Is there a better feeling in the world than a sweetly working hacksaw?
No, really?
Sure, world peace, maybe, in a pinch. A well cooked steak’s ok if you’re hungry. Sunsets…sure. The look in the eye of that special person that says today’s gonna be a good day?
OK, they’re all pretty good, but a hacksaw cutting sweet, in the right place, through the right material, cutting clean, cutting right…that’s a primal thing. It touches something elementary in our souls, that combination of having found the right tool to improve our world, and knowing how to use it. That’s one of the things that separates human beings from at least most of the animals. That’s why it gives us such a deep sense of fundamental pleasure.
That and getting the job done, of course.
But that’s also why it frustrates us to howling when our hacksaw blades go wrong. When they don’t cut how they should. When they stick, or slide, or go blunt at the first touch of aluminum.
A hacksaw working right is a fundamental, primal pleasure. But a hacksaw working wrong sticks in the craw of our caveman DNA and makes us want to smash things with rocks again.
That’s why the blades we use are all important. Get the right blades and you unlock the tool-making secrets of your ancestors. And you guarantee yourself stress-free cutting. Get the wrong blades, and you just paid out your hard-earned money to be frustrated and swear a lot.
You want to pay out your hard-earned money to be frustrated and swear a lot? Get cable news and watch it.
You want the best hacksaw blades on the market, stick with us. We’ve got your hacksaw blade needs covered right here.
Table of ContentsTop 5 Best Hacksaw BladesBest Hacksaw Blades Buying GuideFrequently Asked Questions
Top 5 Best Hacksaw Blades
OUR TOP PICK
No products found.EDITORS CHOICE
No products found.Lenox Tools Hacksaw Blade, 12-Inch, 24 TPI
BEST VALUE
No products found.OUR TOP PICK
Starrett KBS1232-10
No products found.Ever seen a shark? Or an alligator? Or any big predator, really?
What’s the thing they all have in common?
Teeth.
Lots and lots of sharp teeth, all coming together with the single purpose of cutting through anything less sharp than they are.
That’s a big reason why the Starrett KBS1232-10 (catchy name, guys) tops our list of hacksaw blades available today. Unlike most of the contenders on the market – and most that make it onto our list, the Starrett KBS1232-10 comes with 32 teeth per inch.
More teeth per inch is like having more blades per razor – if one doesn’t get you, the next one will. It means you get a smoother slide, take fewer strokes and ultimately get a cleaner, sharper result, whatever you’re cutting.
These blades should fit happily on any 12 inch hacksaw frame and improve your hacksawing life from the first time you fit them. With a bi-metal construction, they’re incredibly flexible, and the sharpness of those 32 teeth per inch is exceptional in the market.
Perfect for any aluminum cutting you need to do, they’ll tackle almost anything softer too. Wood? No problem. Brass? Before breakfast. Troublesome screws that are making your life a misery? Meet the Sharkenator (Got to be a better name than the KBS1232-10, no? But yes, we know, sharks don’t saw through their food, don’t write us, we’re not Animal Planet). The KBS1232-10 will cut through several grades of steel if that’s what you need them to do. They’re sharp, fast, easy, absolute animal blades that will make your hacksawing life much easier.
But don’t take our word for it. Check out the Amazon reviews. 85% of people who’ve tried the KBS1232-10 blades rated them at 4 or 5 stars. Some even say that if you’ve always hated hacksawing as part of your DIY, maintenance or construction workload – it’s because you’ve never tried these blades.
We don’t know about you, but that sounds like pretty high praise from the hacksawing community to us.
Added to which, you get a bunch of these blades at a time, and they’re cheap enough to be an affordable investment in happy hacksaw time. The “10” in the KBS1232-10 part number means you get ten of these blades in a packet. And because they’re created with a patented solid-state diffusion process, it’s not like you’re going to need ten to get any job done. They’re strong enough to lessen the instances of blade fracture, so having ten of them in a packet just equates to extra value for your blade money.
Bottom line, the KBS1232-10 brings intelligent design, strength, speed, and a bigger mouthful of teeth to your hacksaw, without charging you designer blade prices. That’s why it’s our top pick for the best hacksaw blade on the market today.
