Short Answer: Send A Complete Blade Specification
The safest quotation format depends on the blade family. For one-piece HSS blades such as HSS circular saw blades and GF saw blades, use: OD x thickness x bore x teeth. These blades are not tipped, so there is normally no separate tooth tip width or kerf data to quote.
For TCT and cermet tipped circular saw blades, use: OD x kerf x plate thickness x bore x teeth, then add pin hole pattern, material, coating, tooth form, machine model and cutting material.
Example for HSS or GF: “80 x 1.0 x 16mm, 80T, cutting stainless steel tube.” Example for a tipped blade: “300 x 2.0 kerf x 1.6 plate x 32mm, 120T, 2/9/55 pin holes, TiAlN coating, cutting stainless steel tube on automatic circular saw machine.”
Main Dimensions To Measure
| Item | What it means | Why it matters | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|---|
| OD | Outside diameter of the blade | Controls cutting capacity and machine compatibility | Only sending OD without other data |
| Blade thickness | Main body thickness for one-piece HSS and GF saw blades | The key thickness data for non-tipped blades | Forcing HSS/GF blades into tipped-blade kerf wording |
| Kerf | Total cutting width for tipped or set-tooth blades | Affects cutting load, material loss and slot width | Using kerf for a normal one-piece HSS blade inquiry |
| Plate thickness | Body thickness of a TCT or cermet tipped blade, excluding tip width | Affects rigidity, runout and machine clearance | Confusing plate thickness with total cutting width |
| Bore | Center hole diameter | Must fit the spindle or flange | Rounding 31.75mm to 32mm without confirmation |
| Pin holes | Locating holes around the bore | Decides whether the blade can be mounted safely | Sending hole quantity without hole diameter and PCD |
| PCD | Pitch circle diameter of locating holes | Defines the circle on which pin holes are positioned | Measuring center-to-center distance between two holes only |
| Tooth count | Total number of teeth | Affects chip load, burr, surface finish and blade life | Copying tooth count from a different material thickness |
| Tooth form | HSS/GF tooth forms and tipped-blade tooth geometries should be treated separately | Controls cutting behavior for tube, bar, profile, aluminum, wood or high-speed steel cutting | Using TCT or cermet tooth-form wording for a normal HSS blade |
How To Measure Bore And Pin Holes
The center bore is usually easy to measure, but the locating hole pattern often causes quotation errors. For cermet cold saw blades, HSS saw blades and some TCT saw blades, pin holes may be just as important as the bore.
When Kerf And Plate Thickness Are Needed
For one-piece HSS and GF saw blades, buyers usually provide blade thickness. Because these blades are not welded with carbide or cermet tips, there is normally no separate tip width to report as kerf.
For TCT and cermet tipped saw blades, kerf is the width of the cut made by the blade, while plate thickness is the thickness of the blade body. Kerf is usually larger than plate thickness.
This difference matters because a blade with the same outside diameter and tooth count can have different cutting load, feed feel, vibration and material loss if the kerf or body thickness changes.
Tooth Form Also Depends On Blade Type
HSS and GF saw blades are made from HSS material, so the tooth discussion is usually about tooth count, pitch, rake, clearance, chip space, coating and whether the blade is suitable for tube, bar or profile cutting.
TCT saw blades and cermet cold saw blades use welded tips, so the supplier also needs to confirm tip geometry, tip width, chamfer or special tooth design. A tooth form name from TCT or cermet blades should not be copied directly to an HSS blade inquiry.
Photos That Help A Supplier Quote Faster
Good Photos
Full blade front view, close-up of teeth, close-up of bore and locating holes, machine nameplate, workpiece photo and current cut surface.
Weak Photos
Only one angled photo, blurry tooth edge, no scale, no machine information, or a product photo copied from another supplier.
Different Blade Families Need Different Extra Information
GF Saw Blades
For GF saw blades, the normal size format is OD x thickness x bore x teeth. Also send tube OD, wall thickness and machine model. For orbital tube cutting, clean end quality and square cutting are usually more important than simply choosing the cheapest blade.
HSS Circular Saw Blades
For HSS blades, the normal size format is OD x thickness x bore x teeth. Material grade, coating, tooth count, HSS tooth form, bore, pin hole pattern and cutting problem are important. If the blade is used on a cold saw machine, also send speed, feed and coolant condition.
Cermet Cold Saw Blades
For cermet cold saw blades, kerf, plate thickness, machine rigidity, clamping, tube or bar size, locating hole details and cermet tip geometry should be confirmed before quoting. A cermet blade should not be treated like a normal TCT woodworking blade.
TCT Saw Blades
For TCT blades, send the cutting material first: aluminum profile, plastic, wood panel, plywood, bamboo, color steel tile or other material. Kerf, plate thickness, tooth geometry and carbide grade depend heavily on the application.
Simple Quotation Template
Blade type: GF / HSS / cermet / TCT / circular knife
HSS / GF size: OD x blade thickness x bore x teeth
TCT / cermet size: OD x kerf x plate thickness x bore x teeth
Teeth: tooth count and blade-type-specific tooth form
Pin holes: quantity x hole diameter x PCD
Material to cut: grade, shape and wall thickness or solid size
Machine: brand, model, speed, feed and clamping condition
Problem or target: burr, surface finish, blade life, noise, vibration or cost control
Bottom Line
A complete saw blade measurement is not paperwork. It is the foundation for correct production, stable repeat orders and fewer avoidable disputes. If a blade must fit an existing machine, always confirm bore, pin holes and PCD before confirming the price.
If you are unsure how to measure your blade, send photos and the machine model through our technical inquiry form. We can help identify the key dimensions before production.