As someone who used the same blade for everything my first year woodworking and wondered why my cuts looked terrible, I learned everything there is to know about blade selection the hard way. Today, I will share it all with you. Turns out, the blade matters. A lot. Table saw blade selection has gotten complicated with all the tooth counts and geometries flying around, but the basics are actually pretty simple.
The Three Categories You Need to Know
Rip blades — fewer teeth, designed to cut along the grain. Fast but rough. Usually 24-30 teeth. These hog through material quickly but leave a surface that needs cleanup.
Crosscut blades — more teeth, designed to cut across grain cleanly. Smoother but slower. 60-80 teeth. The finish quality is noticeably better, especially on hardwoods.
Combo blades — the compromise. What most people should start with and what most people keep using. 40-50 teeth handles most tasks acceptably. Not perfect at anything, but good enough at almost everything.
What Actually Stays on My Saw
Combo blade stays on 90% of the time. Freud Diablo 50-tooth. About $40. Handles plywood, crosscuts, ripping dimensional lumber — all without swapping. Good enough for the vast majority of projects.
I swap to a dedicated crosscut blade for furniture pieces where edge quality is critical. The difference is immediately noticeable on hardwoods. That’s what makes having a good crosscut blade endearing to us furniture makers — it eliminates a whole step of edge cleanup.
Beyond Tooth Count
Hook angle matters and most people ignore it. Positive hook angle pulls wood into the blade — good for ripping because it feeds aggressively. Negative hook angle pushes the wood away — safer for crosscutting, miter saws, and sheet goods because it’s less grabby.
Kerf width affects both cut quality and the power your saw needs. Thin kerf blades require less motor effort but can flex on thick cuts, especially with underpowered saws. Full kerf blades are stiffer but need more horsepower.
When to Replace or Sharpen
Burn marks on your wood? Dull blade. Pushing harder than normal to get through a cut? Dull blade. Saw sounds strained or different? Probably a dull blade.
Cheap blades can be sharpened once or twice before they’re done. Premium blades are worth sharpening multiple times — it’s often cheaper than buying new and the blade performs like fresh again. Probably should have led with this section, honestly, because a dull premium blade outperforms a brand new cheap one in my experience.
Don’t Overthink It
Get a decent combo blade. Use it for a while. Add a quality crosscut blade when you start caring about edge finish on hardwood furniture. Those two blades cover 95% of hobbyist needs. Everything beyond that is fine-tuning for specific situations that you’ll recognize when you get there.
