Bandsaw Blades for Handle Materials

James Terrio

James Terrio

Well-Known Member
I have a Craftsman bandsaw like this that's not set up yet.

Anyone have recommendations for good blades for cutting "slabs" of G10 and micarta into scales? Is there a safe way to use this type saw to resaw blocks of wood into scales?
 
Good for wood......not so much for G10. Would use a portaband or metal cutting saw for that, or even wet saw for tile. L
 
That is pretty fast to cut G10 and Micarta. I use my Jet wood bandsaw on it's slowest speed for cutting G10 and Micarta (actually all my handle materials). I use a 10 tpi bi-metal blade for my handle material. G10 will eat a wood blade.

Edit, you need a saw that you can slow the speed down on, my wood saw won't go slow enough to cut metal but it does have three speeds.
 
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I have that exact same saw in my shop. The only way I have gotten any use out of it is to have the blades custom made. Those blades are 70 1/2" which is NOT a common size. That means that if your going to buy the blades commercially, you don't have much other choice than to buy them from Sears....and those blade are just plain junk. You MIGHT be able to cut pine or other very soft wood with the Sears blades, but anything harder will "smoke" the blade(s). I went through 1/2 dozen of the sears blades in one day when I was trying to cut up a large chunk of African Blackwood, then started looking around for something better. Steve Kelly has a custom saw shop near his home in Big Fork, MT. I called, and the owner made me 4 blades for the saw (2- 4 tpi, and 2- 6 tpi blades)....that was over a year ago, and I'm only on the second blade now (still have two new blades hanging and waiting for use).

For cutting G10 or Micarta, I would highly encourage you to use a metal cutting saw! I doubt you'll find a wood cutting blade that will make more than one or two cuts in G10 or micarta without going dead dull. Remember I said I'm on the SECOND blade? Well, I wrecked the first one when I cut out a single set of 1/8" G10 scales on it.
 
I use a similar bandsaw in my shop and have tried to do exactly what you are talking about. My success has been minimal at best. I use the "metal cutting blade" from HD. I believe it is a 3/8" 18tpi. It doesn't work the greatest for splitting the slab, but its all I have. You just have to buy your handle material in the thickness you need, or sand it down.

-David
 
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