A General Purpose Woodcutting Blade is designed to handle a wide range of wood materials. It can efficiently cut through softwoods, hardwoods, plywood, and MDF and provides a balance of speed and finish. For cutting specialized materials like laminates or metal, a different blade is best to ensure safe, accurate cuts and achieve the best results.

A -2° hook angle saw blade has teeth that lean slightly backward, creating a negative hook angle. This design reduces the aggressiveness of the cut, which helps prevent the material from lifting or climbing during cutting. This is especially important when using a radial arm saw, where the blade is pulled through the workpiece.

You should use a blade with a -2° hook angle when cutting materials like hardwood, softwood, laminate, or composite on a radial arm saw. It’s particularly ideal for crosscutting applications where you want a smoother finish and better control. The negative hook angle helps improve safety, reduces tear-out, and provides a more precise cut.

The number of teeth on a saw blade impacts the cut’s quality and speed. Blades with fewer teeth cut faster but can leave rougher edges, making them ideal for ripping through wood quickly. Blades with more teeth provide a finer, smoother cut, which is better for finishing work, such as crosscutting hardwood or cutting laminate surfaces.

General purpose blades are designed for versatility, handling a range of materials with decent speed and quality. They balance tooth count and design to suit both ripping and crosscutting tasks. Fine cutting blades have more teeth and specialized grinds to produce smooth, precise edges. This is especially important for finish carpentry or working with delicate materials. Choose a fine cutting blade when a high-quality finish is essential.