What Each Number Means
- Length: the loop circumference that has to fit your wheels and tensioner. It is not width and it is not the saw’s throat. Confirm it first with how to measure length.
- Width: gullet-to-back. It sets stiffness in a straight cut and the tightest curve you can cut. It must enter the guides you already have-see width and thickness.
- Thickness: the backing gauge. It has to pass the guide gap and survive flex around the wheels. “A bit thicker for stability” is not a safe substitute for the old gauge.
- TPI: teeth per inch, constant or variable (8/12, 10/14, 14/18). Pitch follows section and wall, not the alloy nickname. Metal starting points: TPI guide for metal.
A complete shop line looks like 93-1/2" × 3/4" × .035" × 10/14 TPI or a metric equivalent. Portable saws lock length and width to the model-see portable sizes.
Where to Read the Spec (In This Order)
Read the old blade before you invent a size from the saw’s retail name. Length often changes inside the same series (risers, deep-cut frames, compact vs standard portables).
- Etch or ink near the weld, or a sticker still on the band.
- The carton, sleeve, or remaining wrapper from the last order.
- The saw’s blade chart or manual for length (and sometimes width). Treat charts as a check against a measured blade, not as a TPI decision.
- A caliper on width and thickness plus a tooth count on one inch if the print is gone.
If none of that is available, do not estimate a loop and click order. Send what you have-what to send when size is unknown.
Field-by-Field Check
| Field | What it controls | If the number is missing |
|---|---|---|
| Length | Whether the loop mounts and tensions | Stamp, chart, or wheel-path measure; nameplate photo |
| Width | Guide fit, stiffness, curve radius | Measure gullet to back; photo of the guide opening |
| Thickness | Guide gap and wheel flex | Caliper on the backing; photo of the guide side gap |
| TPI | Chip load, finish, tooth shock | Count teeth on one inch; material + section |
| Quantity | This order only | State the count you need now |
Construction (carbon, bi-metal, carbide / wood TCT) is a separate choice after the four numbers are real. See bi-metal vs carbide vs carbon.
Shop Once the Four Numbers Are Real
Browse all blades or a length collection such as 72-1/2", 64-1/2", or 93-1/2". Metal cutoff: metal cutting. Wood: wood cutting. More how-tos in Blade Guides. A photo of the label or the old loop is enough to start-Contact DEKOLY.
FAQ
Can I order from material alone, such as “stainless” or “oak”?
No. Material helps choose construction and TPI, but it does not set length, width, or thickness. Those come from the saw and the old blade.
The label shows millimeters. Can I convert and shop inch collections?
Yes, convert carefully and then confirm against a U.S. length collection or the saw chart. Do not round a loop down “to the nearest catalog size” without checking tension travel.
Is variable pitch (8/12) a different kind of TPI?
It is still teeth per inch, stated as a range. Write both numbers. Do not replace 8/12 with “about 10 TPI.”
The old blade is broken. Which piece should I photograph?
The piece with the stamp if it remains, plus a straight section for width and thickness, plus a close-up of the tooth line. Add the saw model. That is usually enough to rebuild the four-number spec.
