M42 Bi-Metal Bandsaw Blades: What are they? A Clear Guide for Choosing the Right One
At United Products / New Zealand Bandsaw, we supply professionals and DIYers alike with high-performance bi-metal bandsaw blades. Our goal with this guide is to help you better understand what bi-metal blades are. Why M42 blades (like our Hakkanson Allpower) are a top choice. How to choose the right TPI (teeth per inch) for your cutting needs.
Blade type selection (M42, PM51 or carbide) is equally important—see our full guide to👉 metal cutting bandsaw blades for steel.
What Are Bi-Metal Bandsaw Blades?
Bi-metal Bandsaw Blades are made by fusing two types of metal:
- High-Speed Steel (HSS): This forms the teeth, providing hardness and resistance to wear.
- Spring Steel Backing: A flexible and durable material that helps the blade resist fatigue.
This dual-metal construction means you get the best of both worlds — cutting performance and durability. They’re a big upgrade from carbon steel blades and ideal for users who want longer life, cleaner cuts, and more efficiency.
Why Choose an M42 Bi-Metal Blade?
M42 refers to a premium grade of high-speed steel containing approximately 8% cobalt in the tooth edge, improving heat resistance, wear resistance, and cutting performance. Genuine M42 cobalt bi-metal blades are widely regarded as one of the best all-round choices for professional metal cutting applications. Here’s why:
- High Wear Resistance: M42 blades stay sharper for longer, even in tough applications.
- Handles Tough Materials: Great for alloy steels, stainless steels, structural steels, and hardened metals.
- Heat and Abrasion Resistant: Ideal for high-speed cutting where heat buildup could be a concern.
Our Recommendation: Hakkanson Allpower (M42)
Our primary bi-metal blade range, Håkansson Allpower, is manufactured using premium M42 cobalt high-speed steel tooth material with a tough alloy backing strip for durability and fatigue resistance. These European-manufactured M42 cobalt bi-metal blades are designed for workshops and production environments requiring reliable cutting performance across stainless steel, alloy steels, structural steel, and general fabrication materials.
Explore the full specs here: Hakkanson Allpower
Applications of M42 Bi-Metal Bandsaw Blades
You’ll find or bi-metal blades being used in a wide range of industries and settings all over New Zealand:
- Fabrication and manufacturing
- Construction and demolition
- Automotive workshops
- Metalworking and machine shops
Thanks to their resilience and versatility, bi-metal blades can cut through:
- Structural steel
- Stainless steel
- Tool steels
- Pipe and tubing
- Cast iron
- Aluminum alloys (in the right configuration)
Structural Steel Cutting? Use Wikus Proflex M42 Cobalt Bi-Metal
For heavy-duty structural steel cutting, we recommend the Wikus Proflex M42. This blade has a special tooth profile, that is optimized for profiles and beams. the best of both worlds combining flexibility and precision with the toughness of HSS steel teeth and M42 band.
It’s a favourite in fabrication shops that work with large metal sections.
Explore Proflex here: Wikus Proflex M42
Choosing the Right TPI (Teeth Per Inch)
TPI is one of the most important specs to get right. It determines the finish, cut speed, and suitability for your material thickness. Here’s a quick overview:
| Material Thickness | TPI Range | Best Use Case |
| Thin sheet metal (<3mm) | 18–24 TPI | Smooth, precise cuts |
| Medium (3–10mm) | 10–14 TPI | General purpose metal cutting |
| Thick materials (>10mm) | 6–10 TPI | Structural shapes, bar stock |
| Very thick / solids | 2–6 TPI | Fast cutting through dense stock |
I have written a more in-depth guide on choosing the correct TPI in a separate article Here or on this page Here and linked from our FAQ a great resource
This Tpi Chart can be downloaded from here as a pdf
Check out our TPI selection guide for a deeper dive on which configuration is right for you.
Bi-Metal vs. Carbon Steel Blades
| Feature | Bi-Metal Blades | Carbon Steel Blades |
| Durability | ✅ High (especially M42) | ❌ Lower |
| Heat Resistance | ✅ Excellent | ❌ Poor |
| Suitable Materials | ✅ Most metals, even hardened | ⚠️ Softer metals only |
| Cost | 💲💲💲 (Higher upfront) | 💲 (Lower cost, wears faster) |
If you’re cutting metal regularly, premium M42 cobalt bi-metal blades offer an excellent balance of wear resistance, toughness, and cutting performance across a wide range of materials.
Final Thoughts: What Makes United Products Blades Different?
We don’t just sell bandsaw blades — we guide you to the right one.
- Our Håkansson Allpower M42 cobalt bi-metal Bandsaw Blades combine premium European-manufactured M42 tooth material with consistent welding quality and dependable cutting performance across a wide range of metal cutting applications.
- The Wikus Proflex M42 Bi-Metal Bandsaw Blade gives structural steel fabricators a reliable edge.
- We’re always here to help you pick the right TPI, blade width, and configuration.
Lastly please don’t forget to treat your Tools with care.
A well maintained bandsaw will outperform and work reliably for longer.
It is also crucial to treat your bandsaw blades with care a properly broken in blade will last up to 30% longer, and give better results
Blade break-in will be the subject of an article to be published in the very near future, as it is so critical to blade life.
We have recently worked with several clients from various parts of New Zealand who have moved away from best practice. Either because of operator changes or just lack of over sight. Both were having blade failures that initially were blamed on poor manufacture but on investigation were operator error.
We take our and your quality control, very seriously and will work with you to find the cause of premature blade failure.
Have questions? Need help choosing? Contact us — or browse our full bandsaw blade range.
Related Resources:
📞 Talk to our team today at United Products – the experts in M42 Bi-Metal Bandsaw Blades in New Zealand blades that work as hard as you do.
