It largely determines the accuracy and productivity of cutting material. The technical characteristics of saw blades discussed in the article and the key differences between them will help you choose the right blade for various types of work.

A file for a particular job is selected in two ways: firstly, they are guided by the inscriptions, and secondly, they look at the size, teeth and setting.

Reading the markings

There is no single standard for alphanumeric marking of blades for jigsaws, but most manufacturers adhere to the European classification from Bosch or indicate it in addition to their own designations.

Explanation of markings

Files are made from various brands steel, influencing the purpose of the blades and indicated by logos:

1. CV (HCS) is an elastic alloy alloy for cutting wood, synthetic and wood-composite products.
2. HSS - durable high speed steel for hard materials.
3. BM (Bi-Metal) is a compound of the first two grades of steel that can withstand significant loads and is suitable for many operations.
4. HM— hard alloy for cutting tiles and building blocks.

The purpose of the canvas is also indicated by the following marks:

1. Wood - soft lumber, fiber boards.
2. Hardwood - solid wood, laminated panels.
3. Inox - stainless steel.
4. Alu - aluminum.
5. Metal - tin, profiles and pipes.
6. Plaster, fiber - fiberglass.
7. Soft-material - rubber, polystyrene, carpets.
8. Acrylic - plexiglass, polycarbonate.

Sometimes there is an inscription on the file that specifies the type of work:

• basic - standard blade for high-quality cutting;
• speed - saw with set teeth for quick cutting;
• clean - blade without markings for a clean cut;
• progressor - saw with different teeth for cutting various materials;
• flexible - flexible blade for cutting metal;
• special - for cutting ceramics, plastic and other special work.

We cut wood materials

Cutting wood and everything made from it is the main purpose of a jigsaw. Therefore, a larger assortment saw blades is produced specifically for wood and is divided by type of work.

Fast cut

Certain construction work with wood does not require special care, for example, sawing timber for sheathing or dismantling old window frame. What is more important here is the speed provided by fast cutting blades with characteristic features:

1. Large teeth - up to 6 mm.
2. A fair amount of separation - about 1 mm.
3. Long blade - from 60 mm.
4. Width - up to 10 mm.

For thick workpieces, similar blades with large cutters are used, but without routing - they deviate less from the vertical. In principle, the thicker the file, the better it maintains perpendicularity.

Advice. A blade with an oblique tooth is better suited for cutting along the grain, and a blade with a straight tooth is better suited for a cross cut.

Clean cut

An operation such as pruning furniture board or parquet board, requires a smooth and precise cut. Such tasks are performed with less productivity, but with better quality, using blades for clean cutting that have:

1. Teeth less than 3 mm.
2. Minor divorce.

Most saw blades cut by retraction, so the material is placed reverse side. To mark and cut from the face, you need a blade with a reverse tooth. It is not very convenient for them to work - in addition to maintaining the direction of the cut, they have to overcome the force of pushing out the tool.

Advice. Allows you to cut panels laminated on both sides almost without chipping specialized file with two rows of teeth.

Curly cut

It is problematic to cut out small radii with a wide blade. Files for figured cutting They have a beveled back side, making it easier to turn, curves pass without chipping and differ in appearance:

1. Small (up to 2 mm) tooth.
2. Narrow working part - up to 4 mm.
3. Small length - up to 40 mm.

We cut polymer materials

PVC pipes and window sills are sawn using blades on wood or metal with a large tooth. Fine-toothed saws are also suitable, but you will have to cut at a minimum speed, otherwise the sawdust will soften and clog the blade - it will no longer be sawing, but cutting with heated metal.

For thin plastics and plexiglass, a metal file with no big teeth. For thick ones, you can take a wood blade, turn off the pendulum mechanism and cut at low speeds. Shaped sawing of polymer sheets is carried out with a narrow file on wood.

