Blades feature a special tooth design that, the company says, results in a significant increase in tooth strength and, consequently, a reduction in tooth stripping. This, combined with Starrett Bi-Metal Unique Technology, ensures that the blades can easily cope with the shock loading conditions associated with intermittent cutting, making the blade suitable for manual ‘pull down’ band saw machines with uncontrolled feed rates. 

The Versatix tooth design has been developed to minimise any stress propagation and to evenly distribute the cutting load. The profile has a variable rake all the way down the tooth to reduce vibration, and a shallow gullet to lower noise levels for smooth, quick cutting and the prevention of teeth chipping and stripping. This makes the blade resistant to heat build-up, abrasion and shock, allowing faster cutting, making it suitable for applications with intermittent cutting, including structural steels, ‘H’ beams and sections, tubes and angle iron. 

Available in widths from 19 to 54mm, Versatix MP band saw blades are produced from triple tempered M-42 cobalt high speed steel teeth combined with a fatigue resistant alloy steel backing strip. Up to 27mm wide they are produced using the Starrett Bi-Metal Unique technology which joins two strips of high speed steel wire to a backing steel strip in a solid phase, using the principle of solid state diffusion bonding. Wider blades are produced using a standard electron beam welding process.

A company director of a Midlands-based fabrications business is reaping the benefits of the Versatix MP band saw blade. “We provide structural and general steel work support services for a wide range of ‘blue chip’ customers, ranging from BMW to Sainsbury’s. Subsequently, the work we do is varied. We have found the Versatix MP band saw blade to be extremely versatile. It really is a multi-tasking blade that offers very good blade life.”

Other successes include a decorative railing manufacture in the South that was changing band saw blades every three days. Now, with Versatix MP, blade life has been extended to between three and four weeks. A door manufacturer in the North of England that cuts very thin interrupted sections, was previously changing blades about once a week. With Versatix MP it is now reckoned the blade lasts up to nine weeks.