The shape of the saw blade tooth and the way the teeth are grouped also affect the way the blade cuts. The configuration of the teeth on a saw blade has a lot to do with whether the blade will work best for ripping, crosscutting, or laminates.
Picture of Flat TopFlat Top (FT) Flat top teeth are used on blades made for ripping hard and soft woods. Since wood is much less likely to chip and splinter when it is being cut in the direction of the grain, the focus of a rip blade is to quickly and efficiently remove material. The flat top tooth is the most efficient design for cutting and raking material out of the cut.
Picture of Alternate Top Bevel (ATB)Alternate Top Bevel (ATB) "Alternate top bevel" means that the saw blade teeth alternate between a right and left hand bevel. This tooth configuration gives a smoother cut when crosscutting natural woods and veneered plywood. The alternating beveled teeth form a knife-like edge on either side of the blade and make a cleaner cut than flat top teeth.
Combination Tooth (Comb.) The combination (4&1) configuration is used for "combination" blades -- blades designed to do both crosscutting and ripping. The teeth are arranged in groups of five - four ATB teeth and one FT -- with a large gullet in between the groups.
Picture of Triple Chip Grind (TCG)Triple Chip Grind (TCG) The TCG configuration excels at cutting hard materials like laminates, MDF, and plastics. Teeth alternate between a flat raking tooth and a higher "trapeze" tooth. The TCG configuration is also used for non-ferrous metal cutting blades.
Picture of High Alternate Top Bevel (HiATB)High Alternate Top Bevel (HiATB) The HiATB configuration is used for extra-fine crosscutting and to cut materials surfaced with melamine, which is prone to chipping. The high bevel angle increases the knife-like action at the edge of the blade.