We work with metal

For cutting galvanized profiles and sheet metal products, wave saw blades are used, similar in profile to blades for a hand saw. They are distinguished by small (up to 1 mm) teeth, deflected not through one, but in groups of 3-5 pieces.

At permanent job take three blades: for steel, aluminum and for non-ferrous alloys. If you have to cut metal infrequently, then one steel file will be enough, which is also suitable for ebonite and textolite.

In general, a jigsaw is not suitable for sawing metal: the tool is heavily loaded, and the process is slow. Rather, this is an extreme method, justified only occasionally, for example, when cutting sandwich panels with bimetallic saws with small cutters at the edges and large ones in the middle.

Blades for specific tasks

Drywall and cement-containing materials quickly set any saw blade, with the exception of specially designed carbide-tipped blades, which also cut thermal insulation well.

The hole in the tile is cut using a ceramic file without teeth coated with carbide. It is also suitable for working with glass fiber reinforced polymers.

The cutting part of the blades for cardboard, rubber and other soft materials is not made with teeth, but with polished waves or simply looks like a knife.

Designed for sawing combined materials special files, one half of the blade of which is equipped with small teeth, and the other with large ones.

Advice. The length of the file is chosen based on the thickness of the material. To prevent the blade from tearing out or breaking, its end must extend out of the cutting line in any position of the jigsaw pendulum.

For household needs, a set of 5-10 files for various purposes is enough. Just starting to use a jigsaw, they purchase an inexpensive set, master the intricacies of working with different types of blades, and, based on their own experience, select necessary files. Still, there are no strict recommendations; often one canvas copes well with tasks that are atypical for it. Here you can experiment, but think first.

Let's try to understand the labeling of such a common consumable as a jigsaw file.

The purpose is determined by the color of the shank on the side of the alphanumeric designations. If the shank

• gray - the file is intended for sawing wood:
• white - for wood and metal
• blue - only for metal work
• red - for sawing plastics
• black - other materials

Now let's go over the alphanumeric symbols mentioned above. Let's go in order.

First comes the letter T or U. It indicates the type of saw attachment. The more common T-shaped mount, but there is also a U-shaped one - see diagram

The letters M (Makita) and F (Fein) may also appear

The following numbers indicate the working length. They can be 1,2,3,7

1. short (length up to 75 millimeters)
2. medium (length from 75 to 90 millimeters)
3. long (length from 90 to 150 millimeters)
4. very long (length exceeds 150 millimeters)

The second and third numbers show the purpose of the file itself.

F - bimetallic files. They are of the highest quality: they cut cleaner and faster, last longer
O - narrow files for curved cuts
P - thicker files, due to which they move less from side to side and the cut is perpendicular to the surface.
R - regressive blades, that is, with a reverse tooth
X - universal blade (for any materials)

Then comes the steel grade

HCS(high carbon steel) - high carbon steel, its hardness is 45-48 HRC. This steel is optimal for working on soft materials (wood and its derivatives - MDF, chipboard, fiberboard, as well as plastics);

CV(chrom vanadium) - Chrome is vanadium steel, its hardness should be 50-52 HRC. It is more wear-resistant compared to the previous one. Used for the same materials;

H.S.S.(high speed steel) - high-speed steel, also known as high-speed steel, hardness of at least 61-65 HRC, used for processing hard materials (aluminum and other non-ferrous metals and even mild steel). Compared to HCS, HSS files are thinner, but have significantly greater hardness;

BIM(bi-metal) is a combination of HSS and HCS steels in one sheet. Files of this kind are expensive and are usually used for professional use. They take both wood and metals well;

H.M.(hard material) - the hardest grade of steel, tungsten carbide hard alloy, hardness 79 HRC. Such blades are suitable for special types of work - cutting fiberglass, tiles and aerated concrete.

This classification is quite arbitrary and is not followed by all manufacturers. Therefore, it is worth discussing each file separately.

Files used for woodworking

T101B- this is a fairly short fine-toothed file (length 74 mm). Designed for working on soft wood, plywood up to 30 mm thick. The fine tooth allows for a clean cut.