Pros:
- 32 teeth per inch make for smoother cutting
- Incredibly sharp teeth mean fewer strokes to get the job done
- Patented solid-state diffusion process protects against blade fracture
- Cuts through most everyday materials
- Ten blades per pack
- Price is reasonable, while delivering premium results
Cons:
- Some users find paint chips off the blades when they’re first used
EDITORS CHOICE
Lenox Tools Hacksaw Blade, 12-Inch, 24 TPI
No products found.The Lenox Tools 12 inch hacksaw blade has a lot fewer teeth than our list-leader, but that’s not necessarily a reason to dismiss it from your toolbox out of hand.
Another bi-metal blade, the Lenox bends and flexes more than the hacksaw blades you might be used to. That means you get new possibilities with the Lenox blade – especially compared to previous blades from the same company. You can work in tighter corners or spaces than ever before, certain that the angles and stresses of the cutting are much less likely to shatter your blade.
This is not the Lenox blade you think you know. It’s had a complete redesign in what, if you’re looking for part numbers, is called the 20161T224HE. In fact, Lenox is so confident in its redesign, it claims the 20161T224HE offers you up to double the active lifespan of its previous 12 inch hacksaw blade. ‘Up to’ is always important in claims like that, but still – the company’s putting it out there and standing by its product.
Its product is making plenty of happy hacksaw-users too – a huge 97% of people who reviewed the blade on Amazon classed it as worthy of 4 or 5 stars. They say it goes through aluminum like butter, has a great lifespan compared to previous blades, and is a real find at the price point.
At just two blades per pack, the Lenox blades have to be offering something to bolster their value for money. Doing the job easily and well, and lasting longer than previous blades from the company’s stable is a combination that adds up to value. And it’s a combination that puts them in contention for a place in your blade collection.
Pros:
- Bi-metal construction makes for flexibility
- Unlikely to shatter in tight spots
- Longer lasting blade design
- New design minimizes the likelihood of strippage
- Value for money
Cons:
- 24 teeth per inch gives a less smooth result than 32 TPI blades
- Only two blades per pack
BEST VALUE
Starrett KBS1224-10
No products found.Wait…didn’t we just do the Starrett?
We did, but the devil here is in the detail of the part number.
The KBS1224-10 is the 24 teeth per inch version of the 12 inch hacksaw blade. That makes it a more direct competitor for the Lenox and some others on our list.
Much of what applied to the 36 TPI version remains in force here though. Bi-metal construction for extra flexibility? Check. Solid-state diffusion process? Check? Legions of happy Amazon fans? Check – 96% of those who reviewed the blade put it up in the 4 and 5 star category.
Ten blades per pack, for seemingly endless spares? Check. Value for money, combining solid performance, number of blades and flexibility? Check, check and check.
So what’s the point of difference between the KBS1224-10 and the KBS1232-10?
Obviously, there’s the drop in the number of teeth. And while the KBS1232-10 is happy hacksawing through most anything that comes its way, the 24 TPI version finds a natural home pitted against stainless steel. Spoiler alert – the steel regularly loses. As such, you can’t really go wrong having a pack of each in your box.
For most day to day work, with a specialism in steel, the KBS1224-10 will do you just fine. Then switch out to the KBS1232-10 when you need that turbo charge and that extra smoothness that the extra teeth will give you.
Pros:
- Bi-metal construction for flexibility
- 24 TPI, but it still excels
- Resistance to shattering
- At home sawing through steel
- Durability
- Ten blades per packet
- Priced to give you value for money
Cons:
- As with the 32 TPI version, loses paint easily
- 24 TPI gives a rougher cut than its 32 TPI variant
RUNNER UP
Stanley 15-412 Carbide Grit Hacksaw Blade 12 Inch
No products found.Now, we know you know that most hacksaw blades have teeth that work best in the forward direction. We know you know that if you use them in reverse, you’re going to blunt the teeth and reduce the life of your hacksaw blade.
The thing is, just occasionally, rule books are made for throwing out, not for following.
The Stanley 15-412 12 inch hacksaw blade has no truck with your mono-directional cutting habits.
Its ‘teeth,’ such as they are, are made of particles of tungsten-carbide grit. That means you won’t ruin them by sawing on the backstroke.
That has consequences for the time it’s going to take you to saw through any material with the Stanley blades, and the materials you can use them on.
You can get straight cuts through ceramics with these blades, as well as hardened steel, cast iron and even masonry. These are some Terminator hacksaw blades – whatever they’re faced with, they just keep coming. So the Stanley blades have an implacable capability to get through the hardest metals you’re likely to encounter.
But they’re also designed and constructed to allow you to make delicate cuts through easily materials that crack, snap or shatter easily, like tile. Half Terminator, half cheese-wire. All pretty high-tech, combining both heavy artillery and precision tooling in your box of tricks.
