, a significant reason why blades dull.
For Plastic
Plastic is the softest material, and so the tooth count needs to be slightly higher to prevent the cutting edge from roughing. The more teeth, the neater the cut because each tooth makes a more precise cut. If you can get a blade with ten teeth, that will be fine, but ideally, it should be 16 to 18 TPI for the best results.
For Metal
Jigsaws aren’t the best tools for cutting hard metal, but if you do decide to give it a go, choose a blade that has a minimum of 20 TPI, and preferably TPI. The blades need to move more slowly when cutting hard metal and the increase in teeth does this.
Do Jigsaw Blades Fit All Jigsaws?
The simple answer is no. Older jigsaws utilized a locking tool that was compatible with the U-shaped shank, but as the T-shank was introduced and grew in popularity, the U-shank has faded.
You can still buy U-shank blades, but the best jigsaws produced today are almost exclusively designed to take the T-shank blades.
The Best Jigsaw Blades of 2021
Given the sheer number of jigsaw blades available, it was important that we focused on blades for cutting different materials so you get the best when making your choice.
DeWALTJigsaw Blade Set With Case
This 14-piece set of DeWALT jigsaw blades caters to all the materials you need to cut. When it comes to cutting stainless steel, this set has two bi-metal blades, one with 18 teeth and the other with a staggering 32 teeth.
Because stainless steel is a hard material, the 32-tooth option would be better because it means you get a more delicate cut, and the blade moves slower. These two blades are 3 inches in length, and all in the set have the T-shank design.
Why We Love It
Bi-Metal Blades
Constructed from a combination of a carbon steel shaft, for flexibility, and high-speed steel teeth, these two blades make light work of the hardest metals.
High Tooth Count
The 32-teeth increases the neatness of the cut and allows the blade to move slowly enough so that you maintain full control.
T-Shank
The T-shank means this blade set is almost universal. It won’t fit U-shank jigsaws, but the vast majority of jigsaws produced today are the T-shank varieties.
Fits Bosch and DeWALT Jigsaws
This jigsaw blade set is compatible with both Bosch and DeWALT jigsaws, although T-shank blades are universal, meaning that they should fit almost any corresponding brand.
Keep In Mind
The Case
DeWALT supplies this blade set with a folding case specifically designed to hold these blades. However, there are seven-blade varieties, with two of each one. That totals 14 blades. DeWALT has only given enough slots to hold six lots of two blades, leaving two out in the cold. Bizarre!
Additional Specs
| Suitable for | Hard metal and aluminum |
| Material | Bi-metal |
| Length | 3 inches |
| TPI | 18 and 32 |
| Warranty | 3-year |
Bosch T127DF 5-Piece Flexible Aluminum T-Shank Blades
These blades cut through aluminum and fiberglass, as well as thick plastic. The TPI is eight, and the length of these blades measures 4 inches overall with a working range of 3 inches.
They are bi-metal, so suited to harder materials, and flexible, which means that they are easier to handle while cutting.
These blades are not suitable for cutting stainless steel or other hard metals, because the TPI is too low.
Why We Love It
Suitable for Wood
These blades are suitable for cutting hard and softwood because they have a low TPI. It means that the broader gullets can handle scooping out all that sawdust. Also, because these are bi-metal, you get long-lasting sharpness.
5-Piece Set
This five-piece set should last a while because the bi-metal is durable thanks to the high-speed steel teeth.
Keep In Mind
Not Suitable for Hard Metal
Many bi-metal jigsaw blades designed to cut metal have a higher TPI, so the low TPI of these blades means you would struggle to make cuts in hard metal surfaces.
Additional Specs
| Suitable for | Aluminum, soft and hardwood |
| Material | Bi-metal |
| Length | 3 inches |
| TPI | 8 |
| Warranty | 30-day |
Bosch T744D3T-Shank 3-Piece Wood Set
This Bosch three-piece set of wood blades has 6 teeth per inch, so it is ideal for cutting through soft and hardwood. Because of the low tooth count, it won’t give you the neatest cutting line, but the added speed and the wider gullets mean that it will scoop sawdust.
Each blade is 7 inches long and T-shank, so they should fit most jigsaws, and they are high carbon steel for added durability and flexibility.
Why We Love It
High-Carbon Steel
These blades are designed to be sharp and fast and produce minimal break resistance. That means they last longer and dull slower.
