Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
When you're buying a saw blade, the first thing most people look at is tooth count.
Too few teeth and the cut can be rough. Too many and the blade may cut cleaner, but it can also create more heat and burn the wood.
Tooth count does matter.
But there's another number on the blade that's just as important: the hook angle.
Hook angle is the forward or backward lean of the tooth. If it leans forward, it's positive. If it leans backward, it's negative.
But it's important to understand why they lean.
A positive hook tooth is aggressive. Because it leans forward, it helps pull the stock into the blade. That makes cutting faster and requires less from you.
It’s why circular saw blades and many ripping blades use larger positive hook angles.
Negative hook teeth do the opposite. They don't grab nearly as much, making the cut slower but more controlled.
This dado stack is a good example. Notice how the teeth lean backward compared to a ripping blade. Speed isn't the goal here. A clean, accurate groove is.
The farther forward the tooth leans, the more aggressive the blade becomes. The less it leans forward, or if it leans backward, the more controlled the cut tends to be.
So next time you're buying a blade, don't just look at the label or the tooth count. Take a look at the teeth themselves.
Once you know what you're looking at, you're not just guessing anymore.
Like step by step projects? Check out the second channel! → @makethingswithrob
Become a patron! → patreon.com/makethings ←
Huge thank you to my patrons that keep this thing going!
*MAKER TEAM*
Michelle B
Keith Current
Rich Lightfoot
Tutor the Barbarian
Aubrey G.
Nukebert
Sam W.
Aaron Knows DIY
G. Salazar
David B.
Marc B.
Richard B.
Ben. K
Bill Patterson
D. Lundman
Make Things
#MakeThings #mtbitesize
When you're buying a saw blade, the first thing most people look at is tooth count.
Too few teeth and the cut can be rough. Too many and the blade may cut cleaner, but it can also create more heat and burn the wood.
Tooth count does matter.
But there's another number on the blade that's just as important: the hook angle.
Hook angle is the forward or backward lean of the tooth. If it leans forward, it's positive. If it leans backward, it's negative.
But it's important to understand why they lean.
A positive hook tooth is aggressive. Because it leans forward, it helps pull the stock into the blade. That makes cutting faster and requires less from you.
It’s why circular saw blades and many ripping blades use larger positive hook angles.
Negative hook teeth do the opposite. They don't grab nearly as much, making the cut slower but more controlled.
This dado stack is a good example. Notice how the teeth lean backward compared to a ripping blade. Speed isn't the goal here. A clean, accurate groove is.
The farther forward the tooth leans, the more aggressive the blade becomes. The less it leans forward, or if it leans backward, the more controlled the cut tends to be.
So next time you're buying a blade, don't just look at the label or the tooth count. Take a look at the teeth themselves.
Once you know what you're looking at, you're not just guessing anymore.
Like step by step projects? Check out the second channel! → @makethingswithrob
Become a patron! → patreon.com/makethings ←
Huge thank you to my patrons that keep this thing going!
*MAKER TEAM*
Michelle B
Keith Current
Rich Lightfoot
Tutor the Barbarian
Aubrey G.
Nukebert
Sam W.
Aaron Knows DIY
G. Salazar
David B.
Marc B.
Richard B.
Ben. K
Bill Patterson
D. Lundman
Make Things
#MakeThings #mtbitesize