The same thing, but with the teeth in the opposite direction. Excellent for cutting materials where chips on the front surface are undesirable (for example, tabletops). When working, additional force is required to press the jigsaw onto the material, since the working stroke throws the tool up.

T101P- has a larger tooth compared to T101B (4.5 mm). Allows you to cut the same materials, but their thickness can reach 45 mm.

An even longer file (91 mm), the maximum thickness reaches 65 mm.

A narrow thin file with a fine tooth (1.4 mm) is used for clean curved cuts of wood and its derivatives with a thickness of 1.5 - 15 mm.

Short fine-toothed bimetal file. Designed for sawing laminated materials up to 15 mm thick. - the same, the nose has a larger tooth (2.7 mm), the thickness of the materials reaches 30 mm.

The same, but with a reverse tooth.

This is a file with a fairly thick blade and large teeth (4 mm). The teeth are set apart. Due to its thickness, the file is more stable in one plane and does not move to the side. Disadvantages - it is a rough cut with a lot of chips.

The same thing, but with a bimetallic blade, it is more expensive, cuts longer and has a better length of 74 mm.

This file is twice as long as the above-mentioned one - it is 126 mm.

T345XF is another long bimetal file (106 mm). Its tooth is quite large. Designed for cutting wood with nails, plastic, metals (including aluminum).

Specialized metal files

T118A- a short, fine-toothed file for metal sheets no more than 13 mm thick.

T318A- this is a longer file, great for cutting metal pipes with a diameter of no more than 65 mm.

T118G- the file has the smallest teeth (0.7 mm) and is designed for cutting on the thinnest sheets of metal (0.5-1.5 mm)

Universal files

T234X, T123X are universal files for cutting various types of wood, plastic and metal.

Special files

Thin saw blade of stainless steel(up to 2 mm)

Longer file for steel 2-5 mm thick

Fiberglass file. Thickness limit 65 mm

Saw for plasterboard and cement bonded particle boards up to 50 mm thick

Longer blade (106 mm), which makes it possible to cut materials up to 85 mm thick

T101A- file for plexiglass up to 20 mm thick

T113A- file for leather, rubber, cardboard up to 50 mm thick. It has no teeth and has a cutting edge similar to a knife.

Longer blade for similar materials thickness up to 100 mm. Has a wavy blade

T130Riff,T150Riff - files designed for cutting ceramic tiles. They are equipped with diamond coating. T130 is intended for rough cuts, and T150 is for finishing cuts.

T308B, T308BF - file, for cutting materials laminated on both sides. Thanks to two rows of teeth, the number of chips is minimized. This is a fairly thin file, so it shakes quite a lot from side to side.

Today we will analyze the types of files for an electric jigsaw, because when choosing, the buyer has many questions. There are a lot of types of saws, because with a jigsaw you can cut not only wood, the list is much longer. Therefore, in this article we will figure out which saws are best for cutting simple wood, and which chipboard or fibreboard, which saws are used to cut different kinds metal

And of course, we will pay attention to the markings, so after reading this article, you will begin to understand which file is suitable for which work. It’s not for nothing that there are different letters and numbers on the files. What do they mean? We will analyze all this using the example of popular models from Bosch, since they good quality, and their price is very low.

Marking

If you have ever been to a tool store, you have seen that there are letters and numbers on the shank of any saw. Let's figure out what they mean.

The letter T means the type of fastening, that is, T-shaped (Fig. 1). There is also U, which is much less common (Fig. 2).

The numbers on the shank mean:

The first number is the length:

• 1 - standard short, length up to 75 mm.
• 2 — average length, up to 90 mm
• 3 - extended, up to 150 mm
• 7 - the longest (over 150 mm)

The following letters indicate the size of the teeth:
A,B,C,D

Tooth A is the smallest, so all metal files have A, for example T118A means a file with a T-shaped shank, short, very fine tooth. Next, respectively, B - a slightly larger tooth (most often these are saws with fine teeth for plywood, chipboard, fiberboard and wood for a clean cut). Files with the letters C and D - with the largest teeth, for rough sawing on wood.

