The right jigsaw blade can transform your tool from single-use wood cutting machine into multi-purpose cutting tool. Jigsaws can be classified by the type of shank they come with, the number of teeth, material they are made of or material they are designed to be used with. The most popular shank type is 'tang' shank which fits most tools (tang at the top of their shank which fits into the tool-less blade clamp of the tool). U-Shank is much less popular and usually found in older tools. Jigsaw blades are made of various types of steel. HCS or high carbon steel is a material the cheapest blades are made of. They are really flexible and wore out very quickly. HSS (High-Speed Steel) blades and Bi-metal blades are the most common as they resist to heat very well and last much longer. Some blades come with the edge covered with Tungsten Carbide grit and are commonly used to cut through fibreglass, metal or ceramics. The shape of blade and the type of teeth play an important role as well. Reverse tooth blades are used for precise cuts in materials prone to splintering (laminates). Plunge cut blades have a sharp tip on their end which allows them to pierce a workpiece at the beginning of plunge cutting. Scrolling blades are used for scroll cutting are narrower than standard blades. This allows them to cut tight curves without binding or breaking. If you have any questions, please feel free to have a live chat with us.