Long Blades
These blades are long. At 7inches in total, it gives you 6 inches of cutting blade, they can rip through wood material up to 5 inches in thickness. So, if you are cutting boards or countertops, this blade set can handle it.
Keep In Mind
Rough Cut
Remember that you won’t get a neat finish with a blade that only has 6 teeth per inch. You will need to sand the cut to remove any splinters of wood.
Blades Dull
Even though these blades have a lasting break resistance, they will dull pretty quickly compared to bi-metal blades. High-carbon is a softer material, which means it is only suitable for soft and hardwood.
Additional Specs
| Suitable for | Soft and hardwood |
| Material | High-carbon |
| Length | 7 inches |
| TPI | 6 |
| Warranty | 30-day |
Black+Decker 75-626 Assorted Jigsaw Blade Set
Like the DeWALT assorted blade set, this Black+Decker set has blades that cut through wood and metal. However, it does include a saw blade constructed from high-carbon steel that gives the flexibility and maneuverability to act as a coping saw.
It has 10 TPI and gives a smooth cutting line requiring minimal sanding. The added flexibility of the blade material means that tight turns and bends are achievable with a little practice.
Why We Love It
Assorted Blade Set
This 24-piece set means that you should have all the saw blades you need. Whatever the task, you will have a blade that has it covered.
Ultra-Smooth Finish
The smoother the cutting edge, the less work you have to do. The 10 TPI ensures that you get a smooth edge, coupled with the flexibility and precision this blade gives, coping should be a breeze.
Keep In Mind
U-Shank Style Blades
Most jigsaws cater to T-shank blades, so you might struggle to find a model that fits this U-shank. U-shanks are less common and gradually dying out as T-shanks increase in popularity.
Additional Specs
| Suitable for | All material types |
| Material | High-carbon, bi-metal |
| Length | 3 inches |
| TPI | Assorted (Coping blade has 10 TPI) |
| Warranty | No warranty |
Tarose 20-Piece T119BO Assorted Scrolling Jigsaw Blade Set
If you are looking for fine scrollwork, this Tarose set of assorted scrolling blades is ideal. This is a 20-piece set so that you will be spoilt for choice. Each blade measures 3 inches overall, but once attached to a jigsaw, it gives you a 2-inch cutting blade.
This enables you to get intricate and have greater control. The flexible, high-carbon blade material also means the blade will do what you want. Each blade has 12 TPI, so it moves fast enough to work quickly to give you a smooth finish, but not so fast that you lose control.
Why We Love It
20-Piece Set
This blade set will keep you scrolling for a long time. High-carbon is known to dull quickly, but with 20 blades to use, you needn’t worry.
Universal
These blades are T-shank and fit almost any manufacturer’s jigsaw. That’s nearly 90 percent of the jigsaws available on the market.
Keep In Mind
Only Suitable for Scrolling
While this blade set will cut wood and PVC in a straight line, for the best use, try scrollwork. Making intricate curved cuts requires a specialist blade, so if you want to cut something different, look for a multi-purpose blade.
Won’t Cut Metal
The tooth count on these blades prohibits their use when cutting metal. The cutting line would be too rough, and the blades would dull after a couple of applications.
Additional Specs
| Suitable for | Wood and PVC |
| Material | High-carbon |
| Length | 2 inches |
| TPI | 12 |
| Warranty | No warranty |
| Product | Best | Suitable for | Material | Length | TPI | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeWALTJigsaw Blade Set | Stainless Steel | Hard metal & aluminum | Bi-metal | 3″ | 18 & 32 | 3-year |
| Bosch T127DF Flexible T-Shank Blades | Aluminum | Aluminum, soft & hardwood | Bi-metal | 3″ | 8 | 30-day |
| Bosch T744D3T-Shank Wood Set | Wood | Soft & hardwood | High-carbon | 7″ | 6 | 30-day |
| Black+Decker 75-626 Jigsaw Blade | Coping | All material types | High-carbon, bi-metal | 3″ | Assorted | None |
| Tarose T119BO Jigsaw Blade Set | Scrolling | Wood & PVC | High-carbon | 2″ | 12 | None |
Choose Your Blade
As we said at the start, your jigsaw is only as good as the blade you choose. Any old blade will not do.
Know what you are cutting and what the capabilities of the blade are. Also, get to know what the teeth per inch count mean because that’s an easy way to match the blade to the material.