There are also saws with two letters at the end, for example the T119BO model, so let’s look at what the last letter means:

• F - bimetal (the coolest, highest quality)
• R - with reverse tooth
• X - universal for wood, metal and plastic.
• O - for a curved cut (cutting a circle, for example, usually thin, so that the file can be turned straight while sawing).
• P - thick options for sawing strictly at the exact selected angle (thick, do not bend, so they cut perfectly). A prominent representative is the T144DP, which costs significantly more than the standard ones.

On wood

The main purpose of an electric jigsaw is cutting wood. There are a huge number of files for this purpose and they are all different. Let's go in order.

If you need to cut ordinary boards and you don’t care about the quality of the cut, its cleanliness, you work for speed (for example, cutting ordinary boards for firewood or for a fence), then buy jigsaw files with large teeth. Thanks to this, the sawing speed will be high, and if you work with a jigsaw in pendulum mode, then everything will be just fine.

In addition, also pay attention to the length of the saw, since you won’t be able to cut a board or block 70 mm thick (for example) with a regular saw, you will need an extended one.

Well, the third nuance when choosing is thickness, standard files are not thick, but there are thicker ones (they cut much better because they don’t bend). Since most jigsaws use a standard mount (T-shaped), the name of the saw blades for such a mount begins with the letter T.

For a standard set of nail files, see the photo:

Well, now we’ll look at each file separately, what it can cut, and what kind of work it’s best suited for.

For metal.

T118A is a standard metal file, has a very fine tooth (like metal blades). You can cut metal up to 3 mm, but there is a terrible grinding noise, so use hearing protection. Highly recommend. Also, due to the fact that the tooth is very small, it is also recommended to saw plastic with it; many finishers do this.

These are 5 files that we constantly sell along with jigsaws. By by and large they are enough for all household chores.

In addition to the standard metal file, there is special options for some other metal. For example, an aluminum file has a larger tooth, so the teeth do not clog. After all, aluminum is a soft metal, so the standard one for metal gets clogged with shavings very quickly.
T224D - for aluminum, special. It says Alu on it.

Sawing on tiles, stone and porcelain stoneware.

Not everyone has tile cutters and grinders, so they came up with special files for jigsaws on tiles. The blade has tungsten carbide coating instead of teeth, which actually cuts any stone surface.

T150Riff - special for tiles, cost about 250 rubles. Excellent for cutting tiles.

Properly selected components make working with any tool more convenient and enjoyable. Perhaps the most significant working element of a jigsaw is the saw blade. This consumable can turn the cutting process into a smooth and neat song, or vice versa, reduce the work to a crooked and nibbled nonsense. To save yourself from possible unpleasant situations and choose the optimal canvas for your purposes, it is useful to know their types and features. Jigsaw files, at first glance, may seem too diverse, but after reading this article, you will understand that their classification is simple and very convenient.

Explanation of markings

Today, there are several standards for saw blades, each of which is assigned to a specific brand. The most popular files in Europe are files from Bosh. In second place is Makita. The third place is shared by Festool, Hitachi and the rest. Since the marking of Bosch standard jigsaw files is the most common, we will analyze it in more detail.

As you may have noticed in the image above, the number and letter designations of the saw blade have their place and meaning. To provide a clearer picture of the overall picture, let’s talk about each symbol in a nutshell.

Shank type may have several different variations, which must be taken into account by owners of jigsaws with quick-release fastening. If your tool has a block or screw clamp, you can install a blade with any shank into it.

