How to Maintain Your Metal Bandsaw for Maximum Blade Life

Metal bandsaws are essential for precision cutting in fabrication and engineering workshops. But even the best machines can suffer poor performance and high running costs if blades wear out too quickly. The good news? With the right blade selection, coolant management, and tension control, you can significantly extend blade life, improve cut quality, and lower costs.

At Power Machinery, we supply Wikus blades designed for MEP and Hydmech bandsaws — two of the most trusted names in the industry. Below, we share practical maintenance tips to help you get the most out of every blade.

1. Feed Force and Feed Rate

Feed force refers to the amount of pressure applied to push the material into bandsaw blade and influenced by factors like material hardness, tooth geometry and depth of cut. It is measured by % according to machine manufacturer instructions Feed rate is the speed at which the material is fed into the bandsaw blade. It is measured by inch/min or mm/min. The feed rate impacts the cutting time, surface finish. Feed Force and Feed Rate must be balanced for cutting efficiency.

2. Guide Arms and Guides

Always set your guide arms and blade guides as close as possible to the work piece. This will improve squareness of cut and improve blade life by reducing twist in the blade.

3. Chip Brush

The chip brush is an inexpensive but important part of your bandsaw. Make sure it is in good working condition. This clears the chips from the gullet of the saw blade and allows the blade to work efficiently. Tip: If there are chips gathering at the entry side of the material, your chip brush is not working properly.

4. Running in New Blades

To obtain maximum blade life and to reduce vibration. Always try to run your blade in. Use the recommended bandspeed but lower the feed rate as follows:

  • 1/3 to ½ during the first ten minutes of cutting. Thereafter increase feed rate in steps until you reach the recommended feed rate.

This takes the very sharp point of the tooth of the blade. Ever tried writing with a pencil just after it has been sharpened to a very fine point. It chips and breaks. Same with a bandsaw blade if it isn’t run in.

Running in on tube takes longer than solid bar. It might even be worth keeping some scrap solid bar nearby your saw to run a new blade in.

5. ChoOse the right bandsaws blade

Key Factors when Choosing a Blade:

Material Type

    • Softer metals (aluminium, copper) vs harder alloys (stainless steel, tool steel). Talk to your blade supplier. There may be different tooth profiles for your material.

Blade Material

    • Blade material: Wikus blades come in bi-metal and carbide-tipped options, each suited for different workloads.

Tooth Pitch (TPI)

A rule of thumb when choosing the correct number of teeth per inch (pitch) is keeping between 6 to 12 teeth in contact with material when cutting or in case of big or hard workpiece 12 to 24 teeth.

    • Too few teeth results in high pressure n each tooth, extreme shock to blade and consequently teeth may strip. Too many teeth can result in not enough pressure on each induvial tooth for them to bite and work efficiently, teeth may not penetrate, material can work harden and gullets of teeth can over fill and not clear. All these factors contribute the blade being extremely inefficient.
    • For cutting profiles variable pitch blades re preferable. They will provide less vibration and noise, less tooth chipping, better cutting surface, less noise and longer tool life.

Pro Tip: View our easy Selection Guide for Pitch of Blades.

Cutting Speed

Cutting speed measured in metres per minute. That is the speed that the blade runs through the material. It is important that the cutting speed matches the material being cut.

Rule of thumb as follows:

    • Difficult to cut material such as special alloys and stainless steel around 30m/min.
    • Typical materials such as mild steel around 60m/min
    • Easy to cut material such as Bronze, Alumnium and Plastics around 120m/min.

 

Pro Tip: Ask Power Machinery office for access to the Wikus Pramater App that will calculate cutting speed and feed rate according to your saw and the material being cut.

See our Wikus Bandsaw Blades range for MEP and Hydmech machines.

Chip Characteristics

Learning to read your chips will give you great insight into the setup of your saw. The shape and colour of the chips (swarf) will tell you a lot about your bandspeed and feed rate.

Pro Tip: See our cheat sheet to help you become an expert.

6. Use coolant correctly

Coolant best practices

Coolant is critical in bandsaw operation — it reduces heat, flushes chips away, and prevents tooth stripping. Poor coolant management is one of the most common causes of premature blade failure.

  • Maintain proper concentration: Check levels weekly. Too weak = poor lubrication; too strong = sticky residue.

     

  • Flow rate: Ensure coolant is flowing directly at the blade–workpiece interface, not just splashing nearby.

     

  • Chip removal: Keep the system clean; clogged coolant lines reduce effectiveness.

     

  • Coolant type: Use high-quality cutting fluid recommended for your material mix (ferrous vs non-ferrous).

     

  • Hollow section: Consider Mist Lubrication Systems which are more ecological, less wasteful and cleaner for your workshop floor as they avoid coolant running down your material on to your shop floor.

Pro Tip: If your cut is burning or the blade is gumming up, check coolant delivery before blaming the blade.

7. Set and Check Blade Tension Regularly

Incorrect blade tension leads to crooked cuts, premature cracking, or stripped teeth.

Tension Checklists

  • Follow manufacturer’s spec: MEP and Hydmech both provide recommended tension values in their Operation Manuals.

     

  • Check daily: Blades stretch slightly with use. Re-tension as needed.

     

  • Avoid over-tension: Excess tension can crack the blade and damage bearings.

     

  • Use a gauge: For precision, use a bandsaw tension gauge rather than guessing.

     

Need help with bandsaw set-up? Our service team can provide calibration and operator training.

8. General Maintenance for Longer Blade Life

  • Break in new blades properly: First 50–100 cuts should be at 50% feed pressure, full blade speed.

  • Keep wheels and guides clean: Build-up increases friction and uneven wear.

  • Check blade tracking: Misaligned wheels = uneven tension = snapped blades.

  • Use the right feed pressure: Forcing the cut reduces blade life dramatically.

9. Why Choose Wikus Blades for MEP & Hydmech Saws

At Power Machinery, we recommend Wikus bandsaw blades because they are:

  • Precision engineered in Germany.
  • Optimised for MEP and Hydmech machines.
  • Available in a wide range of pitches and materials for all applications.
  • Proven to deliver longer life, lower cost per cut, and consistent quality.
  • Overnight delivery in economically packed packs of five.

FAQs

Blade life depends on material, feed pressure, and coolant use. With proper setup and Wikus blades, you can achieve thousands of cuts before replacement is needed.

Coolant reduces heat, lubricates the cut, and flushes chips away. Without adequate coolant, blades overheat, dull faster, and may strip teeth prematurely.

Always follow your saw manufacturer’s recommendations. Use a tension gauge for accuracy, and re-check daily as blades stretch slightly with use.

The Wikus bandsaw blades we sell can be used with MEP and Hydmech saws. 

Yes, you can buy bandsaw blades here. 

Conclusion

Maintaining your metal bandsaw doesn’t need to be complicated. By focusing on the three essentials — blade choice, coolant use, and tension checks — you can maximise blade life, improve cut quality, and reduce downtime.

For expert advice on blade selection, machine setup, or preventative maintenance, contact the Power Machinery team. We stock Wikus blades for MEP and Hydmech bandsaws, ensuring your workshop achieves the best possible performance.

Contact us today to discuss your cutting requirements.