Most users aren’t likely to need the Stanley blades’ capabilities on a day to day basis. But when you need them, you’ll know you need them, because nothing so far in our list will do the job anything like as well.
Fast, powerful, precise hacksaw blades that can tackle the hardest jobs and the most delicate?
It has to be the Stanley 15-412s.
Pros:
- High-tech blades with tungsten-carbide grit ‘teeth’
- Can saw on the backstroke as well as the forward stroke
- Cuts through hard metals and fine ceramic tiles
- Precision tool with plenty of cutting power
Cons:
- Some users find the blade wears out fast
- Others note the blade is difficult to install – even on Stanley hacksaw frames
RUNNER UP
Superior Tools Spare Blades
No products found.Why should the big boys have all the fun?
So far on our list, we’ve shown you the best fully-grown 12 inch hacksaw blades available. But sometimes, you need something smaller. If you need a 6 inch hacksaw blade, you can’t do better than the Superior Tools range of replacement blades.
Made of heat-treated steel, they’re strong enough for most of the cutting jobs you could imagine for a 6 inch hacksaw – including plaster.
Oh yes – the Superior Tools blades might be small, but they are mighty. 6 inches is all very well. 32 teeth per inch though means the Superior Tools blades maintain the reputation of the brand. If the Starrett KBS1232-10 were the Sharkenator blades, welcome to the Piranha of hacksaw blades. Small, fast, and made almost entirely of teeth.
The Superior teethfest has lots of fans, too – of those who reviewed the blades on Amazon, a respectable 87% gave them a 4 or 5 star rating. They may not be your first-choice go-to blades, simply because for many jobs you’ll need a full-size hacksaw. But users claim these short saw blades have got them out of tricky situations time after time.
If there’s any downside to using the Superior Tools 6 inch blades, it’s that, for all those teeth, they tend not to leave particularly precise cuts behind them. It’s not exactly a feeding frenzy, but it’s not especially clean or elegant either.
That said, if you’re going to carry a miniature hacksaw, the Superior Tools blades are…well, superior to their competitors in the market.
Pros:
- Made of heat-treated steel
- Suitable for most smaller hacksaw jobs, including plaster
- 32 teeth per inch in a 6 inch option
- Ten blades per packet, giving value for money
Cons:
- Some users found the blades lost their edge quickly
- Not reliable on stainless steel
Best Hacksaw Blades Buying Guide
If you’re looking for the best hacksaw blades, there are a few key things to keep in mind.
Best Is Relative
The best hacksaw blade on the market will change depending on what you aim to do with it.
Best for wood? Aluminum? Stainless steel? Best full-size hacksaw blade? Half-size? 32 teeth per inch or 24?
You can break the hacksaw market down all these ways and more. Have an idea what you want the hacksaw to be able to do. That will steer you towards the best blades for the job or jobs you have in mind.
Technology Is Your Friend
There’s been a revolution in hacksaw blade design in recent years. It’s not what it used to be. Buy blades that make use of as much technology and design as possible to make your sawing life easier. Bi-metal construction gives you more blade flexibility.
New blade designs increase blade lifespan, etc. Embrace the future of hacksawing – it’s all designed to give you a better experience.
Fit The Tool To The Job
You’re probably going to end up with at least a couple of hacksaws, depending on what jobs you regularly need them for. Remember that the point of having tools is that they be available when you need them, so don’t be afraid to get a set of blades for steel, a set of blades for tile, and a set of blades for miniature hacksaws too.
Have the blades on hand to do the jobs you need doing. Buy the best blades for each of those jobs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What use are hacksaws in the 21st century?
Power may not be reliable. Batteries die. With a hacksaw, you have a portable cutting tool that only depends on you and the blade. It’s a fundamental tool, and you should have at least a couple in your toolbox.
Isn’t one hacksaw blade as good as another?
Isn’t one car or truck as good as another? To some extent, they all do the same thing, sure, but modern hacksaw blades are engineered and designed to give you specific sawing advantages that make them very different.
There are blades that specialize in cutting through particular materials, and blades that are more general purpose. It’s important you pick the best blade for the job at hand.
Which is better? 24 teeth per inch or 32?
More is generally better, though again, look at the particular jobs you want the blade to do. There will be situations where 24 TPI is the right choice.
But all else being equal, the more teeth per inch you have, the more cutting you’ll get out of each stroke. That means the less time it will take you to cut through the material you’re cutting.