Saw blade length selected based on the assigned tasks and can exceed 150 mm. Choosing long file, it is important to understand the power of your jigsaw, since not every tool is designed to work with thick materials. Also, the blade is too long, when working with relatively thin material, will vibrate strongly, which will significantly reduce the quality of the cut. The most optimal length for standard household jigsaws on wood, is 75 mm. This indicator is due to the fact that similar models will not be able to handle thicker material.

Teeth size affects the quality and speed of cutting. If you are working with decorative or facing materials, it is better to choose a file with the smallest teeth (A). This way the work will be much more accurate, although noticeably slower. For quick and rough cutting of boards, chipboards and similar materials, it is recommended to use blades with larger teeth (B, C, D). Determining whether to sacrifice speed or quality should be based on the tasks at hand.

Special parameters indicate the features of the saw blade and have a direct impact on the quality of certain types of work. Briefly about each parameter:

• F – Bimetallic. A fairly flexible blade with very strong teeth, which is a symbiosis of two metals. It is used for straight and figured cutting of metal and has increased wear resistance.
• O – With a narrow back. A relatively thin jigsaw file used for curved cuts.
• P – For precise cutting. Thick fabric that is resistant to bending during operation. Great for precise, straight cuts at precise angles.
• X – Progressive teeth. Multi-purpose saw blades suitable for cutting wood, plastic and metal. What they pay for their versatility is the quality of the cut, which leaves much to be desired.
• R – Reversible (reverse) teeth. Unlike the standard direction, upward, the teeth of the reversible blades are directed downward. When working with a jigsaw with a similar file, chips form on the opposite side.

In addition to the standard European marking, which not all manufacturers adhere to, there is a single designation that can be found in the description of any saw blade.

Saw blade material
Depending on the material being processed, files can be made from the following steel grades:

• CV – chrome vanadium steel. Used in the production of saws for wood and its derivatives (plywood, fiberboard, chipboard and others).
• HCS – alloy (carbon) steel. Suitable for cutting wood and plastic.
• HSS – high speed steel. Used for cutting metals.
• BM (Bi-Metal) - a bimetallic blade is a mixture of two grades of steel (HCS and HSS), where the back of the blade has an HCS alloy and the teeth have an HSS alloy. Bimetallic blades are very durable and maneuverable, and can be used for straight and curved cutting of wood and metal.
• HIM is an alloy based on tungsten carbide. Files made from steel of this grade are used to work with ceramics, foam blocks and similar materials.

In addition to dry technical data, the manufacturer can indicate the clear purpose of the saw blade. Often, information about the type of materials and type of work is indicated on the packaging, but there are cases when these designations are written directly on the file. Below are options for the most common verbal designations with explanations.

For what material

• Wood – Saws for plywood, chipboard, fiberboard and soft wood.
• Hardwood – Blades for cutting dense wood and laminate.
• Metal – For working with ferrous metals.
• Alu – For cutting aluminum.
• Inox – For stainless steel.
• Fiber&Plaster – For cutting polymer products.
• Soft-material – Universal blade for working with metals, plastics and wood.

Work assignment

• Basic – File with average cutting quality. The best option for everyday use at home.
• Clean – Blade for making a clean cut.
• Speed ​​– For rough but fast cuts.
• Flexible – Flexible saw blade for working with metal.

Types of jigsaw files

The variety of saw blades today goes beyond the understanding of the average user. Jigsaw saws are divided by size, tooth pitch, types cutting edges and other parameters that are completely alien and uninteresting to most buyers. At the same time, everyone wants to work with an optimally tuned tool and get results of the required quality. To briefly and clearly explain to you how to choose a jigsaw file, we have divided them according to the most popular materials.

Jigsaw blades for wood

Wood and its derivatives are cut using steel blades of grades CV, HCS and BM. The size of the teeth depends on the type of material being processed and the quality requirements for the cutting line:

A and B are blades with the smallest teeth. Used for clean cutting of laminate flooring.
C – medium teeth with appropriate cutting quality. Popular for working with chipboard, fiberboard, plywood and wood.
D – maximum length tooth Used for quick but rough cutting chipboard and wood.
For straight cuts decorative materials(coated boards or laminate), a T101BR file (with medium-sized reversible teeth) is suitable.

