Why the M42 Should Be Your Go-To Saw Blade
Ask an Expert with Darren Weidner
Born and raised in Texas, Darren Weidner is an experienced machinist and salesman with over four years of working in production. Weidner gave us a fresh perspective on some of the most most popular blades, the M42 Saw Blade.
The Ultimate Multipurpose Tool: The 601 M42 Saw Blades
The M42 band saw blade is a bi metal blade used on a wide variety of materials, ranging from carbon steels to some stainless steels. Weidner cautioned, though, that when it comes to cutting harder metals with the M42, “You want to begin to slow your band speed for cutting.” He explained that cutting at a slower speed in this situation helps prolong the band saw blades life span.
The M42 has a better wear resistance because of its high cobalt content. Cobalt, an extremely durable metal, gives the blade superior endurance. Furthermore, the M42 has triple hardened teeth, which, when in combination with the cobalt content, said Weidner, “Gives the blade about 10x the lifespan.”
Maintaining M42 Blades
There are quite a few tips that Weidner has for prolonging your M42 saw blade’s lifespan. They include:
- Make sure your carbide drives aren’t too tight.
When carbide drives are too tight they can cause wear marks on your blade. Since the drives are harder than the blade itself, they could even cause the blade to break or get very hot. “When you put heat onto any cutting surface it can cause the blade to not cut as effectively, causing the lifespan to go down” said Weidner.
- Break in your blade properly.
When you first get your blade, Weidner suggested, you should break it in to ensure the blade cuts correctly and with the proper teeth per cut.
- Keep an eye out for chipped teeth.
“The more teeth there are missing in an area of the blade, the more material the next tooth is going to have to cut,” Weidner warned. He added that chipped teeth cause “the tooth to pack up, which causes the blade to break, shatter,” and experience formidable stress. “Again,” he said, that level of stress can cause “the blade life to go down.
