Replacement Cold Saw Blade Checklist: 8 Specs to Confirm

To order a replacement cold saw blade, confirm eight things: diameter, bore, pin-hole pattern, thickness, maximum speed, tooth count, blade material, and what you cut. The first five decide whether the blade fits and can run on your saw. The last three decide how well it cuts your material. Supplier catalogs such as McMaster-Carr’s list diameter, bore, pin holes, tooth count and speed in separate columns, so copying the values from the old blade or the saw manual into one list is the quickest way to avoid a wrong order.

Key takeaways

• Fit and speed specs (the first five) must match your saw. Cutting specs (the last three) must match your work.
• Pin-hole patterns vary slightly between makers. Measure instead of assuming (how to measure).
• The same blade diameter is sold in many tooth counts, so “350 mm blade” is not a complete order.
• HSS and carbide-tipped blades are made for very different saw speeds.

The checklist

#	Spec	Where to find it	Watch for
1	Diameter	Saw manual or old blade	Do not exceed the saw’s maximum blade size
2	Bore	Measure the arbor or old blade’s center hole	32 and 40 mm are the common sizes; 38 and 50 mm exist (32 vs 40)
3	Pin-hole pattern	Measure the old blade or flange pins	Several sets per blade; patterns differ by maker
4	Thickness	Old blade or saw manual	Same diameter and bore can come in more than one thickness
5	Maximum speed (rpm)	Blade listing and saw specification	HSS and carbide-tipped blades target different saws
6	Tooth count	Old blade, then your material	Many options per diameter
7	Blade material and coating	Old blade, then your material	HSS, coated HSS, carbide-tipped, reconditioned
8	Application	What you cut	Ferrous, stainless, or non-ferrous

Fit and speed specs: 1 to 5

1. Diameter

Diameter is the overall blade size, listed in millimeters (such as 315 or 350) or in inches. Replace with the same diameter unless your saw’s manual lists a larger or smaller option. See the size chart for inch names and 315 vs 350 vs 370 mm for how the mid-size blades compare.

2. Bore

The bore is the center hole. Match it to the saw’s arbor. The 32 mm vs 40 mm bore post covers how the sizes differ and why the saw brand alone does not decide it.

3. Pin-hole pattern

Pin holes line up with the drive pins on the flange. Suppliers list patterns as count, hole diameter and circle diameter, sometimes with several sets on one blade. Published sets for the same bore differ by maker, for example 2/8.5/45 at McMaster-Carr versus 2/8/45 in a Haberle chart for a 32 mm bore (McMaster-Carr, Haberle). Measure and compare (step by step).

4. Thickness

Thickness is the width of the blade body. Some listings give a “cut width” instead, as McMaster-Carr does, so check which one a listing means. Thickness is not tied to bore: Excision sells its 350 mm HSS blade in 2.5 and 3.0 mm for both 32 and 40 mm bores (Excision). Match your saw manual or the old blade. More in cold saw blade thickness.

5. Maximum speed

Check the blade’s maximum speed against your saw. A Haberle stock chart groups its HSS blades with low-speed cold saws (27 to 108 rpm) and its carbide-tipped blades with high-speed aluminum-cutting saws (3,000 rpm and above) (Haberle). A blade made for one kind of saw does not belong on the other. If your listing gives a maximum rpm, compare it with your saw’s specification.

Cutting specs: 6 to 8

6. Tooth count

Tooth count is a separate choice from diameter. The Excision 350 × 2.5 × 32 mm listing runs from 90 to 400 teeth (Excision), and McMaster-Carr’s cold saw blade listings advise more teeth for a smoother cut (McMaster-Carr).

Pitch tables by material are in Cold Saw Blade Store’s Cold Saw Blade Guide. Start there instead of guessing a tooth count.

7. Blade material and coating

SAS lists M2 HSS, coated, carbide-tipped and reconditioned cold saw blades (catalog). Use the old blade as the starting point, then decide whether the material or coating still suits what you cut.

8. Application

Write down what you cut: carbon steel, stainless, aluminum, brass, thin-wall tubing or solid bar. Non-ferrous work uses different blades from steel. SAS lists 350 mm carbide-tipped non-ferrous blades in 60, 80 and 100 teeth, for example the 60-tooth and 100-tooth versions.

The spec block to send a supplier

Copy this list into an email or phone call and fill it in:

Saw make and model:
Diameter (mm):
Bore (mm):
Pin holes (count / hole diameter / circle diameter, all sets):
Thickness (mm):
Maximum speed (rpm):
Tooth count:
Blade material or coating:
Material being cut:

A photo of the old blade’s center hole and a close-up of the flange pins can fill gaps the numbers miss.

Before you order

1. Is the diameter at or below the saw’s maximum?
2. Does the bore match the arbor?
3. Do the pin-hole sets include yours?
4. Is the thickness the same as the old blade’s or the manual’s?
5. Is the maximum speed suitable for your saw?
6. Is the tooth count chosen for your material?
7. Does the blade material or coating suit the cut?
8. Does the blade suit the application (ferrous, stainless or non-ferrous)?

SAS Blades product pages state diameter, thickness and bore. Purchases, pricing, availability and order support are handled by Cold Saw Blade Store, as noted in the footer of every SAS page. Questions about pin holes can go through the SAS Blades contact page.

Frequently asked questions

What if I can’t read the markings on my old blade? Measure it. Diameter, bore, pin holes and thickness can all be measured with calipers, and you can count the teeth. See the measuring guide.

Can I swap HSS for carbide-tipped? Check your saw’s manual and ask your supplier first. Haberle’s chart separates low-speed saws for HSS blades from high-speed saws for carbide-tipped blades.

Does the machine brand tag on a listing guarantee fit? No. SAS Blades product pages carry machine brand tags and say they do not guarantee compatibility with every model.

Next steps

Read the 32 mm vs 40 mm bore post and the size chart. To compare blades by dimensions, browse the SAS Blades catalog.