It is better to cut timber or thick wood with a T344C blade (long with large teeth). The size of the file should be selected based on the thickness of the material being cut.

The main qualities that a chipboard file for a jigsaw should have are short length (up to 75 cm), class A or B teeth with an average pitch of 2-3 mm.

It is better to make a figured cut using a dense type T101BO (with medium-sized teeth and a thin back).

Jigsaw blades for metal

Metal cutting electric jigsaw, occurs using files made of the following steel grades: HSS and BM. Such cutting elements are characterized by small teeth with a wave-like setting (like on a hacksaw for metal). Bimetal types of jigsaw (BM) files have larger teeth that become smaller towards the base.


For cutting sheet metal, 1-3 mm thick, a T118A file, up to 75 cm long, with a fine tooth, is suitable.

It is better to cut thicker metal, up to 6 mm, with a T118B specimen of the same length (up to 75 cm), but with larger teeth.

Pipes or metal profiles 1-3 mm thick can be conveniently cut with T318A blades (90-150 mm, fine tooth).

To work with very thin sheets(from 0.5 to 1.5), a metal jigsaw file, brand T118G (up to 75 cm, with a microscopic tooth) is suitable.

Files for plastic

To work with a jigsaw with PVC products, blades made of the following steel grades are used: CV, HCS, HSS and BM. Both special files for plastic (Fiber&Plaster) and regular ones for wood or metal are suitable here. When working with this material, it is better to give preference to large teeth (B, C, D). If you only have files with fine teeth, it is recommended to set the minimum speed on the tool, since heated plastic filings can seriously clog the cutting part.

It is better to cut thick plastic with a bimetallic blade T101BF (up to 75 cm, medium-sized tooth). The speed should be below average.

Plexiglas and sheets of plastic can be cut quite confidently with a T101A metal file with a fine tooth.

Jigsaw blade for ceramics

The fragile structure of ceramics differs significantly from flexible metal and fibrous wood. To cut such material, special blades are required, differing from ordinary ones in the absence of teeth, in place of which tungsten carbide or diamond spraying is applied. The jigsaw file for tiles is made of carbide material, marked “HM”.

In most cases, the copies presented in stores consist of a tungsten carbide alloy and can only cope with wall tiles. There are stronger diamond jigsaw blades available for masonry that can cut floor tiles.
When working with ceramics with a jigsaw, you should understand that this tool is not intended for such material. This device is best used for curved cuts, and for straight cuts - a tile cutter or grinder.

For cardboard

Jigsaw blades for cardboard, rubber, foam and other soft materials have a wavy cutting part, without any teeth. During operation, the file does not crumble or tear the material, but smoothly and accurately divides it into even parts.

Great for cutting carpeting and costs significantly less than professional scissors.

The best jigsaw files

A variety of different brands allows us to make the best choice of saw blade for your budget. Among the products offered you can find consumables of different quality. If we talk about which jigsaw files are better, we can highlight several manufacturers: Bosh, Makita and Matabo.

The most common, with quality that exceeds the price, are the original Bosh brand canvases, of any classification. The jigsaw files of this brand are ideally designed and very easy to use. Unfortunately, among the offers there are often low-quality fakes that create a false impression about this company. Fortunately, there are several proven ways to distinguish a fake jigsaw file from an original one.

1. Counterfeit goods are produced by stamping from a large sheet of metal, as a result of which one of the sides of the saw blade has slightly rounded edges. Original Bosch files, machined perfectly smooth on all sides.
2. Low-quality metal with corrosion and defects indicates a defective product.
3. The inscriptions and emblems on the file must be clear, without blurry outlines. If the seal on the file is askew and blurred, then this means that this is a fake.

You can learn in more detail about the distinctive features of counterfeit saw blades from the video below.

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